This study maps the cultural, market, and technological changes that influence the selection of raw materials for textile and apparel design projects over time. It uses a Strategic Design approach with an emphasis on environmental sustainability. The research combines a bibliographic review and a case study focused on the Brazilian textile and apparel industry from a Circular Economy perspective, using cotton and hemp fibers for manufacturing t-shirts. To that end, the analytical phase of the Three-Dimensional Strategic Design Matrix (TSDM) applies. Applying the matrix in a more restricted scope has allowed us to: (a) suggest actions related to project activities that bring together design and other stakeholders to determine the choice of environmentally sustainable raw materials; (b) extrapolate timely technical solutions and adopt a critical perspective when reflecting about dominant and emerging fibers in the fashion cycle; (c) speculate about the environmental performance of cotton and hemp fibers, based on design strategies for sustainability and the 2030 Agenda’s Sustainable Development Goals. From a wider perspective, the matrix model has served as a navigation instrument to deal with the complexity and dynamics of a mature industry by identifying, organizing and integrating a wide range of fragmented information, focusing on aspects coherent with a desirable future and aligned with 21st century values.