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Shirani M, Hasanvand M K, Kashavarz Afshar M. (2025). The Model of Sustainable Design Development for Baloch Embroidery Based on Design Thinking. JIC. 9(2), 241-261. doi:10.61882/jic.9.2.424
URL: http://jih-tabriziau.ir/article-1-424-en.html

Traditional Iranian handicrafts embody indigenous knowledge and cultural capital, yet within contemporary markets, they face challenges regarding design innovation and sustainable framing. The present study investigates Baloch embroidery through a design thinking lens to identify and operationalize sustainable design value indicators within a specific local context. The research questions are as follow: Which value indicators define sustainable design in Baloch embroidery, and how can these indicators be reinforced through a participatory design process? In order to answer the questions, a qualitative case study was conducted using field observations and semi-structured interviews with 28 Baloch artisans and entrepreneurs. Open and axial coding produced fourteen value indicators across four dimensions—economic–social, cultural and local knowledge transmission, environmental, and aesthetic–innovative—which informed a co-creative design workshop and the development of five prototype products. The findings indicate that integrating value indicators into iterative design thinking cycles simultaneously enhances cultural, social, and aesthetic outcomes. Five conceptual principles—authenticity, participation, material sensitivity, narrative, and continuity—emerged as regulatory mechanisms guiding the design process. This study contributes a value-based, context-sensitive model for sustainable design development in Baloch embroidery, with insights interpreted within the examined cultural setting. The proposed model re-conceptualizes design thinking by shifting its organizing logic from problem-solving to value negotiation, positioning indigenous knowledge and artisan agency as foundational rather than peripheral to the design process. The results further highlight the potential of co-creative methodologies in bridging the gap between traditional craft practices and contemporary design demands. These findings suggest that sustainable design frameworks developed through embedded participatory fieldwork may offer more culturally coherent pathways for craft innovation than top-down methodological transfers.