Product Development Process for Ethical Fashion Design - Fair trade system approach -

This study seeks solutions for two conflict values from the fair trade, one being fulfilling environment and social responsibility and the other being suggesting stylish designs within a reasonable price range. The purposes of this study were to establish fair-trade fashion product development process by investigating practices in fashion product development process within fair-trade company, and to identify the characteristics of fair-trade fashion product development. Qualitative research method was employed. Participant observation and in-depth interviews were conducted with practitioners working in fairtradekorea, Ltd. and producers in Bangladesh, from which case studies were compiled. The results were as follows: The case study provided evidence that fair-trade fashion product development has the same steps as practiced in general fashion brands, but has different characteristics such as fair-trade products going through a much slower process which led to early planning, having producer-centered product development, concentrating on spring/summer products, having a high cost structure, and having unpredictable quality control. Study implications and future research avenues are also discussed.