The study investigates the configuration of fashion organisations in the Emilia-Romagna region with the aim of analysing perceptions and implications of ecodesign policy on design practices, manufacturing processes, and supply chains. In particular, n. 19 leading companies with n. 35 brands have been engaged through a three-step research process, including the administration of a survey, the conduct of semi-structured interviews, and the participation in a focus group. Informants were mainly sustainability, supply chain and quality assurance managers working in different market segments (from luxury to fast-fashion) and product categories (from yarns and textiles to apparel and footwear).

Results reveal a highly heterogeneous degree of readiness: while high-end companies demonstrate a significant level of alignment with specific ecodesign requirements (e.g., durability, reliability, hazardous substances), overall implementation remains partial and fragmented. An interesting consideration concerns the impact of eco-design in a style-centric industry, revealing that although eco-design requirements refer to the product, their implications for business operations will be multifaceted. In this regard, the study develops a process model outlining key areas of intervention across both upstream and downstream supply chains, including the rethinking of internal governance, the implementation of reskilling programs, the development of reshoring strategies, and investments in collaborative research-oriented supply chains, as well as downstream processes to enhance product value from the after-use phase through to end-of-life management.