Fostering Sustainable Fashion Innovation: Insights from Ideation Tool Development and Co-Creation Workshops

Idea generation is often considered the biggest influence on both the value creation and sustainability of a product–service system. Although several researchers have put forward sustainable innovation tools, there has been limited research into potential tools that can support the ideation stage for future sustainable fashion professionals. In this study, we aim to address this gap by (1) critically examining the management control systems that support the ideation phase and how different types of tools assist sustainability innovation, (2) investigating the potential value of co-creation in the ideation phase, and (3) evaluating a sustainable fashion toolkit designed for use in co-creation workshops. The proposed application of the toolkit was tested with designers, marketers, and entrepreneurs in several co-creation workshops (n = 147) that examined the users’ experiences and the toolkit’s usefulness using task analysis. In-depth interviews with industry professionals and educators were also conducted to identify the key criteria for optimal tool development and use in both industrial and educational contexts. This study contributes at a theoretical level by proposing a sustainable fashion innovation tool that considers management control systems and practical guidelines for tool development and by delineating implications for the future of sustainable fashion education and skills.