Place-Based Divergence in Sustainable Textile Material Selection: A Comparative Study of China, Japan, Italy, and Finland

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Published: 2026-02-04
Keywords:
sustainable textiles, material selection, regional comparison, place-based framework, circular economy, cross-regional collaboration

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Jing Pu
School of Design, Royal College of Art, London, SW7 2EU, United Kingdom

Abstract

The global textile industry faces an imperative shift towards sustainability, yet practices diverge significantly across regions, particularly in the choice of materials. This study investigates how and why sustainable textile material selection varies between distinct socio-industrial contexts. Employing a comparative case study methodology, it analyzes China, Japan, Italy, and Finland through systematic coding of secondary data. Findings reveal four distinct, coherent material selection logics: trade-off decision-making in China driven by scalability, authenticity logic in Japan rooted in craft tradition, value maintenance logic in Italy centered on quality equivalence, and lifecycle judgment logic in Finland premised on ecological innovation. Synthesizing these, the study proposes a Place-based Framework, conceptualizing material selection as a contextualized judgment process shaped by the interaction of six dimensions: resource ecology, craft-technology pathways, industrial logic, cultural values, design decision-making, and sustainability orientation. Furthermore, an exploratory collaboration model derived from the framework demonstrates varied complementarity and conflict risks across regional pairs. This research provides a structured lens to understand regional pathways in sustainable transition and offers practical insights for fostering cross-regional collaboration based on complementary logics rather than standardized solutions.

Article Details

Issue

Vol. 2 No. 1 (2026)

Section

Articles

How to Cite

Place-Based Divergence in Sustainable Textile Material Selection: A Comparative Study of China, Japan, Italy, and Finland. (2026). Journal of Sustainability, Policy, and Practice, 2(1), 142-155. https://schoalrx.com/index.php/jspp/article/view/84

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