This paper explores the concept of the circular economy within the context of fashion and textile design in the UK, and does so from the textile and fashion perspectives to explore how this might be achieved. Within the UK alone, we dispose of approximately 10,000 garments every ten minutes (Kerr & Foster, 2011). This project focuses specifically on the practice of textile and fashion design in the UK to consider a more holistic approach for designing and manufacturing within these sectors. Our research aims are to explore the contribution open design can make in implementing the circular economy and thus a more sustainable material future. We ask what are the new models and systems of production that will support a circular economy in textiles? In this work we propose a vision for circular economic models of production in fashion and textiles that adopt open design approaches.

Open design is a catchall term for various on- and offline design and making activities. It can be used to describe a type of design process that allows for (is open to) the participation of anybody (novice or professional) in the collaborative development of something. As well as this, it can mean the distribution and unrestricted use of design blueprints and documentation for the use by others.In this paper, the authors highlight various aspects of open and collaborative design and argue for the use of new terms that address what is open and when. A range of design projects and online platforms that have open attributes are then explored, whereby these terms are applied. In terms of design, the focus is specifically on the design of physical things rather than graphical, software or system design.

This paper aims to understand how effective co-design activities can be carried out with remote and rural communities. Taking a combined ethnographic and participatory approach in our project situated in the Scottish Highlands and Islands, we discuss two iterative phases of scoping, idea-generating, and prototyping and refining. Throughout these accounts we reflect on how creative design methods enhanced shared understandings of local contextual issues; drove us to identify people and resources to enrich the participatory design process; and strengthened their ownership over the project. Building on this we propose a series of recommendations for design researchers to stimulate engagement with communities from remote and rural geographies, support their participation in activities that aim to understand past challenges and successes, and enable them to contribute to the design and development of new outcomes through sustained collaboration.

From craft, to industrial revolutions up to current global concentrations of specialisms and virtual firms, the way we make has evolved dramatically over time (Mourtzis & Doukas 2014, Allen 2006, Eugene et al 2005). This research looks forwards and asks in light of new technological developments such as 3D printing what are the new production models of the future. Through literature review this paper explores how manufacturing developed historically. Following a summary of a primary research study titled Digital Makers, a feasibility study for rural maker centres based in the Highland and Island region of Scotland, the paper goes on to present a concept for a digitally enabled manufacturing network of the future. Concluding with a discussion on the implications for future research. The research connects to the authors work researching distributed manufacturing networks for rural and island communities and enabling innovation for manufacturing. (Smith 2015: Smith & Mortati 2017).