Pad (Jun 2021)
The Human Touch. An Ethical Discussion on Sewing Technology in the Age of Digital Transformation
Abstract
While society is being transformed by information technology, contemporary sewing technology will continue to depend on sewing by human hands. Based on this, the production of clothing – and in particular the sewing process – must be assessed from an ethical perspective. The Matrix of Convivial Technology, which finds its origins in the Degrowth movement, is used as a guide to discuss the ethical features associated with sewing technology. Examining this technology across the spectrum of convivial values results in distinguishing it as a social technology. As such, it holds potential to fulfil basic needs, empower people through the ability to create, and build relationships. Under a commercialised motivation however, the human component shifts its position: Human labour becomes “inferior to the system” (Vetter, 2018, p. 3) and its inherent consumerism. Supported by the theoretical framework of the Social Construction of Technology, it becomes clear that the core question of how to design a more just future fashion industry is not – as initially thought – one of techno-optimism versus techno-pessimism: rather it is a question of social agency versus social passivity.
