Nike & MIT CoLab Material Innovation Challenge

NIKE + MIT CoLABi n n o v a t i o n c h a l l e n g e

2about

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NIKE + MIT CoLAB

M S S t r a t e g i c D e s i g n & M a n a g e m e n tI N T E G R A T I V E S T U D I O 1 - 2 0 1 6P R O F E S S O R R H E A A L E X A N D E R

i n n o v a t i o n c h a l l e n g e

Alyson Strike | Diana Donohue | Sucharita Jyothula | Valentina Beltran

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INDEX

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DISCOVER

ABOUT THIS REPORT

SYNTHESIS

IDEATE

PROTOTYPE

CREATE

T H E S U M M A R Y

T H E D E S I G N E R S

T H E I N S I G H T C L U S T E R S

T H E I D E A

T H E P I V O T S

S E R V I C E D E S I G N

T H E C H A L L E N G E : A M A T E R I A L R E V O L U T I O N

T H E C O N S U M E R S

T H E P E R S O N AT H E K E Y I N S I G H T S

T H E F I N A L I D E A

N E X T S T E P S

T H E D E S I G N T H I N K I N G P R O C E S S

T H E T E A M

T H E I N D U S T R Y

T H E F I N D I N G S

T H E P R O C E S S

T E S T I N G A S S U M P T I O N S

T H E B U S I N E S S D E S I G N

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Dive r s i t y i n bot h e xper ience and e xper t i se

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Alyson Strike CANADA

INDIA

COLOMBIA

UNITED STATES

Content StrategistCopywriter

Photographerlululemon athletica

Strategy & Business Administration

Fashion Industry

Architecture & UX-Designer

Architecture Industry

Design Strategy & Brand Strategy Designer & Architect

Business Owner

Diana Donohue

Sucharita Jyothula

Valentina Beltran

about the authors o f th i s repor t

THE TEAM

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Our segments of research focused on the current consumer behaviors in the apparel purchasing process as well as the designer’s perspective. The consumer research examined three consumer groups that display the greatest opportunity for change and impact: athletes, fashionistas and sustainable consumers. These consumers are key in changing behavior because they are viewed as advocates and an inspiration for the general public. Designers are greatly influenced by the demand of these key segments.

PROJECT OVERVIEW

RESEARCH

This report explores the current issues surrounding material consumption and the negative impact it has had on the global environment. We sought to discover opportunities for material solutions to this ever growing issue, specifically, at the consumer level.

OPPORTUNITYOur research leads us to opportunities in various parts

of the purchasing process, however, we chose to brainstorm around expanding the life-cycle of clothes by combining the thrift-shopping experience with the sharing economy.

about th i s repor t

THE SUMMARY

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Consumers are generally unaware of the negative impact fashion has on the environment. There is also a lack of connection between consumers and this social issue because it is viewed as less impactful on their daily lives than with purchasing food or beauty products. Fast fashion has become a part of many consumers buying process due to low prices, accessibility and seemingly unlimited options. However, consumers say they would be more inclined to purchase sustainable products if they were comparable in price, quality and style. Convenience is also an important factor in taking sustainable action, many will forgo if performing the action is viewed as time consuming.

FINDINGS

INSIGHTS & IDEAS

Growth in the thrift store market and sharing economy led us to ask,“How might we encourage consumers to share their closets?” This question led to ideation around a digital platform and network for sharing clothing: The Community Closet.

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Ho w can we spa rk a mate r i a l s revo lu t ion and reduce mate r i a l c onsumpt ion by re t h ink ing how we va lue and use t hem?

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MIT-CoLAb Cha lenge

Fabrics and textiles impact our climate. How can we redefine society’s relationship with fabrics and textiles?

“The materials we use to clothe ourselves and cover our things with have a profound impact on the climate. They are all around us – in the furniture we sit on, the cars we drive and the clothes we wear. The fact is, materials matter. According to research compiled by MIT Materials System Lab, approximately 25 billion kilograms of cotton was produced worldwide in 2013, resulting in the same annual GHG emissions as 51.3 million passenger vehicles. Enough leather is produced annually to cover the state of Maryland. Polyester production for use in textiles in this year alone is estimated to generate as much greenhouse gas emissions as the annual emissions of 185 coal fired power plants. That’s a material issue.

Developing new material compositions and reducing the impact of fabric production is necessary, but not sufficient to reduce the climate impact of industries that rely on fabrics. Before we can advance and scale innovation in materials, we need to build an understanding of the challenges and opportunities that exist. We need to redefine society’s relationship with fabrics and textiles. This contest seeks novel and well thought-out ideas on how to engage industries, designers, product creators and the public in valuing, demanding and adopting lower impact materials.”

THE CHALLENGE: A MATERIAL REVOLUTION

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We approached the design challenge by using the Parsons Design Process which consists of five phases. Over the semester we used this as a tool to guide our next steps. The process, which is designed to be cyclical, allowed us to go back and forth through the process in an agile way.

DISCOVER SYNTHESIS IDEATE PROTOTYPE CREATE

s t ra teg ic approach

DESIGN THINKING PROCESS

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In this first phase, we looked at the ecosystem of the textile industry to understand the various key players involved and how they affect one another. Then we focused our research on the key players who create and demand—the designers and the users.

During this fourth phase we began by testing assumptions with low-fidelity service prototypes that mocked up our experience. Evaluating the findings and insights from this initial test drove us to pivot. We finally created a high-fidelity digital prototype to outline the user experience.

In the third phase, we synthesized our key insights to help prompt our brainstorming process. Using filters as a funnel, we evaluated the ideas and chose one that aligned best with the challenge goal.

During this second phase we filtered down the key insights from the research by clustering, finding affinities and mapping out the patterns .

In the final phase, we moved to build out a strategic business plan to roll out our service and make sure it is viable and scalable.

DISCOVER

PROTOTYPE

IDEATE

SYNTHESIS

CREATE

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IN THIS SECTION

THE INDUSTRYT H E E C O S Y S T E M

T H E F A S H I O N I S T A

T H E V A L U E C H A I N

T H E S U R V E Y

T H E E C O - C O N S C I O U S

T H E I M PA C T

T H E V O I C E S

T H E A T H L E T E

THE DES IGNERS

THE CONSUMERS

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THE INDUSTRY

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The Indus t ry

THE ECOSYSTEMThe first part of our process began by drawing the boundaries and intersections within the industry’s ecosystem. Through this process we were able to identify areas that represented places for intervention. This gave us a comprehensive understanding of various internal and external factors that affect the operations of the textile industry. The ecosystem maps highlight how we perceived these boundaries and intersections.

DESIGNERS

USERS

ENDORSERS

RETAILERS

MANUFAC-TURERS

EMPLOYERS

CUSTOMERS

PARTNERSGOVERN-

MENT

SHAREHOLDERS

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PEOPLEEmployee Wellfare

Fair TradeSocial

Code Of ConductCulture

Human ResourcesCareer Development

Network Transparency

PLANET PERFORMANCE

02

03

05

06

07

04

01Plan

Design

Make

MoveSell

Use

Reuse

AthletesTrainers

AmeteursSports Fans

Sports Teams

Healthy Living

StrategyResearch & Development

Material InnovationNetwork Transparency

Retail Sales

Lean ManufacturingSubsidiariesPartnerships

Material Engineering

AthletesTrainers

AmeteursSports Fans

Sports Teams

GovernmentPolicies

Tax BenefitsRegulations

Certifications

AdidasLululemon

Under ArmourNew Balance

PumaReebok

PriceTechnologyHealthy

Living

OrganizationsLeed

Re-100BicepOecedBmp

Financial Institutions

TextileIndustry


Mater ia l I nnovat ion Mater i a l Se lec t ion1

1

THE VALUE CHAIN

Raw Material

Processing

MaterialDying + Finishing

Product Design

Product Assembly

Product Dying or Printing

The Indus t ry

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Brand & Commun ica t ion Consumer Behav iour

THE VALUE CHAIN

ShippingBrand + Marketing

Retail Consumer Demand + Purchasing

Freight

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7 B A T H T U B SO F W A T E R U S E D

E N O U G H P E S T I C I D E S

T O T R E A T A N A C R E O F C O R N

C O 2 E M I S S I O N S E Q U I V A L E N T T O

D R I V I N G 7 M I L E S

THE IMPACT OF PRODUCING ONE T-SHIRT

The Indus t ry

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The ave rage US c i t i zen t h rows awa y 70 pou nds o f c lo t h ing and o t h e r tex t i l e s ann ua l l y, ma k ing up 5 % o f t h e l and f i l l .


THE DES IGNER

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19

15

10

21

Questions

Designers and developers

Apparel design companies

Research insights

Minimums (price)

Sample lead times (time)

Meeting sustainability standards (compliance)

Capacity (quantity)

Sample header availability

Quality

After surveying over 15 designers from the retail industry, we were able to summarize and categorize the findings into different buckets to help the synthesis process.

SURVEY

the des igner

THE SURVEY


If you could pick one or two things, what would help

you select more sustainable materials?

Improve organization of sustainable materials data

Prioritization of sustainability by leaders/organization

Demand increase from customers to be sustainable

Improve sustainability data provided by suppliers

Improve training and education for designers

Create incentives to make designs more sustainable

Higher price points of product

What’s your biggest overall pain point when selecting a material?

Minimums (price)

Sample lead times (time)

Meeting sustainability standards (compliance)

Capacity (quantity)

Sample header availability

Quality


the des igner

THE VOICES

“Higher quality domestic production and domestic closed-loop, low-impact dyeing/printing facility.”—Senior Product Designer, Reformation

“Instill a sense of urgency in the leaders of organizations.”—Product Designer, Vince/New Balance

“Hold CEOs accountable by creating incentives for companies to be sustainable and financial costs when they’re not.”—Consultant, Sustainability Partners

“If customers consumed less and the organization of sustainable materials data was better.”—Apparel Designer, NIKE

“A way to break down used clothing into new, desirable, raw material, in North America.”—Product Designer, lululemon athletica

“Affordable, easily accessible sustainable material and production processes.”—Freelance Designer, NYC


I f yo u cou ld wave a mag ic wand , wha t ’s t he one p rob lem t ha t we co u ld f i x i n s tan t l y t ha t cou ld t r ans fo rm how s us ta inab le ou r p roduc t s a re?


THE CONSUMER

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The Consumers

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We researched consumer behaviors and motivations that influence purchasing decisions and post-consumption disposal while identifying recurring trends and patterns .From our initial desktop research, we determined that there were four key customer segments with relation to our materials challenge.

The Ath le te1

BEHAVIOR RESEARCH

VALENTINA

PROCESSWe began “rolling up our research sleeves” by collectively writing a research outline based on the workshop and presentation by Natalia from Fjord. Designing a research framework guided our team both individually and as a group throughout our entire process. We constructed a project overview within the specific context of consumer behaviour and identified the key questions for which we needed answers. Finally, we determined the methodology and approach we would use to collect our research.

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The Fash ion i s ta1

The Eco -consc ious

BEHAVIOR RESEARCH

SUCHARITADIANA

How do consumers perceive brand, sustainability initiatives, products, & services?What associations do people have with various materials What types of material do consumers associate with sustainability?What information/experience will create a genuine and influencing connection between consumers and sustainability in the apparel industry?What sustainability information/initiatives resonate most with consumers?

Literature Review Surveys/QuestionnaireInterviews Personas Journey Maps

KEY INQUIRY AREAS

METHODOLOGY



The Ath le tes

“Spo r t a t h le t i c and c ompet i t ion has made t he d i f fe rence t h ro ughout my l i f e , mak ing me hea l t hy s t rong awake rap id and s o l v ing p rob lems k now ing how to f ace ad ve r s i t y and success“

— Lou i s , I n te rv iewee


The Consumer Behav iour

Athletes represent a gigantic segment that includes all gender and ages. Athletic activities change throughout one’s life, according to age and lifestyle. In young teenagers and college students this behavior is mostly about being part of a team, competing and being attractive. In their mid 20s it is more about staying active, being attractive and balancing with work. In their 30’s it is about feeling good, feeling healthy and a strong need for having an activity outside work. As family grows in the 40s, health and family bonding are the priorities. Later in life is more about healthier and staying active and young.

Athletes tend to have a healthier lifestyle through out their lives. Food and free time activities gravitate around their practice of preference

THE ATHLETE

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THE ATHLETE

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The Ath le te ’s Behav io r

Athletic behavior has a strong relationship with the lifestyle. While priorities do change throughout life and situations, active individuals always maintain a healthy lifestyles.

INTERVIEWS

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KEY FINDINGS IN THE ATHLETIC BEHAVIOR

KEY FINDINGS IN PURCHASE CHOICES

“Largely as a youth, I played a sport every season. Soccer basketball tennis. I turned away from soccer and basketball in high school and began to run and ride a bike. I’ve also been into mountain sports, hiking skiing, and snowboarding. I’ve skate boarded and played ping pong for a long time as well.”

“Yoga changed my life, I started practicing 5 years ago, I became a yoga teacher cause I want to spread the benefits that it brought to me. I have been an active person all my life a competitive dancer and a high school volleyball team. I currently work at a sustainable athletic apparel company.”

“Sport athletic and competition has made the difference throughout my life, making me healthy strong awake rapid and solving problems knowing how to face adversity and success as part of training to eternity.”LOUIS, 57 YEARS

SASHA, 31 YEARS

JUAN,30 YEARS

“I want my athletic wear to look good! Something I can wear to the gym and to lunch after if I have to. Style usually is what I first consider, but comfort is a must.”

“Since I am into sports, I rarely shop for other things now.”

“I just shop for things that I really know will have multiple uses and will not go out of fashion fast. I honestly dont like fast fashion.”

PAULA, 29 YEARS

ALVARO, 61 YEARS

DIANA, 27 YEARS

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The Ath le te ’s Behav io r

SURVEY

DO YOU CONSIDER YOURSELF AN

ATHLETE?

WOULD YOU LIKE TO WORKOUT MORE

OFTEN ?

35

44

63

75

Questions

Respondents

% Women

% Ages 21-35

75% of the respondents consider themselves athletes or active people.

82% of the interviwed wish they could excercise more often. Lack of time & other priorities are their biggest contraints to have a more active life.

Other priorities Time

LazynessOther

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HOW OFTEN DO YOU MAKE A PURCHASE

OF ATHLETIC WEAR?

WHAT IS THE MAIN REASON YOU ARE AN

ACTIVE PERSON?

WHAT DO THEY LOOK FOR IN ATHLETIC

GARMENTS ?

WHAT ARE THE TRADE OFF FOR BETTER: PERFORMANCE,

DURABILITY, AND SUSTAINABLE?

72% Make athletic purchases once in a while or when they have specific needs.

52.8% Comfort 19.4% Performance 13.9% Style

Price, Convenience and Brand are the main a trade-offs for other values, when these values are provable.

DURABILITY PERFORMANCE SUSTAINABLE

PRICE PRICE PRICE

BRAND BRAND BRAND

COMFORT STYLE CONVENIENCE

Being active feels goodHealthy reasons

LifestyleLike looking good

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The Ath le te ’s Persona

THE MINDFUL ATHLETE

USE REGULAR CLOTHING

IDENTIFIES NEED OF SPECIAL APPAREL

LACK OF TIME TO

RESEARCH

IDENTIFIES BETTER

PERFORMANCESIGN IN NEW ACTIVITY

WEB BROWSING

PURCHASE

GOES TO STORE TO TRY ON

AGEOCCUPATION

STATUSLOCATION

INCOME

30UX DESIGNERSINGLE TORONTO, CA$95,000

GOALS & ASPIRATIONS• Challenges & setting goals to achieve• Be part of something great

LIFESTYLE• Eats healthy and has a very active lifestyle • Sets goals based on body performance. • FRUSTRATIONS• Change in priorities has affected his rhythm. • “I wish I had more time”• It’s hard to find a team to practice soccer • “I try to eat as organic and natural as I can,

make my choices based on trust”

NEUTRAL

POSITIVE

NEGATIVE

I. DISCOVERY II. PARTICIPATION

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Price

Convenience

BRAND LOYALTY

Design/Style

Performance & Quality

Comfort

CLOTHING

IDENTIFIES BETTER

PERFORMANCE SEES RESULTS

USES FOR OTHER ACTIVITIES

HAS TO CLEAN MORE OFTEN THAN OTHER . ACTIVITIY 3 TIMES A WEEK

WEB BROWSING

DONATEFEEL GOOD

PURCHASE


Climate Change

Social Justice

Good Health

Food Justice

AWARENESS

Brand Name

Brand Values

III. USAGE IV. CLOTHING CARE V. END-LIFE

Sustainable

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The Ath le te ’s Persona

THE “LOOK GOOD” ATHLETE

AGEOCCUPATION

STATUSLOCATION

INCOME

23STUDENTSINGLE MIAMI, FL35,000

GOALS & ASPIRATIONS• Graduate of college• Find a well-paying job after graduation• Have a family (Long Term)LIFESTYLE• Eats healthy to be in shape.• Works out to stay fit and attractive.• Sets goals based on body appearance (reduce

Inch or fat% & lose weight)FRUSTRATIONS• College and social live sometimes interferes with

her routine.• Not all workouts are effective and feels frustrated

when goals are not achieved.

NEUTRAL

POSITIVE

NEGATIVE


DECIDES TO SHOP

IDENTIFIES NEED OF SPECIAL APPAREL

LOVES HOW IT LOOKS

SEES SOME-ONE WITH A COOL OUTFIT

WEB BROWSING SPECIFIC LOOK

PURCHASE


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BRAND LOYALTY

CLOTHING AWARENESS

Price

Convenience

Design/Style

Performance & Quality

Comfort

Climate Change

Social Justice

Good Health

Food Justice

Brand Name

Brand Values

ECO


FEELS CONFORT

HESITATES FIRST WASH (COLOR)

LOVES HOW IT LOOKS

USES FOR OTHER ACTIVITIES

WANTS TO WEAR MORE OFTEN

DONATE

MORE ROOM

WORN OUT=

LESS WORN

STAYS IN CLOSET FOR A

WHILE



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The Eco -Consc ious

“ I pu rchase c lo t hes f rom t hese soc ie t y e xh ib i t ions by i ndependent des igner s . They a re u n ique des igns and a re o f ten o f ve ry go od qua l i t y. ”

— Laura Sansone , In te rv iewee



The Eco-conscious or sustainable users are highly aware of their purchasing habits. ‘Concepts of concern’, ‘information about environmental impact’ and ‘willingness to act’ are seen as the key predictors of environmentally conscious consumer behaviors. These consumers act as indirect advocates to other consumer types. Though they value style, garment performance and produced using sustainable practices are of a higher priority.

THE ECO-CONSCIOUS“The threat to the planet is us. It’s actually not a threat to the planet —it’s a threat to us.”Margaret Atwood

STRENGTHS- Consumers are extremely aware of the material choices they make.- They like to advocate their close acquaintances about sustainability.

WEAKNESSES- Prefer to shop at stores that they are sure of the sustainability practices. - Give a great deal of importance to word of mouth; trusted friends.

OPPORTUNITIES- Willing to repair their products to increase the sustenance.- Influenced by documentaries and TED talks.

THREATS- Inconvenience in obtaining eco-conscious products is the biggest barrier for most of the users.

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THE ECO-CONSCIOUS

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The Eco -Consc ious Behav io r

This segment is committed to changing their negative consumption behaviour but are challenged by affordability and convenience.

INTERVIEWS

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THE ECO-CONSCIOUS VOICES

KEY FINDINGS IN PURCHASE BEHAVIORS

“I have an aunt who is exactly my size and she gives me gorgeous leather coats and shoes. I love having them in my closet. It’s like my own vintage collection”

“I purchase clothes from these society exhibitions by independent designers. They are unique designs and are often of very good quality.”

“I purchase a lot of FabIndia and Daram clothes. But the only issue (with these) is that the color bleeds. It is so hard to maintain these kurtis.”

“I do not know much about sustainable clothing, but I am highly aware of the fuel I consume. And that is why we decided to buy an electric car We still have a fuel car for emergencies.”

“I am a homemaker. I do not use a car much. I walk down to the local grocery stores, you know not the Reliance Fresh, but the small street stores and purchase fresh vegetables everyday. that is being sustainable no?”

Eco-Conscious consumers are in look out for apparel designs that are unique and those that are local sourced. They often purchase from exhibitions or society clothing forums. Most of the consumers make an effort to be sustainable in various forms. They try to eat local, be sustainable in their transport options and make an effort to obtain locally made clothes and maximize it’s durability by taking proper care.

PRIYANKA, 25 YEARS

SAKINA FIDA ALI, 24 YEARS

PADMA, 36 YAERS

LAURA SANSONE

ANAHITA , 27 YEARS

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The Eco -Consc ious Persona

THE PASSIONATE ECO-SENSITIVE

AGEOCCUPATION

STATUSLOCATION

INCOME

45JOURNALIST & ECO-ACTIVISTMARIEDCHICAGO, IL$85,000

GOALS & ASPIRATIONS- Have a positive impact on the planet.- Stay healthy and active.- Inspire others to be eco-conscious.

LIFESTYLE- Practical and realistic.- Stressed out with environmental issues.

SOURCES- Friends and Colleagues.- Documentaries and TED Talks.- Websites and Online Forums.

NEUTRAL

POSITIVE

NEGATIVE

Need Driven

Online Social

Forums

Websites areinformative.

Quality of products are

worth the price.

NEUTRAL

POSITIVE

NEGATIVE


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BRAND LOYALTY

CLOTHING AWARENESS

Price

Convenience

Design/Style

Quality

Comfort

Climate Change

Social Justice

Good Health

Food Justice

Brand Name

Brand Values

Sustainable/eco-friendly

Quality of products are

worth the price. Multiple

Usage.

Inspire through Apparel.

Extremely high maintenance.

Donate

Discard consciuosly.

Shop Again

II. PARTICIPATION III. USAGE IV. CLOTHING V. END-LIFE



“ I u se f a sh ion as a wa y to express myse l f c rea t i ve l y. I d ress based on my mood , t he weat he r and t ake cues f rom t he wo r ld a round me . ”

The Fash ion i s ta

— Devon , In te rv iewee



Fashionistas are characterized as consumers who base their apparel purchasing decisions on their personal style preference. They follow and create the latest trends in fashions. Fashionistas spend a significant amount of their time shopping, creating outfits. They get style inspiration from social media, fashion magazines & blogs and celebrities.

THE FASHIONISTA

Strengths WeaknessesAware of trends Unaware of $$$ spent on fashionWilling to invest money in high-end Often attracted to fast fashionEnjoy thrift shopping Unable to find specific items thriftingUse social media to research Associate success with materialismMore aware of social issues in fashion Do not shop for sustainable fashion

Opportunities ThreatsKey segment for inspiring/setting trends Ability to have negative impactAccess over Ownership Materialistic tendenciesImproved thrifting experience Will only choose sustainable productSocial Media campaigns if comparable in price, quality, style More clearly labeled sustainability index & convenience

Fashionistas view their wardrobe as their chosen skin. They use their style to convey their personality, mood and identity. They communicate who they are to a certain extent through clothing.

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Fashionista

Inspiration

Window Shopping

Magazines

Vogue

In Style

Celebrities

Blogs Street Style

Social Media

Facebook

Instagram

Brands

Friends

Snap Chat Refinery 29

CosmopolitanPintrest

Look Books

Fashion Week Runways

TV

Girls

Fashion Police

Sex & the City

Gossip Girl

Keeping up with the Kardashians

Personal Health

Diet Trends

Excercise

Gym

Yoga

Run

Class Pass

Beauty Regimin

Hair Cut

Manicure

Waxing

Budgeting

Save Up for Big

Purchases

Stay In on Weekend

Skip Lunch

Check Bank Statement

Pay Credit Card Bill

Gift Cards

Pay Bills

Email Marketing

Promo Code

Discounts

Sales

Sell Clothes

Pay Rent

Apply for

JobsInterviewWorkGet Promoted

Social Life

Friends

Family

Dating

Co-Workers

Events

Wardrobe

Outfit Planning

Selfies

Upload to Instagram

#OOTD

Likes

@brands

Comments

Text to FriendsBorrow Clothes

“What are you wearing?”Post on

Blog

Check the weather

LaundryOrganize Closet

Shopping

5th Ave

Saks

Bloomingdales

Mall

Department Stores

SoHoLululemon

Nike

E-Commerce

Zappos

Nasty Gal

AmazonUrban

Outfitters

THE FASHIONISTA

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The Fash ion i s ta ’s Behav io r

Fashionistas are characterized as consumers who base their apparel purchasing decisions on their personal style preference. They follow and create the latest trends in fashion. They spend a significant amount of their time shopping and creating outfits.

INTERVIEWS

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THE FASHIONISTA VOICES

KEY FINDINGS IN PURCHASE BEHAVIORS

“I definitely find that I have an emotional connection to the pieces that I own. I think a lot of it stems from ‘oh I wore this that one night and I had so much fun’ maybe I’ve never worn it again ..maybe I will...”

“It’s definitely like you’re on a hunt, you don’t know if it’s going to be there, it’s tough to go in with a purpose...bigger time commitment and more of an adventure which I like”

“I think the biggest problem facing the fashion industry is that the stores are selling the next season and discounting that seasons line so consumers can just wait until it’s on sale to purchase .”

“I really try to invest in pieces as opposed to buying more disposable fashion, but I’m not at the point in my life wear I can afford to buy nice things.”

“You only find out who is using organic cotton once you are holding the product in your hands.”

Thrift shopping is popular in this customer segment not because it is seen as sustainable but it is a cheaper, more accessible outlet to achieve a unique look. Consumers in this segment admit it is hard to shop with a specific need in mind. People in this category wish they could afford to invest in higher end fashion pieces but will turn to thrift shopping as a way to affordably immitate their style goals. They purchase organic products in the food and beauty products segments but struggle to make a connection with sustainable fashion.

REBECCA, 40 YEARS

RACHEL, 33 YEARS

ROB, 27 YEARS

CAMILLE, 26 YEARS

DEVON, 26 YEARS

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The Fash ion i s ta ’s Behav io r

SURVEY

25

33

81

90

Questions

Respondents

% Women

% Ages 21-35

SHOPPING BEHAVIOR

CONSTRAINTS

ASPIRATIONS

Fashionista’s report shopping for apparel on a monthly basis. 80% reported that they were unaware of the amount of money they spend on apparel in a year. Fashionista’s report researching looks and items online prior to visiting retail locations to try-on garment before purchase.

Fashionista’s biggest reported constraint is money. They want to invest in their favorite fashion labels but the expenses can deter them. Another constraint was finding the perfect . Fit is the most influential aspect of the design they are drawn to. When it comes to shopping for sustainably manufactured items, there is a lack of awareness which stems from lack of comparable labeling.

Fashionista’s aspire to have enough money to purchase high-end labels. They tend to associate success and achievement with material objects. The more disposable income they have, the more they will spend on fashion.

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Colors Materials

Brand Fit

Utility Quality

WHAT EMOTION BEST DESCRIBES YOUR FEELING

DIRECTLY AFTER MAKING AN APPAREL PURCHASE?

ARE YOU AWARE THE APPAREL INDUSTRY IS THE

2ND LARGEST POLLUTER AFTER THE OIL INDUSTRY?

DO YOU READ THE HANG TAG LABEL ON A GARMENT

BEFORE PURCHASING?

DO MATERIALS IN THE PRODUCT AFFECT YOUR

DECISION TO BUY?

WHAT ASPECTS OF DESIGN ARE MOST

INFLUENTIAL IN PURCHASING DECISION?

Happy

AnxiousAmbivalence

Yes No

NoYes

NoYes

Just to see if it is Dry Clean Only

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The Fash ion i s ta Persona

THE TRENDSETTER

AGEOCCUPATION

STATUSLOCATION

INCOME

32DIRECTOR OF SALESSINGLE MANHATTAN, NY$80,000

GOALS & ASPIRATIONS- Get Promoted at Work- Lose 5 lbs- Afford that expensive bag

LIFESTYLE- Materialistic- Busy

SOURCES- Instagram- Vogue- Celebrity Style

NEUTRAL

POSITIVE

NEGATIVE


Instagram

WindowShopping

Try-On

PurchasePut

togetheroutfit

67 discover

BRAND LOYALTY

CLOTHING AWARENESS

Price

Sustainable-Eco-Friendly

Design/Style

Quality

Comfort

Climate Change

Social Justice

Good Health

Food Justice

Brand Name

Brand Values


PurchasePut

togetheroutfit

Stain Garment

Receivecompliments

Donate

Dry-Clean

Shop Again

SYNTHES IS

IN THIS SECTION

THE F INDINGS

T R E N D M A P P I N G

A F F I N I T Y M A P

T H E D E S I G N E R S

T H E P E R S O N A R E D E F I N E D

T H E C O N S U M E RT H E K E Y I N S I G H T S

THE INS IGHTS

THE RELEVANT CONSUMER

F R O M T H E C O N S U M E RF R O M T H E D E S I G N E R S

THE F INDINGS

74synthesis

the f i nd ings

After surveying over 15 designers from the retail industry, we were able to summarize and categorize the findings into different buckets to help the synthesis process.

FROM THE DESIGNER

Raw

Pr

emotional

Product designers are

frustrated, overwhelmed,

and annoyed by how little time they have to

bring an idea to action.

Getting inspiration and sharing ideas

is the highlight of the design

process.

Getting feedback at the end of

the process is frustrating and

time consuming.

functional

Closed-loop domestic

production could be the

most sustainable solution we know about.

Sample lead times are a bottleneck.

Materials

software doesn’t work with the

physical sample library.

Most material tools are not completely

accurate or up to date.

There’s no way to break down

trashed material.

behavioral

Consumer demand needs to go down so we create less

products overall.

Designers and merchants know

we need to reduce return

rates, especially for the eco-

business.

Choosing sustainable

materials needs to be more convenient.

75 synthesis

experiential

Materials data lives on software

and designers use their

physical sample library to select

materials.

You can’t see, feel, or touch the difference in sustainable

fashion without a story.

situational

Creators cite lack of time as

the biggest pain point in their

brainstorm and development

process.

Most designers are working

overtime all the time.

interpersonal

CEOs and senior leaders need to care and prioritize sustainability.

Sustainability needs to be

a value of the organization.

Customers need to give sustainability

feedback.

Create free, sustainable materials training

programs and videos for designers.

choice-based

Designers know they create a

lot of inventory waste when they don’t wear test

a style.

Designers feel guilty because

they often have to choose less

sustainable materials to

accommodate price and quality or performance.

Introduce the concept of

slow fashion to show the trade offs designers need to make and reveal the

true cost of garments.

76synthesis

Raw

Pr

emotional

“I am very passionate in whatever challenge I

undertake. I push myself a lot Tracking Devices

help me set goals and

achieve them.”

“I feel good when I donate my clothes for

charity.“

“I try to give away clothes to people I know.

Some of my favourite items are hand-me-downs from my cousins. I

absolutely love wearing them.”

88% describe happy emotion post-purchase.

functional

want the best performance

from their gear: top priority are

shoes, then equipment and then apparel.

Style still comes first: “I wouldn’t

wear a dress just because it is sustainable, the style matters.”

Clothes tend to sit in closet,

unworn, for long periods of time before being thrown out or

donated to charity.

behavioral

Being an active person creates

sustainable behavior by

default: walking, biking and

taking the stairs It creates

awareness about one’s body,

health, food and performance.

“I read hang tags for washing information and

price.”

52% of Fashionistas

research online while making

purchases.

For social awareness, people take

action when the issue directly impacts them.

the f i nd ings

After speaking with and surveying the four different consumer segments, we were able to summarize and categorize the findings into different buck-ets to help the synthesis process.

FROM THE CONSUMER

77 synthesis

experiential

“Even though I know I proba-bly won’t wear

some items again, I usually

leave them lying in my closet

for few months before I give them away to charity. I can’t part that easily

with them.”

Refer to thrift shopping as

“treasure hunt”; hard to shop for

specific item 16-18% of

Americans shop at thrift stores. Estimate indus-try to grow 20%

by 2020.

situational

“I started to be sustainable when I saw the

amount of waste that material production had, I felt I

had to shift my behavior.”

DIY culture/platforms effectively changing

the behavior and creating awareness

around sustainability.

Turn to fast fashion when time & money is a constraint: know they will be able to find something in line with their vision/style/price-range.

interpersonal

Sustainable consumers try to

influence their peers and family

to also make sustainable choices by leading by example.

Dressing Room experience seen as necessary but

unpleasant.

To make a behavior change

or care about social issues it is not only about self-correlation, but also if their

friends are related to the

issue.

choice-based

Athletic wear is not typically

purchased from second-hand

retailers: general concern over

hygiene.

Willing to pay more if the

product is truly sustainable.

Would choose sustainably

made clothes if they were

clearly labeled and comparable

in price and quality.

Unaware of sustainable

clothing options, tend to not think about

environmental impact of textile

industry

THE INS IGHTS

80synthesis

TREND MAPPING INSIGHTS

Time space

Cyber space

Playspace

Outerspace

Templo-sion

Collaborative economy

Virtual reality

Augmentedreality

Gamification

Net-positive impactGPS/GIS

INSIGHT: There is no tool that integrates software data with the physical library to help filter materials based on accurate sustainability and performance quality information.

Smart Swatch Wall of Materials

Robotic Swatch Library Room Point system

for material selection

Digitized swatch library for individualsMaterials

google glass app

Virtual fitings and data of garment’s overall impact

AirBnB of manufac-turing and production

Manufacturer and production wiki map and site

Create traceability tool using RFID/GPS

Use material not upcycled to create playgrounds

Co-create google app outlining B2B identification and rating service

Other sourcing

Texture track pad so no swatches needed

Interspace

Bluespace

Internet of things

METASPACE ECONOMY

IDEAS INSIGHTS

INSIGHT: Product cre-ators need a tool to re-view and rate manufac-turers and materials for their ethical and sustain-able practices, local and abroad.

the ins ights


81discover


Net-positive impact

Digitized swatch library for individuals

Use material not upcycled to create playgrounds

Interspace

Storagespace

Designspace

Innerspace

Microspace

Bluespace

Internet of things

Where will we put everything?

Design think-ing

Workplace science

Neuroimaging

Nanotechnol-ogy

3D/4D print-ing

INSIGHT: Designers say leaders and customers need to feel a sense of urgency to take action around their product sustainability impact.

INSIGHT: Product crea-tors need to figure out a way to use donated material as a new, raw material in order to re-duce overall impact.

Lazer yarn identifier

Reverse knitting machine

Nano-magni-fying identifier

At-home de-construction tool

Shared closet app or tool

Materials Wiki created col-laboratively

Test campaign efficacy using neuroimaging

Governments provide CEO incentives

“Planet will be fine, people will be effed” campaign

Free sustaina-bility training programs locat-ed on the cloud

METASPACE ECONOMY

INSIGHTS TRENDS

TIME SPACE

ACCESS OVER

OWNERSHIP

STORAGE SPACE

83 synthesis

the ins ights

TREND MAPPING

TIME SPACE TREND

STORAGE SPACE TREND

During the course of the semester, we attended a Parsons Provocateurs series event featuring the trend forecasters “Future Hunters”. In their presentation, they highlighted two key trends that helped us to shape our idea. These trends helped us ensure it would be aligned with the trends of the future. Time Space, which deals with the amplification and leveraging of time, explains that the current “collaborative consumption” movement represents a fundamental shift in values. People are now seeking access to services and products over ownership.

Another trend that also demonstrates the access over ownership shift is Storage Space. This trend simply explains that we are running out of space to store both objects and data. The self-storage industry is massively expanding and new businesses attempting to address storage issues in innovative ways are winning in the market place. The biggest reason women donate their clothing is not because it makes them feel good, but because they are running out of space to store them.

The collaborative consumption movement addresses both of these concerns and help to guide us in the development of our proposed business.

84synthesis

+

Materials software doesn’t work together with the physical sample library.

Product creators site a lack of time as the biggest pain point in their brainstorm and development processes.

Designers feel guilty because they have to choose less sustainable materials to accommodate price and quality. =

There is no tool that integrates software data

with the physical library to help filter materials based on accurate sustainability and performance quality

information.

+

Create free sustainable materials training programs and videos for designers and developers.

Difficult to source and find sustainable materials.

Closed-loop domestic production could be the most sustainable solution we know about.

Introduce the concept of slow fashion and become transparent about the real cost of fashion.

=Product creators need a tool to review and rate

manufacturers and materials for their ethical and

sustainable practices, local and abroad.

+Materials software doesn’t work together with the physical sample library.

Product creators site a lack of time as the biggest pain point in their brainstorm and development processes.

Designers feel guilty because they have to choose less sustainable materials to accommodate price and quality. =

Product creators need to figure out a way to use

donated, trashed material as a new, raw material in order

to reduce overall impact.

the ins ights

In our research, we learned that designers still don’t have the tools, support, and information they need to make more sustainable choices, even at the most sustainable brands.

DESIGNER INSIGHTS

85 synthesis

You can’t see, feel, or touch the difference in sustainable fashion

without a story.

CEOs and Senior Leaders need to care and prioritize

sustainability.

Consumer demand needs to go down so we create overall less

products.

Introduce the concept of slow fashion and become transparent about the real cost of fashion.

86synthesis 86synthesis

the ins ights

In all our research, we learned that demand for sustainable and ethical fashion has to first come from consumers in order to impact designers and manufacturers.

CONSUMER INSIGHTS

8686

THE FASHIONISTA & FAST FASHION

THE OPPORTUNITY

The insights we gathered from the fashionista market segment spoke the greatest to our challenge. We also learned that fast fashion is having the greatest negative impact on both our environment and society. In addition, the amount of clothes being thrown out per year is astonishing.

We see an opportunity in the fashionista consumer segment to leverage the growing thrift shopping market in combination with the ever rising sharing economy. Women within this category often have clothes in their closets that are never worn. According to a survey conducted by VoucherCloud “the average woman has $550 of unworn clothing in her closet[...] the majority of the group admitted to having never worn at least 20 percent of the items in their wardrobes” These items tend to sit unworn for long periods of time before being donated or discarded.

Fashionistas often find themselves turning to fast fashion brands because they are convenient, cheap and offer a wide variety of different style aesthetics. They either do not realize the negative impact these brands have on our earth or they simply do not see other options. They are open to second-hand retail but assimilate the experience to a “treasure hunt”, meaning that it is difficult or close to impossible to find a specific style of item in a timely manner. However, when they do purchase apparel second-hand, the experience is more rewarding than traditional retail because they are saving money and getting something that is truly unique.

87 synthesis87 synthesis

Unworn clothesTend to sit in the closet for long

periods of time before being thrown out or given to charity.

Thrift shopping is a “treasure hunt,” making it difficult to shop

for specific items.

Consumers turn to cheap clothing as a solution for time &

money constraints

88synthesis 88synthesis

Lea d e r s and cus tomers nee d t o fee l a sense o f u rge n cy t o take ac t ion a rou n d t h e i r p roduc t ’s sus t a i na b i l i t y impac t to redu ce ove ra l l mate r i a l u se .

FROM THE DESIGNERS

89 synthesis

W it h t h e r i se o f t h r i f t f a sh i on a nd t he sha r ing econ om y, peop le a re mo re comfor tab le reus ing c lo t h i ng —and t hey have unw or n c lo t h ing cu r ren t l y i n t he i r c lose t s .

FROM THE CUSTOMERS

THE RELEVANT USER

92discover 92discover 92discover 92discover

the consumers behav io rs

We used the affinity map as a tool to explore and understand the key facts from the surveys and interviews of our four user targets. We then grouped these findings to draw out underlying patterns.

AFFINITY MAP

GOALSGOALS

NEEDS

BEHAVIORS

MOTIVATORS

PAIN POINTS

NEEDS

92discover

r

ant

Fit Has Big--

ence On Purchase

52% Re-search Online FoSneakers

Shoes: Com-fort/ Perfor-mance

Will Pay More ForPerfor-mance

60% Non Ath-letes Will WTo Do SomeSort Of Activity

86% Of Athletes Will Want To BeEven More Active,More Frequent

Designers First Priority Is Design

PurchaseApparel Monthly

95% Willing To Spend More

Priorities:Comfort Du-rability StylePrice

82% Only Buy When Have Patricu-lar Need

Active Life-style Over-lap Into Social Life

Look At Ma-terials For WeatherAnd Use

Check The Label For Price& Care Instruc-tions

Visit Brand Retail StoresFirst

Non-design-ers Focus On Performance

Use Online And Retail Locations Together

Start Re-search On Brands Web-site

26% CheckTag For Washing De-tails

58% Of Con-sumers 25-34

68% SaidWould Be In-terested In Buy-back

Food & Cleaning Supplies

StyleVariety Across Brands

Prices


BEHAVIOURS MOTIVATIONS PAIN POINTS

-Po

A

W

Wa

W

Pr

Price

MoFrship Acc

AwFeel Emotional Connection With Clothes

Donate ToCharity

Unaware OfEnviron-mental Impact

AssociateHemp & Cotton W/Sustainability

Tend To EatHealthier When Work-ing Out

Willing To Pay MoreFor Organic

55% CheckLabel BeforePurchase

Do Not BuyAthlet-ic-wear AtThrift

Concerned W/ Climate Change

68% Read Labels, 95%Read Hang-tags

32% Think Sportswear Has Sustain-able Options

Only 11%Look At Ma-terials

80% Unaware OfHow Much They Spend

Thrifting =“Treasure Hunt”

44% Don’tWork Out Be-cause Lack OfTime

Use AmazonTo ComparePrice

RecycleWhen Con-vient

58% UnsureOf Sustainable Materials In Apparel

werfulImagery In

ds Reso-nates

illing To Go Out Of The

y For Sus-tainable

Price Is First Thing TheyConsider

ould Choose Sustainable

oducts If Avail-able For Same

ving Away om Owner-

Towards ess

DescribeThemselves As Analytical

89% Highly are Of En-

vironment Degradation

Use Insta-gram To Find Style Inspira-tion

94synthesis

the consumers behav iours

REDEFINING THE PERSONA

After examining each segment individually, we learned that users do not necessarily fall solely into one category. Many consumers have varying degrees athleticism, fashion savvyness and sustainability. We created the above infographic to describe the intersections of these values and purchasing motivations. There are also some consumers who are not concerned with any of these issues when making apparel purchasing decisions, they are outliers on our chart. Each segment was important to our research because they embodied key behaviors we either wanted to leverage or change.

FASHIONISTA ECO-CONSCIOUS

ATHLETE

PASSIVE FASHIONISTAPASSIVE ATHLETE

PASSIVE ECO-CONSCIOUS

ACTIVE FASHIONISTAACTIVE ECO-CONSCIOUS

ACTIVE ATHLETE

95 synthesis

Environmental :Awareness and CareImpact: Related to their lifestyle and behavior.

While each segment had valuable insights, our group decided the Fashionista segment had the greatest potential for change. These consumers aspire to own quality designer labels but due to budgetary and time constraints, are attracted to big fast fashion brands like H&M and Forever 21. These brands have attractive price points and enough variety to satisfy almost any style aesthetic. When fashionistas have more time, they enjoy the thrift and consignment retail locations. They assimilate the experience to a “treasure hunt” because it can be difficult to find specific items, but also more rewarding than typical retail environments.

Performance and durability of the material

comes first. Are sustainable because of their

mindset towards being healthy. Style comes

last in priority. Tend to be extremely brand loyal

especially while making everyday purchases

Gives the highest priority to obtain eco-friendly

food- cleaning supplies. Finds it hard to procure.

Expects the materials to last longer since they

are eco-friendly. Believes in style but is not first

priority. Brand loyal.

ACTIVE ECO-CONSCIOUSACTIVE ATHLETE

ACTIVE FASHIONISTA

AI

AI

AI

AI

Fashion is the center of their life: career

+ social. Always up to date on the current

trends. Fit and aesthetic are their first

concerns. Price comes second, they are

willing to sacrifice quality.

96understand

97understand

IDEATE

IN THIS SECTION

THE PROCESSF R O M T H E I N S I G H T S T O T H E P R O M P TB R A I N S T O R M I N GF I L T E R I N G I D E A S

THE IDEA: THE SHARED CLOSET

100ideate

THE PROCESS

101ideate

102ideate102ideate

INSIGHT

W it h t h e r i se o f t h r i f t f a sh i on a nd t he sha r ing econ om y, peop le a re more com for tab le reus ing c lo t h i ng —and t hey have unw or n c l o t h ing cu r ren t l y i n t he i r c l ose t s .

THE INS IGHT

103ideate

PROMPT

How m i ght we encoura ge wom e n t o sha re t he i r c lo t h i ng ?

To make our key insights actionable, we used the “How Might We” question framework as a tool to convert them into design prompts.

104ideate104

i deat ion

Tens of ideas were generated during the ideation and brainstorming sessions we had.

BRAINSTORMING SESSIONS

BRAINSTORMING SESSIONS

105ideate

106ideate

REDUCE MATERIAL DEMAND

ACCESSIBLE TO THE MASSES

i deat ion

In order to distill our ideas down, our group decided to ensure we were answering the brief by using these four filters. The idea must:

BEHAVIOUR RESEARCH

107ideate

SCALABLEENCOURAGE SUSTAINABLE

BEHAVIOR

108ideate

SELECTING THE IDEA

109ideate

110ideate110ideate

THE SHARED CLOSET IDEA

111ideate111ideate

A peer- to -peer ap pa re l sha r ing p la t f o rm t ha t g r an t s use r s access t o a va r ie t y o f c lo se t s w i t h in t he i r c ommun i t y

112understand

PROTOTYPE

IN THIS SECTION

115understand

W H O.W H E R E . H O W


T H E M A R K E T E C O S Y S T E MC O M P E T I T I V E A D V A N T A G EW H Y & I M PA C T

TEST ING ASSUMPTIONS

THE P IVOTS

I D E A L C U S T O M E R J O U R N E Y

F I R S T P I V O T

S E R V I C E P R O T O T Y P E

S E C O N D P I V O T

T H E R E A L J O U R N E Y M A PF R O G W O R K S H O PI N I T I A L D I G I T A L P R O T O T Y P E

116ideate

TEST ING ASSUMPTIONS

117ideate

118prototype

tes t ing assumpt ions

We created the ideal customer journey map to understand and test the initial idea. Based on this journey map we developed an experiential prototype to test this assumptions.

IDEAL CUSTOMER JOURNEY

AWARE MEET WITH PEER TO EXGANGE

DIG IN THE CLOSET

SELECT ITEM TO BORROW

JOIN UPLOAD IMAGES

119 prototype

MEET WITH PEER TO EXGANGE

CLEAN THE ITEMSELECT ITEM TO BORROW

SHARE EXPERIENCE

SET UP MEETUP TIME

USE THE BORROWED ITEM

MEET TO RETURN

120prototype

BRING CLOTHES TO SHARE

PICK CLOTHES TO

BORROW

TRY ON CLOTHES

SIGN OUT ITEMS TO BORROW

test ing assumpt ions

For Earth Day, we created a workshop experience simulating borrowing and lending clothing to test our key assumptions. We made a Facebook Event and invited our friends to upload five items each to share with the group. After everyone uploaded their photos, they could “dibs” the items they were interested in borrowing. Everyone showed up at the event with their items (and some additional to lend). The event was so fun and everyone had a great time trying on clothes and catching up.

SERVICE PROTOTYPE

DISCOVERIES All but one attendee left borrowing something so we considered the event a success. During the process we did active observation to identify behaviors, gain points and pain points. We gathered findings, both during the online experience before the event, and the offline experience,during the event.

121prototype

122prototype122prototype

0

Uploading photosinconvenient = Delay

Damage and staining concerns prevent users from sharing


Service prototyping brought to light three main pain points that made our idea less feasible.

REAL CUSTOMER JOURNEY

AWARE PROMPTED TO UPLOAD

STAIN & DAMAGECONCERNS

JOIN

DELAY

PAIN POINT 1 PAIN POINT 2

123prototype

Finding time when both parties can meet and cleaning logistics was a big concern for our users.

MEET WITH PEER TO

EXCHANGE

MEET WITH PEER TO EXCHANGE

CLEAN THE ITEM

SELECT ITEM TO BORROW

STAIN & DAMAGECONCERNS

REVIEW EXPERIENCE

SET UP MEETING

TIME

USE THE BORROWED ITEM

PAIN POINT 3

“G et super c lea r abo ut commun ica t ing and unders tand ing t he use r need .”— F rog Workshop

125prototype


FROG WORKSHOP

We had a workshop with Frog to understand the different kinds of prototypes we could create and why they are important. Whether they’re a digital, service, physical or paper prototype, they help us test our assumptions about unmet consumer needs. At the workshop, we created a paper prototype to solve for the problems of collaborating with a team.

We learned about the four Fs:Fit: before you start, be clear about your intent. What are you trying to test?Form: fit combined with the mediumFidelity: what level of visual or tactile fidelity is required to accomplish to goal?Functionality: what level of functionality is required to accomplish the goals?

Prototype needs to be agile to be able to discover the real needs of the customers and understand their behaviors.

126prototype

v


After several pivots, we began to create a digital InVision prototype to walk through the customer experience of borrowing one item. This process raised questions of delivery and helped clarify our next steps.

DIGITAL PROTOTYPE

v

As a p rac t i ce , d ig i t a l p ro to typ ing b r ings fo rm a nd func t ion toget he r to so l ve a p rob lem o r d r i ve i nnova t ion .

128ideate

THE P IVOTS

129ideate

130prototype

THE PIVOTStes t ing resu l t s

SHARED CLOSET

Lagging Process Damage Concerns Logistics

Donations + On-Demand Rental

WHY

HOWPeer to Peer Connecting Platform

HOW

After testing our initial concept, we realized there was a need to pivot our business model to alleviate the pain points we discovered within the user journey map.

INITIAL IDEA FIRST PIVOT

WHAT WE DISCOVERED

Our first pivot centered around the concern women had over damages and staining and the lag in uploading photos. We tackled this issue by shifting from a peer-to-peer, platform where users would arrange meeting up and swapping clothes on their own, to a donation based model.

Instead of sharing clothes, users will be encouraged to donate items to a community closet. We will then maintain our own inventory in a local warehouse. This gives us better quality control over managing damages and stains because we will not be relying on users to provide reviews.

131prototype

THE PIVOTS

HOW Business Strategy

Service DesignWHAT

Donations +

SurverysCompetitive AnalysisBusiness ModelUUnderstanding

Subscription Library

WHY

HOW

SECOND PIVOT SERVICE & BUSINESS

WHAT WE DISCOVERED

Our second pivot was around our cost structure. In testing our user experience and analyzing the current competitive landscape, we found that women were not finding value in paying a rental fee per item. This prompted us to move from a rental fee model to a subscription model similar to Netflix. Women will pay a monthly subscription fee to be granted access to the community closet where they may borrow up to 5 items at a time, swapping out items when they want something new.

132prototype

SHARED CLOSET

Peer to Peer Connecting PlatformHOW

the p ivots

FROM THE INITIAL IDEA TOTHE FIRST PIVOT

Instead of sharing clothes, users will be encouraged to donate items to a community closet that holds inventory and rent them to other users.

133prototype

Lagging Process Damage Concerns Logistics

Donations + On-Demand Rental

WHY

HOW

THE SOLUTION By accepting donations, we will also be able to take better quality images and style the items in a more appealing way. Our inventory will be continuously updated on our Website and App to make sure the closet is fresh and easy to use. This pivot also alleviates the issues around finding a convenient time both parties can meet up. We will handle the washing and pick-up and delivery of these items.

134prototype

Donations +

SurverysCompetitive AnalysisBusiness ModelUUnderstanding

Subscription Library

WHY

HOW

the p ivots

FROM THE SECOND PIVOTTO THE BUSINESS DESIGN

We concluded after surveys and competitive analysis that instead having an on demand rental service we should offer a subscription model service with a combined online and personal experience.

135prototype

HOW Business Strategy

Service DesignWHAT

AWARE EXPLORE JOIN BROWSE SELECT SELECT TRY DELIVER USE RETURN

THE SOLUTION In our new business model, we will offer multiple options for receiving selected items. We plan to open a retail location/warehouse where consumers can pick-up their items for free. By offering free pick-up, we hope users will take advantage of it because they will also be able to try-on the items before taking them. We will also offer free pickup from our mobile retail location. For an extra shipping fee, users can have their items delivered to their door. Refer to the CREATE chapter to understand how this model was developed.

136create

THE COMMUNITY CLOSET

137create137create

A c lo t h ing l ib ra r y gener a ted f rom do nat ions t ha t p rov ides young women access to an un l im i ted wa rd ro be fo r a low subs c r ip t ion fee .

138understand

139understand

CREATE

IN THIS SECTION

T H E S E R V I C E

N E X T S T E P S

T H E S E R V I C E D E S I G N B L U E P R I N T



T H E M A R K E T E C O S Y S T E M


C O M P E T I T I V E A D V A N T A G EW H Y & I M PA C T

SERVICE DES IGN

NEXT STEPS

BUSINESS DES IGNB U S I N E S S M O D E L C A N V A S

R E - P U R P O S I N G D O N A T I O N S

T H E S E R V I C E D E S I G NT H E D I G I T A L P R O T O T Y P E # 2

T H E S T R A T E G Y: W H O.W H E R E . H O W

T H E T R A V E L L E R ’ S C L O S E T


F L Y C L E A N E R S PA R T N E R S H I P S

C O M P E T I T I V E A D V A N T A G EW H Y & I M PA C T

SERVICE DES IGN

NEXT STEPS

142ideate

BUSINESS DES IGN

143ideate

144create144create

bus iness des ign

BUSINESS MODEL CANVAS

145create

146create

bus iness des ign

Urban

Millennial

Trendy Women

Age 21-35

Multi-platform

Web + App + B&M

Portable Retail

NYC

Access over Ownership

Subscription $7-20/Month

Access Style Variety

Scalability

THE STRATEGY

WHO WHERE HOW

147 create

— A.G. La f ley, P lay ing to w in : How s t ra tegy rea l l y

“T he hea r t o f s t r a tegy i s t he answer to two f undamenta l ques t ions : where w i l l you p lay, and h o w w i l l you w in t he re?”

148create148create

High-Q

uality

Second-Hand

Rent

ing

Susc

riptio

n

Fast Fashion

Sustainable

Fashion

bus iness des ign

We plan to meet the needs of the fashionista consumers who turn to fast fashion because of their cheap prices and wide variety of style. We also want to engage the thrift shopping consumers as they are already willing and excited to shop second-hand styles.

THE MARKET ECOSYSTEM AND COMPETITORS LANDSCAPE

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By o f f e r ing ou r use r s : a compet i t i ve p r i ced subs c r ip t ion fee , a c u ra ted c lose t f i l l ed w i t h un ique , qua l i t y i t ems and hav ing o n -demand p i ckup and d rop o f f ; we p lan to take ove r t h i s marke t segment .

WHY i s t h i s bus iness mode l re leva n t ?

We be l ieve we ca n d ras t i ca l l y re du ce t he im pac t o f f a s t f a sh ion by t r a ns fo rming wo me n ’s re l a t i onsh ip t o “new ” c lo t hes .

I f we p revent j u s t 1% o f m i l l enn ia l women i n N ew York C i t y f rom buy ing f i ve co t ton t - s h i r t s t h i s yea r, we w i l l s a ve :

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14,000 BATHTUBSOF WATER

ENOUGH PESTIC IDES

TO TREAT 800 ACRES OF

CORN

CO 2 EMISS IONS

FROM DRIVING 7000

MILES

THE IMPACT bus iness des ign

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SERVICE DES IGN

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serv i ce des ign

The service design blue print was a great tool to visually uderstand the phases of the service, the customers touch points. It visualizes the interaction between the channels and the backlog processes.

THE SERVICE DESIGN

A W A R E J O I N U S E O N L I N E S E R V I C E U S E T H E S H A R E D O U T F I T S D E V E L O P

STEP ATTRACT USER SING UP CREATE PROFILE BOOST PROFILE BROWSE SELECT ORDERBECOME MEMBER DELIVER TRYON WEAR STORY CLEAN RETURN DONATE REPURPOSE

EXPERIENCERaise awareness and attract customer segment through unique look & feel customer

experience

Welcoming Experience: user friendly, attractive, simple design.

Shared Closet Personal Assistance - Stylist is reflected across all channels and touch points. It provides an outstanding experience and

customer centric service design.

The usage of the borrowed pieces is enhanced by other values created to the experience, such as style, social media and clothes tracking .

Their next level of the service is to offering personal styling and

clothes repurposing.

IN PERSON Word of Mouth• Advice from

friends that they want to borrow or see their .

• Advice How to boost the profile


SOCIAL MEDIA

Viral through Social Media • Advocates & Influencers

Social Media suggestions (friends selection)

Share pictures with hashtag to help Borrowers interested in the piece of garment

ONLINE STOREFRONT

• Video of the Service

• Open Website• ‘Walk Through’

Sign Up• Create personal

account.

• Create Closet Profile

• Facebook Link• Social Media

(Instagram, Snapchat)

• Account Type Options: Stylist, Expert, Borrower, Lender, (Cleaner

Complete full profile

• Body Type• Style / Tribe • Size & Height• Preferences

• Sharing Experience

• Events

• Browse by: • Style• Stylist• Recommend• Body Type• Occasion

• Select Mix & Match

• How does that look in someone you follow?

• Add to Movable Closet

• Live Chat Available w/ Stylist

Select type of Membership• Everyday• Trendy

Choose Delivery option • Express

Pickup?try-on in the truck.

• Home Delivery •

Donate clothes to the CC get discounts

APPApp StoreApps BlogsEndorsersInstagram/Facebook Adds


• Immediate Sign Up.

• Step Bar

Same Features As Website



Same Features As Website + Track

Track the Story of Your Clothes

TRUCK• Walk By• AR of the app and the

Experience• Photo Booth

Personal assistance and advice in pop-up closet

Style AdviceBrowse matching Styles

Some Features that can have the ‘in person experience’

Walk-ins: Appointments: Check In

CUSTOMER SERVICE

Customer First Approach design Chats Bots Available

Trained Associates

Try-On Call Center ServiceStylist Available (email or social media)

Trained Associates Trained Associates Trained Associates

IN-HOUSE DESIGN

Communications Design: • Communicate through free

press• Community Managers

Website: Content developmentStore: Design unique lookand feel stores

Service DesignPackaging Design for try-on shippingInteraction Design

Packaging Store Design Truck Design

IT DEPT. VR Development for PopUp Smooth UX (First Moment of truth

(Show Progress bar to avoid early churn)

Save searches• Monitor Secure

Payment Procedures

• Monitoring service to ‘follow truck location”

VR Development for PopUp UX design for the moving”fitting room”

History management for future purchases

Develop body recognition technologyWebsite UX Design

OPERATIONS

• Marketing Department, Strong Brand Development to create the same experience/emotions through all channels

• Advocates and Influencers Development.

e-mail marketing Development with data

Maintenance anddevelopment of themultiplatform

Manufacturing: Order acetate directly from supplier in Italy& manufactured in China

Data collection & Management

• Usage of privacy standards

• Legal protection

• Warehouse Logistics and management

• Truck Logistics

Appointment Service Platform

E-mail Marketing Strategy

THIRD PARTY Insurance Partnership

Partnership with flycleaners

Partnership with services like Alfred….

Designers Sustainable Brands

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L ine o f V i s ib i l i t y

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serv i ce des ign

After developing a service design blue print we went back to our digital prototype in InVision and took it to the next level.

THE DIGITAL PROTOTYPE #2

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BROWSE

SELECT

JOIN

DONATE

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THE NEXT STEPS

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Once we realized a portion of our donations would be out of style or damaged, we decid-ed to partner with young designers to create a branded label up-cycling these materials to create new items. This partnership would help differentiate our service from other clothing libraries and also provide an alternative incentive to borrow from the closet—to get access to this coveted brand. It will also prevent more textiles from entering the landfill.

next s teps

RE-PURPOSING DONATIONS

TRAVELERS CLOSET

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up · cy · c le ( ve rb )

To re use ( d i sca rded ob je c t s o r ma te r i a l ) i n such a wa y a s to c rea t e a p roduc t o f a h igh er qu a l i t y o r va l u e t ha n t he o r ig i n a l

Another market we would like to infiltrate is the traveller’s closet. This would allow some-one who travels often to reduce the amount of luggage they need to pack because they would have access to climate-appropriate apparel upon arrival. Ideally, we provide a service that allows users to access closets throughout multiple cities in the US. Users will find the service appealing because it saves time packing and reduces excess baggage fees from the airlines.

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TRAVELLERS CLOSET

CCCC New York

Luggage free travel.

CCCC Miami

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An important partnership we would like to pursue would be with a service similar to Fly-Cleaners. This business particularly, offers pick-up/drop-off laundry and dry-cleaning ser-vices via an app that has features such as tracking and delivery estimate time. We feel at partnership with this type of service would enhance our efficiency specifically with cleaning and delivery. The partnership would be beneficially for both businesses as we could pro-mote each other on our respective websites/apps.

next s teps

FLYCLEANERS PARTNERSHIP

CCCommunity Closet

Donate from FlyCleaners site

Promote FlyCleaners

FlyCleaners

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THE REFERENCES

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Fletcher, K, & Grose, L. (2012). Fashion and sustainability: design for change. London: Laurence King Publishing. USagain (2015). The environmental impact of cotton T shirt. Retrieved March 15, 2015 from https://www.youtube. com/ watch?v=g5rGm6veAhg

Hanington, B., & Martin, B. (2012). Universal methods of design: 100 ways to research complex problems, develop innovative ideas, and design effective solutions. Rockport Publishers.

Lidwell, W., Holden, K., & Butler, J. (2010). Universal principles of design, revised and updated: 125 ways to enhance usability, influence perception, increase appeal, make better design deci-sions, and teach through design. Rockport Pub.

Missouri Crops Resource Guide. Retrieved May 7, 2016 from http://crops.missouri.edu/audit/corn.htm.

Synthesizing Research by Fahrenheit 212. New School Presentation Mar 2, 2016.

Schneider, J., & Stickdorn, M. (2011). This is Service Design Thinking: Basics, Tools, Cases. Wiley.

The MetaSpace Economy by The Future Hunters. New School Presentation Feb 26, 2016.

http://www.popsugar.com/smart-living/What-Happens-Donated-Clothing-34349286

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/03/28/unworn-clothing-survey_n_5048486.html

http://www.popsugar.com/smart-living/What-Happens-Donated-Clothing-34349286

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SURVEY

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SURVEY

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SURVEY

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Documents

Nike & MIT CoLab Material Innovation Challenge