Fashion design entrepreneurs (FDEs) are compelled to embrace digitalisation to create a competitive advantage and provide the Web 2.0 (participative and social web) smart customer with the service they require. The purpose of this research was to determine how social media facilitates custom-made apparel design decisions in the FDE context. This study sets out to apply the third-generation activity theory to show the role social media plays in the activity system's result between a customer and FDE during the design process. Qualitative data from three independent exploratory studies conducted in Gauteng, South Africa, were used.

Appropriate pedagogies for the development of an online (distance education) clothing and textile product development module presented at NQF level 8 is paramount. The curriculum and the pedagogical perspective of students enrolled at Unisa are affected by student diversity; locality of students; separation from the institution, lecturing staff and fellow students. Cognisance should be taken regarding the proliferation of the internet, changing student profile and adoption of various teaching methods, which all have an impact on the learning process and should form the theoretical underpinning of a design of a course/module (Ertmer & Newby 2013).

The high failure rate of small and micro businesses together with limited information about the operations of informal fashion micro-businesses and necessitated a study about the apparel product design and development process applied by custom-made apparel manufacturing micro enterprises (CMMEs). These micro-enterprises have an important role to play in poverty alleviation in South Africa despite implementing survivalist strategies, and they also provide a sense of self-worth and dignity to people who would otherwise depend on welfare (Grant 2013; Phakathi 2013; Campaniaris et al. 2011). According to Burke (2011), knowledge of design enables creativity and innovation and therefore to prosper, informal CMME owners need to be competent, as well as innovative (SME Reports 2014).