DESIGNING A NARRATIVE-DRIVEN GAMIFIED PLATFORM TO FOSTER SUSTAINABILITY IN THE TEXTILE AND CLOTHING SECTOR: THE IN4SUSTAIN CASE STUDY

The textile and clothing (T&C) industry has a significant economic relevance at a global level, but at the same time is one of the most environmentally and socially impactful. From pollution and overproduction to precarious labour conditions, the challenges tied to the sector's current model are increasingly incompatible with long-term sustainability. While awareness of these issues is growing, achieving meaningful change requires approaches that engage stakeholders on a cognitive as well as an emotional level, in order to provide them with both the understanding of need to be done and the motivation to do it. In this context, the In4Sustain project proposes a novel strategy: a narrative-driven gamified platform designed to foster sustainable thinking and action across the T&C value chain. This paper outlines the conceptual foundations, design principles, and key features of the In4Sustain platform, conceived as a narrative-driven gamified learning environment. Indeed, the platform employs narrative techniques and game elements to engage users in role-playing missions that simulate real-world dilemmas related to sustainability. By adopting the perspective of various industry actors, such as designers, producers, and retailers, users are invited to navigate complex scenarios, reflect on consequences, and explore alternative decisions aligned with sustainability values. The research process underpinning the design of In4Sustain platform consisted of two main interconnected steps. Firstly, to define the most relevant topics and narrative structures for the platform, a focus group was conducted with professionals and experts in sustainability, education, and textile innovation. Participants were asked to reflect on the major challenges and opportunities for sustainability in the T&C sector, and to share ideas on how to bring these issues to life in the In4Sustain platform. Thematic analysis of the focus group transcripts led to the identification of core tensions, value conflicts, and stakeholder perspectives that informed the construction of the gamified platform overall narrative structure and main missions. Secondly, a comparative analysis was conducted on existing serious games and gamified platforms developed to promote sustainability and ethical decision-making, both within and beyond the T&C sector. This review served to identify best practices and critical features relevant to the In4Sustain gamified platform design. By combining the results of this two research steps, the overall narrative design of the gamified platform is proposed. By presenting the In4Sustain case study, this paper contributes to the field of gamified learning for sustainability, providing insights into how narrative and game elements can be strategically combined to support transformative learning.