The Komburongo Futures: A Speculative Exploration of Dusun Spirituality for Sustainable and Critical Cyberpunk Fashion Design

Abstract

Since the modern fashion system continues to be a significant cause of social and environmental harm, a paradigm change towards systems-level sustainable alternatives is required. At the same time, indigenous cultures' intangible cultural heritage—like the Komburongo ritual object used by the Dusun people—is being eroded. These intangible spiritual principles are seldom adequately translated into fashion proposals, which frequently results in shallow appropriation. Using a qualitative research-through-design methodology, our work fills this gap. The study is to: (1) use digital ethnography to investigate the spiritual values of the Komburongo; and (2) create theoretical prototypes that materialise this framework. Digital culture analysis, practice-based experimentation combining tech and organic materials in a critical cyberpunk aesthetic, and assessment in accordance with emotional durability principles were all part of the process. The resulting capsule collection demonstrates how indigenous concepts can inform a sustainable, spiritually based design model. It comes to the conclusion that speculative design offers a potent framework for interacting with intangible cultural heritage, going beyond appropriation to produce creative, morally sound avenues for fashion's future.