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https://www.designforsocialchange.org/journal/index.php/DISCERN-J 

 

ISSN 2184-6995 

 
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 

International License. 

 

  

 

 
 

The designer as an agent for promoting sustainability in the creative 
industries in Zimbabwe 
 
Walter Chipambwa, Kelvin Dekesa, Josiline Mabuto 
 
Published online: November 2023 

 
To cite this article:  

Chipambwa, W., Dekesa, K., & Mabuto, J. (2023). The designer as an agent for promoting sustainability in 

the creative industries in Zimbabwe. Discern: International Journal of Design for Social Change, Sustainable 
Innovation and Entrepreneurship, 4(2), 14-22. 
 

 

 

 
 

  



 

15 

 

The designer as an agent for promoting sustainability in the creative 
industries in Zimbabwe  
 
Walter Chipambwaa, Kelvin Dekesab, Josiline Mabutoc  

 
aChinhoyi University of Technology, School of Art and Design, Chinhoyi, Zimbabwe wchipambwa@cut.ac.zw 
bChinhoyi University of Technology, School of Art and Design, Chinhoyi, Zimbabwe kdekesa@cut.ac.zw 
cChinhoyi University of Technology, School of Art and Design, Chinhoyi, Zimbabwe jgwisai@cut.ac.zw 

 

Abstract 

The scope of this study is to engage designers to evaluate the extent to which they act as agents of change 

towards achieving a greener world, as their outputs have a significant bearing on how communities 

consume products or services. The study provides an audit of how the three key pillars of sustainability, 

namely economic, environmental and social are promoted in the creative industries in Zimbabwe. Five 

distinct areas in the creative industries were selected for this study: fashion design, interior design, product 

design, graphic design and multimedia design. Five in-depth interviews were conducted in each sector from 

which the design agent was purposively sampled. The interviewees were purposefully sampled using their 

present and past creative work as a key indicator for providing a meaningful contribution to the study.  

A huge gap with regards to knowledge on sustainability issues was identified amongst designers across the 

sectors, athough opportunities for improvement were also identified. The study highlights the need to 

improve sustainability education as a concept for both designers and consumers of products and services. 

The study concludes that creative industries in developing economies like Zimbabwe have significant 

potential to contribute towards the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). 

 

Keywords: Sustainability, Economy, Creative, Designer, Education 

 

Introduction 

Sustainable design is one of the tenets of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), as it plays a key role 

in how humans seek to meet their current needs without upsetting the ability of future generations to also 

meet their respective needs. Traditionally, manufacturers have employed the linear economy model in 

which products are made from natural resources and after their use are disposed of in an often 

unsustainable manner. However, the more favourable and sustainable pathway would be to adopt the 

circular economy model as proposed by Pearce and Turner (1990), Wastling et al. (2018) and Sumter  

et al. (2020). A circular economy model aims to re-introduce the used parts of product as new raw 

materials for another new product to improve resource efficiency.  

 

From the designer’s perspective, concepts such as biomimicry, minimalism, cradle-to-cradle and the 4Rs 

(reduce, reuse, repair, and recycle) become key as they promote circular economy initiatives (Chipambwa 

et al., 2023; Geissdoerfer et al., 2017; Hall et al., 2023). The concept of design for sustainability is made up 

of five key principles: biomimicry, cradle-to-cradle, renewability, minimalism and systems thinking. 

Leerberg et al. (2010) state that design shapes the lives of all humans, and as such designers must consider 

the impact of their outputs. They go on to suggest that the designer should therefore consider the impact 

of their design on society, from the initial steps of the design process till the end of the product’s life. 

Margolin (2007) also argues that designers have a crucial role to play in the economy as they determine 

how humans interact with their planet. The goal of sustainability is to use fewer resources and preferably 

mailto:wchipambwa@cut.ac.zw
mailto:kdekesa@cut.ac.zw
mailto:jgwisai@cut.ac.zw


 

16 

 

eco-friendly options that may be available for the product to be realised.  

 

Sustainability was first defined by the Brundtland Commission as “development that meets the needs of 

the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs” (Keeble, 

1988). Sustainability in product design and development has therefore become a major research area over 

the years (Ahmad et al., 2018). Design for sustainability (D4S or DfS) is part of design for excellence (DfX),  

a concept that seeks to improve the quality of a product during the design stage. For a product to exist, it 

has to be designed, and it is during this stage that the materials to be used and the various processes to be 

carried out in terms of its manufacturing up to its disposal are determined (Sild, 2022). This implies that the 

design stage is key in determining the effect of the product on sustainability.  

 

The development of sustainable products is an area that has gained popularity in the field of product 

development (Fernandes & Canciglieri, 2014). It has been established that 80% of sustainability is decided 

at the product design stage (Ahmad et al., 2018). It then becomes apparent that the designer has a huge 

role to play in ensuring that sustainable products are launched onto the market. For designers to become 

active agents of change for sustainability, they should be prepared to move out of their comfort zone and 

be prepared for continuous learning (Baldassarre et al., 2019).  

 

The industry is facing increasing pressure to adopt more sustainable approaches to product design and 

manufacturing to remain competitive. Important issues that design and manufacturing companies should 

consider to retain their acquired market share are maintaining high-quality products, lowering production 

costs and protecting the environment (Gupta & Vegelin, 2016). Expectations for sustainable manufacturing 

practices have become more stringent over the years considering increasing environmental degradation, 

climate change and air and water pollution (Gupta & Vegelin, 2016). 

 

This study sought to: 

• Explore the sustainable design concepts that designers and other creatives use in their practice. 

• Examine how the concept of sustainable design is embraced by the local designers and creatives. 

• Suggest strategies to promote the adoption of sustainable design principles and practices within  

the design sector. 

 

Literature review 

Sustainable design is often linked to green design and ethical design. The motive of sustainable design  

is to reduce resource use in product creation and reduce emissions to the environment as well as improve 

its socio-economic performance throughout the product life cycle (Ahmad et al., 2018). Sustainability is 

made up of three main dimensions: economic, social, and environmental (Gupta & Vegelin, 2016), which 

are also referred to as the 3Ps, namely profit, people and planet, respectively. Economic viability is a critical 

factor for the survival of any organization, but it is not enough to sustain the organization in the long term  

if production causes damages to the ecosystem, emits toxic waste and depletes non-renewable resources. 

It has become important for any organization to act socially and environmentally responsibly while trying  

to achieve its economic goals (Gupta & Vegelin, 2016). Munyai (2016) opines that, to increase the 

capabilities of design, one can look at using concepts such as design thinking, co-design service design and 

system design. Even though they are not directly linked to sustainable design. they can help in solving 

design problems. 



 

17 

 

For sustainable design and thinking to have a positive impact, the designer must think beyond simple 

constraints by engaging consumers to understand consumer behaviour and expectations. This will in turn 

produce designs that are driven by value and create an opportunity for the designer to educate the 

consumer. According to Harper (2018), there is also a need to look at the aesthetic value of the design,  

as this also in some way affects the user in terms of their habits as consumers. She further argues that  

it is the designer’s responsibility to educate users about the material and aesthetic quality dimensions  

of the product. 

 

Ahmad et al. (2018) posit that sustainable product design should pay more attention to the product life 

cycle – from the raw material selected for use, the structural formation, manufacturing and usage to the 

end of life, reusability and recyclability of a product. Success in sustainable design entails consideration  

of environmental issues at the inception of the product development process, effective use of tools and 

environmental design principles, rules and standards and the availability of information required for  

cross-functional teamwork (Gupta & Vegelin, 2016). 

 

Eco-design or design for the environment (DfE) is an idea or concept that aims to improve the 

environmental performance of a product (Hauschild, 2004). Fitzgerald et al. (2007) define DfE as “the 

systematic consideration of design performance concerning environmental, health, and safety objectives 

over the full product and process life cycle. DfE integrates design-related concepts such as; design for 

disassembly, recycling, recovery, human health, and safety”. Barsanti (2012) argues that the role of  

a designer has changed from being a creator to being a facilitator of change. This is done through  

designing products that consider the 3Ps of sustainability.  

 

Three main strategies can be used in the application of the DfE concept. These strategies are minimizing 

resources and processes, optimizing the product life and planning the end of life of a product. In the first 

strategy, minimum resource consumption and processes allow for minimum resource use. In optimization 

of the product life, the goal is to prolong a product’s useful life in the market. This can be achieved through 

designing for the appropriate duration, designing for reliability, facilitating updating and adaptation and 

facilitating maintenance, repair, reuse and re-manufacturing. Planning the end-of-life strategy seeks to 

reclaim the primary material used in products after its useful life. The strategy can be achieved by designing 

for reuse, remanufacture and recycling (Fernandes & Canciglieri, 2014). 

 

Methodology 

According to Creswell (2012), the research design should explain the processes followed in the collection  

of data, the data analysis and how the results are presented. This study was qualitative, as it sought to 

understand how designers view the concept of sustainable design in the way they perform their duties. The 

study sought to understand more about the behaviour of designers and their views on sustainability and 

evaluate the role designers play in the creative economy. The study identified three areas of design: fashion 

design, product/industrial design and graphic design. The 15 selected participants provided indications of 

how the sector is embracing the concept of sustainability, although a more extensive sample that can 

warrant a generalizable result can be studied in future. These three design areas are more common in the 

local creative industries and have many players who are actively participating in the growth of this sector. 

Due to the limited resources, the study used a purposive sampling technique to identify and select design 

participants who were deemed to be knowledgeable about the area and expected to be information rich, 

as argued by Patton (2002). 



 

18 

 

 

The selection of the participants in the three design sectors was based on the assessment of various design 

products they have contributed as their outputs as well as their social media interactions. The participants 

were fully informed of the study and they consented to participate before the data collection was done. 

The interview questions were sent before the agreed interview date so that the participants could 

familiarize themselves with the trajectory of the study. The questions were both open-ended and close-

ended with an opportunity to probe further. Data was analysed and themes were generated from the  

15 interview cases. 

 

Results and discussion 

Table 1: Respondents demographics and experience. 

 

 

Table 1 presents the participants’ gender distribution, years of experience and employment status. The 

design industry is synonymous with self-start-ups, such that one can easily open up one’s own company. 

Table 1 also shows that there was a fair distribution of both female and male participants in all the areas of 

design chosen for the study. The lowest academic qualification of all the designers was a higher national 

diploma, indicating a knowledgeable target population. Zimbabwe has seen a steady growth in the number 

Respondent Gender Position Years of 

experience 

Educational 

qualification 

Employment 

P1 Female Supervisor 3 degree Self-employed 

P2 Female Designer 14 degree Formally 

employed 

P3 Female Designer 8 masters Formally 

employed 

P4 Female Fashion designer 3  Degree Self-employed 

P5 Male Fashion house 

director  

5 Degree Self-employed 

P6 Male R&D furniture 

designer 

4 Degree Formally 

employed 

P7 Female Designer  2 Degree Formally 

employed 

P8 Male Designer 3 Degree Self-employed 

P9 Male R&D product 

designer 

5 Degree Formally 

employed 

P10 Female Interior designer 4 Degree Self-employed 

P11 Male Designer 

 

4 Higher national 

diploma 

Self-employed 

P12 Female  Creative director 3 Degree Self-employed 

P13 Male Designer 5 Degree Formally 

employed 

P14 Male Graphic artist 6 Master’s degree Self-employed 

P15 Male Designer 3 Diploma  Formally 

employed 



 

19 

 

of tertiary institutions offering a wide range of subjects taught from the lower levels up to degree level. 

One subject that has been introduced widely in high schools as part of the new curriculum is Design and 

Technology, which has resulted in more students taking up design-related degrees and diplomas at the 

tertiary level.  

 

In the design field, the entrepreneurship dimension is much more pronounced, as the skills exhibited can 

result in the formation of a business that can be grown into a larger operation. In this study, 53% of the 

respondents indicated that they were self-employed while the other 47% were formally employed. As 

stated by Fernandes (2019), students who graduate from the creative or design-related disciplines tend to 

benefit more in terms of entrepreneurial orientation as innovation is part of their key learning outcomes. 

 

Sustainable design knowledge and education 

All the respondents pointed out that they knew what sustainable design entails. One respondent said, 

“They are designs that are timeless and are produced using organic fabrics” (Participant 4). The 

respondents showed that they had an appreciation of the issue of raw materials used in design and also  

the issue of durability as compared to fast fashion products. Another respondent said, “Sustainable design 

is a concept that emphasizes the utilization of the earth’s natural products without depleting them so that 

future generations can also benefit from them” (Participant 6). Overall, the appreciation of sustainability as 

a concept that is important in design was evident from all the respondents. Though the respondents 

reflected knowledge of sustainability, it was evident that those who are self-employed tend to practise it 

more than the formally employed. This was attributed to formal ways enforced by companies on the design 

processes that are always rigid. Self-employed creatives tend to explore without limits and thus quickly 

move with the economic trends. 

 

According to Gwilt (2012), in the case of fashion designers conforming to sustainability, they are affected  

by the design brief which in turn is part of the fashion brand. Thus they have very little to change as the 

manufacturer is keen to make as much profit as possible from the particular design. The issue of practising 

or implementing sustainable design becomes a difficult option as the designer has few options to employ. 

Only one respondent stated that environmental sustainability is incorporated in their research and 

development activities and that is when they try to ensure that the design problem is solved.  

 

All the respondents in this study indicated they went through formal design education and they acquired 

knowledge on sustainability and sustainable design. About 75% of the respondents stated they attained 

knowledge in sustainability from the various design education qualifications they undertook. The 

respondents (66%) also cited personal study as their source of knowledge on sustainability. Social media 

platforms were also highlighted as key sources of information on sustainability. One respondent 

acknowledged, “I got to know about sustainability through a Facebook advert on sustainable fashion and 

started following it, and ever since I am now actively participating in some initiatives on sustainable design 

and eco-design in fashion” (Participant 2).  

 

Zimbabwe is a developing economy, and as such social media plays an active role in promoting 

sustainability, a view also supported by Bruce et al. (2022), who conducted a similar study on SMEs in 

Ghana. From this study, it was highlighted that very few companies are doing on-the-job training for their 

employees, especially on issues to do with sustainability, a finding also supported by Chipambwa et al. 

(2023) and Sumter et al. (2020). This could be attributed to economic challenges facing many companies  



 

20 

 

in the country in that they end up trying to cut costs by not conducting training, which businesses view  

as a financial burden to their operations. 

 

Challenges faced by designers in sustainable design 

The respondents cited several challenges they faced as designers in promoting or implementing sustainable 

design. One respondent said, “The society as a whole is finding it difficult to practise sustainability as they 

are stuck with what they are used to/they are familiar with” (Participant 10). The respondent further 

explained that people are usually not comfortable with new ways of doing things, hence as a designer it is 

risky to bring in new ideas that promote sustainable design. Another respondent said, “There is a lack of 

time and commitment from designers themselves and also a lack of financial resources to effectively 

connect key stakeholders in raising awareness and contributing to the local pool of sustainably 

designed/made solutions” (Participant 11).  

 

Many players also cited the worsening economic situation as a key setback, as designers cannot expand 

their operations with ease. It was also highlighted that some sustainable design concepts are difficult to 

push onto the market. Upcycling fashion products or industrial products for example can be a challenge  

as customers might view the products as trash. This then makes it difficult for the designer to actively 

promote issues of sustainability, as the market may not yet be ready for such products. The graphic 

designers highlighted the fact that the absence of sustainable organic inks and paper to print in the market 

is a challenge. Another designer stated, “The concept of less is more (minimalism) can be mistaken for 

laziness” (Participant 14), and this can hurt one’s business. The designer added that the consumers of 

designs also need to be made aware of sustainability issues so that they can appreciate the designer’s 

perspective in the design of new products.  

 

Another respondent stated that there is a need for homegrown solutions that take all players in the 

industry aboard. She highlighted the fact that “There is a need for promoting the use of our abundant local 

raw materials like our own cotton that has to be spun, woven and dyed using environmentally friendly 

methods” (Participant 12). The respondent further stated that there is a need to promote the go green 

concept with proper care labels on clothes so that consumers are constantly reminded of the role they also 

have to play in sustainability. Another respondent, a graphic designer, affirmed that “Consumers need to be 

made aware of the issues to do with the environment through billboards and also using paper bags that 

carry the message to promote responsible behaviour amongst the consumers” (Participant 13). 

 

Promoting sustainable practices 

Educating designers was highlighted as key to promoting sustainable design. Though the respondents 

explained that they acquired knowledge on sustainability through formal education systems, it was pointed 

out that many tend not to put it into practice. One respondent said, “Yes, I learned about sustainability at 

college but the content was too basic compared to what I know now. It was more of an introductory nature 

and less about practice” (Participant 4). A related response was, “There is a need to educate learners on 

sustainability from the primary level in the form of projects they can undertake so that they develop a better 

understanding and an appreciation of sustainability and hence become responsible citizens” (Participant 9). 

 

From the responses above, one can conclude that there is a need to improve the way sustainability is 

taught so that there are environmentally conscious consumers and designers. Another respondent also 

suggested that symposia or workshops could be held for specific industrial sectors so that designers 



 

21 

 

recognize how their operations affect the environment and have them suggest workable solutions specific 

to their sector. Graphic illustrations that encourage users to recycle or reuse various packages can also be 

used as a way of communicating with users so that they play a role in promoting sustainability. Designers 

can also use the eco-friendly design concept so that they produce durable products that are designed with 

the environment in mind. 

 

Conclusion 

This study points out several key issues that affect the design industry in Zimbabwe and how these could be 

solved. In the area of fashion and textiles, there is a need to promote the use of natural fibres like cotton as 

this promotes the local cotton farmers and at the same time supplys sustainable material for use in fashion 

design. In graphic design and printing, use of organic inks that are not harmful to the environment is also 

another alternative that can be adopted by users. Social media can also be used to promote sustainability 

initiatives as it can easily reach out to a larger audience unlike workshops or symposiums that target 

specific groups. Educating design consumers on sustainability also results in a knowledgeable community 

that can take initiatives in promoting sustainable behaviour and consumption. The educational curriculum 

can also be improved such that sustainability issues are imparted early in the educational journey of 

students and through tasks or projects that can make students learn from experience. Workshops or 

symposia to upgrade skills for the informal sector in the creative design industry can result in positive 

reaction from these players as they play a key role in these economies. 

 

The designer must take an active role in promoting sustainability, as their design ideas result in products or 

services consumed by users. Designers should be ready to explore new horizons and continuously learn 

new ways or strategies in design practice that conform to the continuously changing standards set for 

sustainability. Manzini (2009) states that if designers are to be active agents of change for sustainability, 

they should move out of their comfort zone and continuously learn to perform their duties differently. The 

designer plays a crucial role in influencing the sustainable adoption, use and disposal of any product by fully 

embracing the design process of sustainable products.  

 

A generation of designers is needed who can work with the industry in promoting sustainable designs in 

Zimbabwe. The higher education curriculum must be audited to establish if it responds to the expectations 

of sustainability. Designers in today’s world need to change the way they approach their design projects by 

going beyond the aesthetic value of a product but rather looking at how the product is going to be made, 

used and discarded. As a developing economy, Zimbabwe still has an opportunity to develop a more holistic 

approach towards the use of its natural resources, and designers or the creative industries sector can prove 

to be very useful in such national agendas. 

 

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	https://www.designforsocialchange.org/journal/index.php/DISCERN-J
	ISSN 2184-6995
	This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
	The designer as an agent for promoting sustainability in the creative industries in Zimbabwe
	Walter Chipambwa, Kelvin Dekesa, Josiline Mabuto
	Published online: November 2023
	To cite this article:  Chipambwa, W., Dekesa, K., & Mabuto, J. (2023). The designer as an agent for promoting sustainability in the creative industries in Zimbabwe. Discern: International Journal of Design for Social Change, Sustainable Innovation and...
	The designer as an agent for promoting sustainability in the creative industries in Zimbabwe
	Walter Chipambwaa, Kelvin Dekesab, Josiline Mabutoc
	aChinhoyi University of Technology, School of Art and Design, Chinhoyi, Zimbabwe wchipambwa@cut.ac.zw
	bChinhoyi University of Technology, School of Art and Design, Chinhoyi, Zimbabwe kdekesa@cut.ac.zw
	cChinhoyi University of Technology, School of Art and Design, Chinhoyi, Zimbabwe jgwisai@cut.ac.zw
	Abstract
	The scope of this study is to engage designers to evaluate the extent to which they act as agents of change towards achieving a greener world, as their outputs have a significant bearing on how communities consume products or services. The study provi...
	Keywords: Sustainability, Economy, Creative, Designer, Education
	Introduction
	Sustainable design is one of the tenets of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), as it plays a key role in how humans seek to meet their current needs without upsetting the ability of future generations to also meet their respective needs. Traditi...
	From the designer’s perspective, concepts such as biomimicry, minimalism, cradle-to-cradle and the 4Rs (reduce, reuse, repair, and recycle) become key as they promote circular economy initiatives (Chipambwa et al., 2023; Geissdoerfer et al., 2017; Hal...
	The industry is facing increasing pressure to adopt more sustainable approaches to product design and manufacturing to remain competitive. Important issues that design and manufacturing companies should consider to retain their acquired market share a...
	This study sought to:
	• Explore the sustainable design concepts that designers and other creatives use in their practice.
	• Examine how the concept of sustainable design is embraced by the local designers and creatives.
	• Suggest strategies to promote the adoption of sustainable design principles and practices within  the design sector.
	Literature review
	Sustainable design is often linked to green design and ethical design. The motive of sustainable design  is to reduce resource use in product creation and reduce emissions to the environment as well as improve its socio-economic performance throughout...
	For sustainable design and thinking to have a positive impact, the designer must think beyond simple constraints by engaging consumers to understand consumer behaviour and expectations. This will in turn produce designs that are driven by value and cr...
	Ahmad et al. (2018) posit that sustainable product design should pay more attention to the product life cycle – from the raw material selected for use, the structural formation, manufacturing and usage to the end of life, reusability and recyclability...
	Eco-design or design for the environment (DfE) is an idea or concept that aims to improve the environmental performance of a product (Hauschild, 2004). Fitzgerald et al. (2007) define DfE as “the systematic consideration of design performance concerni...
	Three main strategies can be used in the application of the DfE concept. These strategies are minimizing resources and processes, optimizing the product life and planning the end of life of a product. In the first strategy, minimum resource consumptio...
	Methodology
	According to Creswell (2012), the research design should explain the processes followed in the collection  of data, the data analysis and how the results are presented. This study was qualitative, as it sought to understand how designers view the conc...
	The selection of the participants in the three design sectors was based on the assessment of various design products they have contributed as their outputs as well as their social media interactions. The participants were fully informed of the study a...
	Results and discussion
	Table 1: Respondents demographics and experience.
	Table 1 presents the participants’ gender distribution, years of experience and employment status. The design industry is synonymous with self-start-ups, such that one can easily open up one’s own company. Table 1 also shows that there was a fair dis...
	In the design field, the entrepreneurship dimension is much more pronounced, as the skills exhibited can result in the formation of a business that can be grown into a larger operation. In this study, 53% of the respondents indicated that they were se...
	Sustainable design knowledge and education
	All the respondents pointed out that they knew what sustainable design entails. One respondent said, “They are designs that are timeless and are produced using organic fabrics” (Participant 4). The respondents showed that they had an appreciation of t...
	According to Gwilt (2012), in the case of fashion designers conforming to sustainability, they are affected  by the design brief which in turn is part of the fashion brand. Thus they have very little to change as the manufacturer is keen to make as mu...
	All the respondents in this study indicated they went through formal design education and they acquired knowledge on sustainability and sustainable design. About 75% of the respondents stated they attained knowledge in sustainability from the various ...
	Zimbabwe is a developing economy, and as such social media plays an active role in promoting sustainability, a view also supported by Bruce et al. (2022), who conducted a similar study on SMEs in Ghana. From this study, it was highlighted that very fe...
	Challenges faced by designers in sustainable design
	The respondents cited several challenges they faced as designers in promoting or implementing sustainable design. One respondent said, “The society as a whole is finding it difficult to practise sustainability as they are stuck with what they are used...
	Many players also cited the worsening economic situation as a key setback, as designers cannot expand their operations with ease. It was also highlighted that some sustainable design concepts are difficult to push onto the market. Upcycling fashion pr...
	Another respondent stated that there is a need for homegrown solutions that take all players in the industry aboard. She highlighted the fact that “There is a need for promoting the use of our abundant local raw materials like our own cotton that has ...
	Promoting sustainable practices
	Educating designers was highlighted as key to promoting sustainable design. Though the respondents explained that they acquired knowledge on sustainability through formal education systems, it was pointed out that many tend not to put it into practice...
	From the responses above, one can conclude that there is a need to improve the way sustainability is taught so that there are environmentally conscious consumers and designers. Another respondent also suggested that symposia or workshops could be held...
	Conclusion
	This study points out several key issues that affect the design industry in Zimbabwe and how these could be solved. In the area of fashion and textiles, there is a need to promote the use of natural fibres like cotton as this promotes the local cotton...
	The designer must take an active role in promoting sustainability, as their design ideas result in products or services consumed by users. Designers should be ready to explore new horizons and continuously learn new ways or strategies in design practi...
	A generation of designers is needed who can work with the industry in promoting sustainable designs in Zimbabwe. The higher education curriculum must be audited to establish if it responds to the expectations of sustainability. Designers in today’s wo...
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