Technological Dependency
Technological dependency in the fashion industry refers to the reliance on specific tools, materials, machines, or software that are critical for the production and delivery of fashion products and services. Some technologies are more integral to the production process than others, and a company may face significant disruptions if these become inaccessible. This unit explores how fashion companies assess their technological dependencies and the potential risks associated with them. Participants will analyze the impact of these dependencies on the product-service lifecycle and explore sustainable alternatives to reduce reliance on technologies that may pose risks or be unsustainable in the long term.
Case studies
BYBORRE – Digitally-driven 3D knitting ecosystem
BYBORRE is an Amsterdam-based textile innovation studio whose practice depends on industrial circular knitting machines tightly coupled with a proprietary digital workflow (BYBORRE Create) for parameterized fabric design. The company’s model illustrates technological dependency on specific hardware–software stacks, while its work on more open, modular collaborations with machine builders and software partners shows how this dependency can be managed to increase resilience and flexibility in the textile value chain.
Project link
Ananas Anam – Piñatex® pineapple-leaf textile
Ananas Anam produces Piñatex®, a leather alternative made from pineapple leaf fibre, relying on specialized fibre extraction and finishing technologies to convert agricultural waste into a scalable textile material. This creates a strong technological dependency on patented processing methods and dedicated equipment, while demonstrating how process innovation can turn vulnerable raw-material chains into resilient, higher-value textile ecosystems.
Project link
Ecovative – Forager™ mycelium-based hides
Ecovative’s Forager™ platform develops mycelium-based hides for fashion, using its proprietary AirMycelium™ growth technology and controlled-environment bioreactors to produce leather-like sheets for footwear, bags, and accessories. The case shows deep dependency on bioprocess engineering, AI-supported growth control, and dedicated fermentation infrastructure, and how modular, distributed production systems can reduce systemic risk while enabling new sustainable materials for fashion.
Project link
SHIMA SEIKI – WHOLEGARMENT® 3D knit systems
SHIMA SEIKI’s WHOLEGARMENT® technology provides fully fashioned 3D knitwear on single machines, making many brands and micro-factories dependent on a closed hardware, software, and file-format ecosystem for seamless knit production. This case exemplifies how reliance on a single machinery vendor and proprietary design tools can increase technological lock-in, while also enabling local, on-demand production and material efficiency in knit-based fashion systems.
Project link
CLO Virtual Fashion – CLO 3D garment simulation
CLO Virtual Fashion’s CLO 3D software has become core infrastructure for many apparel brands, OEMs, and studios, who depend on its physics-based simulation engine, file formats, and plug-ins for digital sampling and virtual prototyping. The case highlights a growing dependency on specialized design software and cloud services, raising questions of interoperability, data ownership, and long-term access, while also enabling major reductions in physical sampling, lead times, and material waste.
Project link
References
Silvestri, B. (2020). The future of fashion: How the quest for digitisation and the use of artificial intelligence and extended reality will reshape the fashion industry after COVID-19. ZoneModa Journal, 10(2), 61–73. https://doi.org/10.6092/issn.2611-0563/11803
Bolesnikov, M., Tsoy, D., Madatyan, A., & Mammadova, G. (2022). Innovative use of new technologies in fashion industry: Evidence from Chinese Generation Z consumers. Sustainability, 14(16), 10082. https://doi.org/10.3390/su141610082
Remme, J., Venkatachalapathy, K., Foeken, M., Dijkstra, D., & van Hillegersberg, J. (2022). Blockchain-enabled sustainability labeling in the fashion industry. Procedia Computer Science, 196, 280–287. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.procs.2021.12.108
Qiao, P., Fujita, H., Majeed, N., & Aydin, H. (2025). Blockchain-driven innovation in fashion supply chain contractual party evaluations as an emerging collaboration model. Blockchain: Research and Applications, 100266. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bcra.2024.100266
Oliveira, M., Santos, M., & Pereira, D. (2022). Fashion Industry 4.0: A bibliometric review in the fashion industry. Research, Society and Development, 11(12), e34211234203. https://doi.org/10.33448/rsd-v11i12.34203