Digital Pattern Business Models as Sustainable Practices and Challenges faced by Student Fashion Entrepreneurs in Lagos State, Nigeria

Abstract

The study was on digital pattern business models as sustainable practices and challenges faced by student fashion entrepreneurs in Lagos state Nigeria was conducted among 200 fashion design students from Yaba College of Technology, Yaba, Lagos. Two (2) research questions and two (2) hypotheses guided the study. It was a descriptive survey, the instrument for the data collection was a structured questionnaire containing 30 questions which was further subjected to face validity by two experts. The data collected was analyzed using mean, and Chi-square. The result revealed 192 (96) respondents answered yes, pattern cutting and marking has been digitized, 152 (76) answered yes, they have digitized their pattern production in case of pandemic. 194 (97) answered yes, there are digital business models for pattern cutters and markers. Majority answered yes, there is freemium, training and workshop, software, e-commerce, crowd funding etcetera. 197 (98.5) answered yes, there was lack of internet service. 160 (80) answered yes, soft and hardware were not available, and affordable. 156 (78) answered yes, lack of qualified technologists was a challenge. 128 (64) there was irregular power supply. 125 (62.5) answered yes, traditional model pattern cutting and marking were preferable. 196 (98) answered yes, this is the digital era. In conclusion, for digital business practice model to be a sustainable practice, the following were recommended. Production of soft and hardware for pattern cutting and marking should be made home grown, as well as good internet provider and constant electricity.

Keywords: Challenges, Digital Business Models, Entrepreneur, Pattern Cutters, Sustainable Practice