Developing a Lifecycle Framework for Textile Design Education

This study explores the role of education as a fundamental solution to the structural problems of the textile industry, a major contributor to the environmental crisis. Currently, the textile industry faces significant criticism for its lack of sustainability, as it accounts for 8-10% of global carbon emissions and generates over 92 million tons of textile waste annually due to excessive resource consumption and environmental pollution. In particular, toxic chemicals from dyeing and finishing processes and microplastics shed from synthetic fibers severely threaten ecosystems. To overcome this crisis, the designer's role must be redefined—moving beyond being a mere aesthetic expert to becoming a systems manager and an ethical practitioner, a transformation made possible through innovation in the educational paradigm. However, existing sustainability education has shown limitations in fundamentally transforming designers' values and philosophies, as it is often confined to fragmented courses or a material-focused approach. To address these challenges, this study aims to construct an integrated educational framework for nurturing sustainable textile designers through a qualitative research methodology that includes a literature review and case studies. The analysis of pioneering cases reveals that the goal of education must extend beyond mere knowledge transmission to cultivate systemic thinking and ethical responsibility. Furthermore, this study ultimately proposes a four-stage “Lifecycle Textile Design Education Framework” consisting of: (1) Forming Ecological Sensitivity, (2) Cultivating Critical Thinking, (3) Deepening Creative Expertise, and (4) Promoting Self-Directed Innovation. This framework includes core competencies, pedagogical principles, specific curricula, and assessment for each stage, with the ultimate purpose of providing the educational foundation necessary for future textile designers to grow into Agents of Change who can lead the resolution of environmental and social problems.