Digital Sustainability of Intangible Cultural Heritage: The Example of the “Wu Leno” Weaving Technique in Suzhou, China

Abstract

Digital technology can be used to enable the living preservation and heritage innovation of the intangible cultural heritage of Chinese traditional textile skills for sustainable development. Taking the “Wu Leno” weaving technique in Suzhou as the research object, we first elaborated on the origin, development, and evolution of “Wu Leno” through documentary research and case study methods. Second, considering the inheritance of the Leno weaving technique, we used digital technology to establish the pattern. The study showed that a digital database and virtual reality technology can be used to build a loom model and create a simulation library to realize innovative applications and interactive experiences in apparel design. The study also showed that the digital database and the interactive technology of virtual reality can provide practical pathways and explore experiences for the preservation, inheritance, cross-border communication, and sustainable innovation development of Suzhou “Wu Leno” weaving techniques in modern times.