Pedagogy and Professional Development

The Micro-factory Model: A Case Study in Entrepreneurship, Slow Fashion, and Sustainability

Authors: Barbara Cottrell Trippeer (University of North Texas) , Hae Jin Gam (University of North Texas) , Alisa Otto (University of North Texas)

Abstract

Recent studies in sustainable apparel design and development indicate that fashion firms have increasingly relied on technology and innovation to manage resources as part of a more sustainable supply chain. In response to these challenges, small-scale manufacturers, referred to here as a "micro-factory," have begun to gain momentum. Wells and Orsato (2005) defined the term "micro-factory" as a space where "production and retailing functions combine on one site in small scale facilities" (p.17). The recent pandemic has highlighted many vulnerabilities of the existing fashion system, which often relies on a global supply chain to achieve production goals (Oracle NetSuite, 2021). This paper proposes the framework of the micro-factory as one alternative to meet the needs of apparel design product development because it offers successful approaches to sustainable design and production, and tertiary elements involved in sustainability, such as mental health and financial well-being (Early, 2015; Oracle NetSuite, 2021).

Keywords: micro-factory, entrepreneurship, sustainability, apparel

How to Cite: Trippeer, B. C. , Gam, H. & Otto, A. (2022) “The Micro-factory Model: A Case Study in Entrepreneurship, Slow Fashion, and Sustainability”, International Textile and Apparel Association Annual Conference Proceedings. 78(1). doi: https://doi.org/10.31274/itaa.13781