Stitching Resilience: Ethical Fashion as a Response to Wicked Problems in Disaster Recovery

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Date

2025-05-01

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Abstract

Natural disasters and industrial catastrophes present wicked problems characterized by complexity, unpredictability, and systemic inefficiencies. This paper examines how ethical fashion initiatives can address these challenges in disaster recovery, drawing on a literature review of five case studies: Post-Hurricane Katrina Artisan Cooperatives, Japan Tsunami Textile Recovery, Rana Plaza Collapse Response, Post-Hurricane Maria Textile Initiatives, and Australian Bushfire Textile Upcycling. These are compared to Threaded Impact Co., a 2025 startup producing "Hurricanes Blow" socks in Charlotte, North Carolina, to support Hurricane Helene recovery via donations to Rebuilding Together Greater Florida. Findings suggest that while historical cases demonstrate fashion’s potential for economic empowerment and social resilience, Threaded Impact Co. offers a structured, scalable model addressing wicked problems like funding shortages and fragmented aid systems, advancing the intersection of ethical fashion and environmental science.

Type

Master's project

Department

Nicholas School of the Environment

Description

Provenance

Version 3 adds erroneously deleted organization name—Custom Sock Lab—to the first bullet under Threaded Impact Co. – Hurricane Helene (2025) on page 10.

Subjects

Ethical Fashion, Disaster Recovery, Wicked Problems, Stitching Resilience Framework, Community Empowerment, Sustainability, Scalability

Citation

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https://hdl.handle.net/10161/32360

Rights

https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/

Citation

Addis, Will (2025). Stitching Resilience: Ethical Fashion as a Response to Wicked Problems in Disaster Recovery. Master's project, Duke University. Retrieved from https://hdl.handle.net/10161/32360.

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Nicholas School of the Environment
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