A Plan to Secure Environmental Sustainability Through Digital Transformation of the Fashion Industry: Focusing on Fashion Design and Smartization of the Manufacturing Process

Although the global market size of the fashion clothing industry is continuously growing, environmental pollution is also intensifying. This study examines the impact of the fashion clothing industry on global environmental problems and the efforts being made to overcome them, and introduces ways to secure the environmental sustainability of the fashion clothing industry through digital transformation that MFAFA Co., Ltd. is carrying out. The fashion and apparel industry emits about 10% of the total amount of greenhouse gas generated worldwide, and has a fatal impact on environmental pollution such as water consumption, soil pollution, and microplastic emission. Various environmental pollution factors are inherent throughout the entire clothing life cycle. Recognizing these environmental problems within the fashion clothing industry, they are promoting the use of eco-friendly materials, minimization of cutting waste, introduction of new manufacturing processes such as 3D printers, and waste disposal in consideration of the environment. MFAFA Co., Ltd. is promoting the development of a digital design tool and small-volume production-oriented clothing smart factory with the goal of securing environmental sustainability through digital transformation. The digital design tool developed a pattern data-based 3D studio to minimize cutting waste and sample production. Users can easily select a variety of design patterns, fabrics, and logos to design unique clothing in 3D. Through this, it is judged that the generation of cutting waste and sample clothing generated in the existing procedure can be drastically reduced. The smart factory is being promoted in a specialized form for small-volume production by reflecting various element technologies, including modular process design, and testing of element technologies is currently in progress. The environmental problem of the fashion and apparel industry is not just a problem for fashion brands. Along with the fulfillment of social responsibility for environmental issues by brand companies, all human beings, who are clothing users, must clearly recognize the current environmental issues. All stakeholders in the fashion and clothing ecosystem agree on the seriousness of activities for a sustainable environment, and immediate action is urgently needed to overcome it.