Rethinking fashion: Sustainable, integrated and regenerative prosperity

Well-being has traditionally been measured through economic growth and the accumulation of wealth, often neglecting the limitations imposed by natural resources (Latouche et al., 2011). The current economic model overlooks the principles of the circular economy, which are increasingly undermined by anthropogenic phenomena such as global warming. Additionally, growing geopolitical instability is weakening conventional governance systems (Sachs, 2015). Within this context, the European Commission’s “Safe and Sustainable by Design” (SSbD) framework (2022), aligned with the objectives of the European Green Deal, promotes a systemic approach that integrates safety, sustainability, and functionality. It aims to reduce the use of hazardous chemicals and minimize environmental impacts throughout the entire life cycle of products and processes. There is an urgent need to rethink production systems through a “reparative, regenerative, and restorative” economic model (Sbordone et al., 2022), which transcends the limits of the circular economy by prioritizing biological cycles and the bioeconomy (Fava, 2022; Giampietro, 2024). The Quintuple Helix model contributes to redefining relationships among stakeholders, placing natural capital at the center (Carayannis et al., 2012). In this scenario, design intrinsically connected to life plays a critical role in re-establishing sustainable relationships between humans and the environment (Antonelli, 2012), particularly in the fashion and textile sectors, by fostering locally grounded initiatives focused on repair, regeneration, and territorial enhancement.