This project on fluid ownership within the creative industry highlights the importance of collaboration, shared resources, and innovative governance structures in fostering sustainable development in sectors such as digital knitwear production. The proposed fluid ownership model introduces a shared governance framework, where stakeholders collectively manage high-cost resources like digital knitting machines, software, and expertise. This model not only lowers the financial barriers for smaller companies but also encourages collaboration between designers, manufacturers, and technologists, resulting in a more flexible, adaptive, and inclusive ecosystem.
Ultimately, the fluid ownership prototype offers a scalable solution not just for the fashion industry but for other sectors facing similar collaboration challenges. The model enhances resource utilization, fosters innovation, and supports the industry's move towards a more circular and socially responsible future. Going forward, further refinement and testing of this model could have far-reaching implications for how industries manage shared resources and collaborate in a digitally-driven economy.
Further research based on the results from this project has been planned withing the context of a RAAK proposal. This proposal (Schatgrafen, care&repair. See decription in the footnote ) is being developed within the HvA and in collaboration with the municipality of Amsterdam. Contact persons are dr Maaike Feitsma for the HvA - AUAS, and Diewertje Wagenaar for the Municipality of Amsterdam. The model/prototype developed will be used and tested in the context of a.o. shared infrastructures developed to amend and repair existing clothing. Moreover our model will be tested and refined in the context of shared digital assets aimed at automating the clothing production process. It will also be used in the context of collaborative agreements in sourcing textiles, in particular withing the realm of ‘regenerative agriculture, as one spin-off of this project has further explored cross-sectorial collaboration efforts in this realm (resulting in the following publication: Mossinkoff, M., & Kiefer, S. (2024). What regenerative sourcing means for business: lessons from the denim and cotton sectors. Journal of Textile Engineering & Fashion Technology, 10(2), 80-82.).
Two research paper are being written on this topic focusing on the ownership challenge and on the skills development related to the changes due to digitalization of production.
Het doel van dit interdisciplinaire SIA KIEM project Fluïde Eigenschap in de Creatieve Industrie is te onderzoeken of en hoe gedeelde vormen van eigenaarschap in de creatieve industrie kunnen bijdragen aan het creëren van een democratischer en duurzamer economie, waarin ook het MKB kan participeren in digitale innovatie. Het project geeft een overzicht van beschikbare vormen van (gedeeld) eigenaarschap, hun werking en hoe deze creatieve professionals kunnen ondersteunen bij de transitie naar de platformeconomie. Dit wordt toegepast op een concrete case, dat van een digitale breimachine. Naast het leveren van een goede praktijk, moet het project leiden tot een groter internationaal onderzoeksvoorstel over Fluid Ownership in the Creative Industry, dat dieper ingaat op de beschikbare eigendomsoplossingen en hoe deze waarde zullen creëren voor de creatieve professional.