Creative, technical and economic innovations for mass-market offerings in the clothing sector

The project is being delivered by a research consortium consisting of the Leuphana University (Faculty of Sustainability, CSM), the University of Applied Sciences and Arts Hannover (Faculty III – Media, Information and Design), Reutlingen University (Textiles and Design School), MSH Medical School Hamburg und the Martin-Luther-University Halle-Wittenberg. Project coordination is being provided by the ECOLOG Insitute for Social and Ecological Research and Education in Hannover.

The first core question of the project is whether and how innovations in the realms of fashion design, textiles technology, clothing production and service offerings, as well as new business models can contribute to a longer use phase for clothing.
The second set of key questions centers around the diffusion of innovations into the mass market. The project assesses how sustainable innovations can reach beyond the niche markets with early adopters and into the mainstream consumer markets.

The CSM’s research within this project focuses on business models. Initially, sustainability impacts of existing business models are assessed and compared. Opportunities for innovative sustainable business models to become successful in the mass market are analysed subsequently.