Role of fashion designer in sustainable fashion cycle

Sustainability is a much debated concept that has an impact on several fields today. Realizing the significance of sustainability and to understand its ever increasing value, it is necessary to indulge in today's environmental, economic and sociological problems. As a result of increasing global environmental problems, endangered natural resources and other negative developments, fashion and textile design fields are also affected, similar to all other fields. Findings demonstrate that textile and fashion industries are among the sectors that affect the environment negatively. In addition to equality, environmental sciences and economics subjects where sustainability is discussed, research have been initiated on the role of the fashion designer in sustainable development. The present study aims to discuss how the fashion designer should be concerned about sustainability, what is the role of the fashion designer and how the fashion designer could contribute to sustainability. Seven academicians living in Turkey and a fashion designer living in the UK were interviewed within the context of the present study; these individuals were selected from the people who have current and competent works. Perceptions, approaches and recommendations of the interviewed individuals on the role of fashion designer in the sustainable fashion cycle were relayed and the study was supported by the related literature.