Design Guidelines Software

Designing garments for circular, bio-based and local textile ecosystems poses a completely different set of challenges and opportunities for design teams, with new materials, local communities and value chains to consider. Design teams need to think about how their decisions might affect whether the garment can be shared, repaired, remanufactured or recycled.

In this section you can find out about the Design Inspiration Tool, an interactive software to guide design teams through the process of how to design products for circular, bio-based and local ecosystems.

What is the Design Inspiration Tool?

The Design Inspiration Tool is an interactive software that supports fashion designers and brands to design a more circular and bio-based product with local aspects. It is an evolving resource based on circular.fashion’s insights and active work with partners working in the industry. The tool presents a set of interrelated guidelines that whilst not all-encompassing, can be used to steer product development by providing insights on the impact of design choices, and sharing alternative approaches to consider and explore.

Why is the Tool needed?

The fashion and textiles industry currently operates under a linear, highly globalised and resource intensive production model that is heavily reliant on fossil-fuels and creates negative impacts for people and the planet. An alternative approach that is holistic, systemic and fosters the development of a bio-based, local and circular economy is clearly needed. However, there is currently a lack of guidance for designers on how to navigate through the complexity and feel empowered to design differently. The Design Inspiration Tool aims to fill an identified gap in the market.

How does the Tool work?

You will be guided through a series of non-conditional questions that dive into a product’s purpose, materials, design and production, and circulation. Based upon the independant answers selected, you'll receive a set of tailored guidelines to spark imagination and creativity. The tool is ideally suited to the early stages of the design process to identify suitable approaches and topics for further investigation.

It is important to understand that the Design Inspiration Tool is for inspiration only and must not be used in product marketing, for example to claim it is sustainable. circular.fashion offers a range of more in-depth tools, such as the Circular Design Criteria tool and verification process, that can be used to define a credible approach for product labelling.