Exploring Sustainable Material Adoption by Designers: A Mixed‐Methods Framework for Fashion Industry Transformation

ABSTRACT The increasing focus on the sustainability of the environment has led to the increased use of sustainable materials in fashion. To identify the sustainable materials which fashion designers prefer and their impact on the fashion industry. To develop a sustainable framework to support sustainable material selection in fashion design. An exploratory sequential mixed methods design was used. In Phase 1, a qualitative interview with fashion ( n = 44) and fabric ( n = 46) designers was conducted to gather data on materials sustainable for the fashion industry and their major attributes. The framework was developed in Phase 2 through qualitative findings. Phase 3 was a quantitative testing of the framework based on 621 fashion professionals who answered questionnaires. Multiple regression analysis showed that all six materials significantly affected fashion design preferences ( p < 0.001), with bamboo having the largest effect ( β = 0.352), followed by Tencel ( β = 0.291), organic cotton ( β = 0.285), Peace silk ( β = 0.259), hemp ( β = 0.238), and linen ( β = 0.156). The quantitative results confirmed the qualitative themes and showed the excellent measurement model fit (CFI = 0.996; RMSEA = 0.015) with good reliability and validity of the proposed model. A sustainable framework was proposed that combined qualitative knowledge with quantitative evidence, contributing to the field of sustainable fashion research in this respect. Sustainable material selection is a strategic choice that is determined by functionality, environmental considerations, ethical issues, and suitability of applications.