Grantee Research Project Results
Final Report: The Man’s Jacket Design for Disassembly: an Implementation of C2CAD Framework
EPA Grant Number: SU833517Title: The Man’s Jacket Design for Disassembly: an Implementation of C2CAD Framework
Investigators: Cao, Huantian , Gam, Hae Jin , Helmkamp, Caroline , Farr, Cheryl , Bennett, Jaclyn , Heine, Lauren , Rumsey, Rachel
Institution: Oklahoma State University , Lauren Heine Group LLC , Illinois State University
Current Institution: Oklahoma State University , Illinois State University , Lauren Heine Group LLC
EPA Project Officer: Page, Angela
Phase: I
Project Period: September 1, 2007 through August 1, 2008
Project Amount: $9,999
RFA: P3 Awards: A National Student Design Competition for Sustainability Focusing on People, Prosperity and the Planet (2007) RFA Text | Recipients Lists
Research Category: Pollution Prevention/Sustainable Development , P3 Challenge Area - Chemical Safety , P3 Awards , Sustainable and Healthy Communities
Objective:
Substantial environmental problems, such as dyeing waste water pollution, and solid waste in apparel production, product use and disposal, are related to apparel industry. In the second annual EPA P3 Student Design Competition for Sustainability in 2005, we incorporated McDonough and Braungart’s “cradle to cradle” model into existing apparel design and production models and developed C2CAD, a sustainable apparel design and production model (EPA Award SU832483). In this project, we also implemented the C2CAD model in knitwear design and production using 100% organic cotton yarns and environmentally safe dyes and developed a series of children’s knitwear products “4-season sustainability.”
According to EPA Manual 530R97002, annually, 4.5 million tons of clothing and footwear are produced in the US and only 1.25 million tons of postconsumer textiles are recovered for next use. One of the obstacles for reusing and recycling materials from post- consumer clothing is that most apparel are made from more than one material and constructed with many permanent junctions using stitches and adhesives. In C2CAD model, we incorporate design for disassembly as a strategy for effectively managing a mixture of biological and technical nutrients in apparel products. As we know, there is no research on the implementation of design for disassembly in apparel design and production. The purpose of this project was to implement and evaluate C2CAD model in the design and production of a man’s jacket, a woven apparel product composed of natural and synthetic materials. The project objectives were to: 1) Implement C2CAD, especially design for disassembly, in man’s jacket design and production and produce a man’s jacket composed of natural and synthetic materials; 2) Evaluate the quality, cost, ease of disassembly, and life cycle material management of this C2CAD man’s jacket; 3) Revise C2CAD based on evaluation results and prepare an instructional unit to teach C2CAD and man’s jacket production case study in a course for apparel design and production students.
Summary/Accomplishments (Outputs/Outcomes):
The C2CAD model served as the basis in the man’s jacket design and production. In man’s jackets, both natural and synthetic materials are commonly used for fabrics, threads, and buttons. To promote disassembly and value retention, we minimized material diversity and had two main components, natural outer shell and synthetic lining. The design for disassembly focused on the easy separation of these two main components, while maintaining a wearable product during use.
In men’s jackets, wool fabrics are commonly used as outer shell. After consulting with our collaborator, Dr. Lauren Heine, we found that Pendleton Woolen Mills produces 100% wool fabrics that are certified as “Cradle to Cradle” biological nutrients by McDonough and Braungart Design Chemistry (MBDC). The “Cradle to Cradle” certification warrants the fabric production, including dyes and chemicals used, has passed rigorous testing and evaluation protocol, and has been deemed safe for human and environmental health. After evaluating the Pendleton fabrics, we found these fabrics were suitable for jacket production, and requested 6 colors from Pendleton. In addition to the Pendleton wool fabrics, we also ordered white worsted wool fabric from Testfabrics, Inc., which is suitable for apparel application, for further study. To assess the dyes that can be used on worsted wool fabric, we collaborate with Dr. Tucker Helmes, Executive Director of ETAD North America, and Dr. Lauren Heine to ensure sustainability. Dr. Helmes suggested Lanasol dyes produced by Huntsman International LLC (The Woodlands, Texas). We requested several Lanasol dyes, together with the Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS), from Huntsman. Based on the MSDS assessment, we concluded that two Lanasol dyes, Lanasol Blue and Lanasol Yellow, have the least known adverse effect on human and environmental health. We used these two Lanasol dyes to dye worsted wool fabric from Testfabrics. Only two chemicals, dye and salt (NaCl), were used in the dyeing process.
The mechanical properties and color fastnesses of selected Pendleton and Testfabrics wool fabrics were tested to assure the wool fabrics are suitable for apparel production. The preliminary data analysis show that the textile materials have good mechanical/physical and colorfastness performance and suitable for jacket application. We are currently finalizing data analysis and the results will be reported in the EPA Expo in Washington DC, April 20 to 22, 2008.
According to the “cradle to cradle” model, the recovery method for biological nutrients is returning the nutrients to nature through composting. Since a mixture of natural materials can be biodegraded in the composting process, we used different types of biological nutrients affixed to the outer shell of 100% wool fabric. We used 100% cotton thread, a natural material or biological nutrient, in the sewing of wool fabric outer shell. The buttons affixed on the wool outer shell were natural buttons, Akoya shell and Tagua wood buttons.
For the lining of the jacket, we used 100% satin polyester fabric, a synthetic material or technical nutrient. According to the “Cradle to Cradle” model, the method of recovering technical nutrients is recycling. In order to recover the same quality technical materials after recycling rather than “downcycling” to lower quality materials, it is important to maintain the purity of the material and avoid mixing different types of synthetic materials. Therefore, all the components that are affixed in the lining are 100% polyester. We used 100% polyester thread in the sewing of polyester lining parts.
The students from Oklahoma State University (OSU) and Illinois State University (ISU) designed different patterns for the man’s jacket. Considering the design for disassembly concept, OSU focused on the use of buttons, and ISU students focused on the application of sewing techniques to assemble the outer-shell and lining of the jacket. OSU’s design is a casual outerwear, and ISU’s design is a sport-jacket. The prototype designed and produced by OSU can be found in Figure 1, and the prototypes made by ISU students are in Figure 2.
Figure 1. Man’s jacket prototype developed at OSU
Figure 2. Man’s jacket prototype developed at ISU
We investigated the time and tools needed to disassemble the jacket prototypes. All the prototypes can be easily disassembled within 4 minutes with no tool or using small scissors. The cost estimation of the jacket prototypes are approximately $72 plus design and production labor for OSU prototype, and $85 plus design and production labor for ISU prototype.
Conclusions:
This project benefits people, prosperity, and the planet as illustrated in Table 1.
Table 1. The benefits to people, prosperity and the planet
Elements |
Features and issues |
People |
Better occupational safety and health for employees; Better environment and living quality for local communities; Better health for users; “Design for disassembly” apparel production will reduce raw material cost, thus reduce apparel price for consumers. |
Prosperity |
Save apparel manufacturers lots of money in pollution prevention and treatment; “Design for disassembly” apparel ensures maximized biological and technical nutrients recovery, and save apparel manufacturers money for raw materials purchase; Improved company image in society and make the manufacturer more competitive in apparel market. |
Planet |
Reduced environmental impact of apparel industry by reducing the using of toxic chemicals; Design for disassembly facilitates cyclic material management in apparel industry, thus diminishing resource consumption. |
This P3 project has been integrated into a senior and graduate level course for interior and apparel majors, Environmental Sustainability Issues for Designers and Merchandisers, as case study. Rachel Rumsey, student team leader, presented this project and the man’s jacket prototype in Oklahoma State University (OSU) 2008 Research Symposium in February, 2008. This project will also be part of Rachel Rumsey’s M.S. design thesis. Jaclyn Bennett and Caroline Helmkamp are Illinois State University (ISU) undergraduate students in this team. They presented this project in an apparel design class (sophomore and junior standing class). With the inspiration of this project, One of ISU students (Lauren Waterman) in apparel design class submitted an apparel design titled “recycled with love” to American Association of Textile Chemists and Colorists (AATCC) design competition (theme “Green Day Every Day”). She has been selected as one of the five finalists.
Proposed Phase II Objectives and Strategies
The phase I of this project demonstrated the feasibility of applying C2CAD model in apparel design and production. However, in Phase I of this project, in addition to the implementation of “design for disassembly” in apparel design and production, only wool fabrics, another biological nutrient, were intensively studied. We did not study the recycling of the polyester lining fabric.
Apparel industry is a global industry and apparel products are produced in essentially in every developed or developing country in the world. In addition to apparel design and production, many industrial sectors such as fiber producers, textile producers, dye manufacturers, and retailers are closely related to apparel industry. The management of supply chain is critical in today’s mass production industry, including apparel production. Linton et al. (2007) believed that a focus on supply chain is a step towards the development of sustainability, so they introduced the concept of sustainable supply chain, which goes beyond the core supply chain to include product design, manufacturing by-products, by-products produced during product use, product life extension, product end-of-life, and recovery processes at end-of-life. Currently many apparel companies use software packages to facilitate design, sourcing and production. Key features for some industry standard software packages such as WebPDM (Gerber Technology), Visual 2000 ERP (Visual 2000) and ABS (Apparel Business System) include creating design, selecting and ordering materials, allocating inventory, sourcing, calculating cost and/or producing products. However, limited knowledge on sustainability is incorporated in these software packages.
The purpose of phase II of this project is to investigate the sustainable apparel production sustainable supply chain through the incorporation of C2CAD model with the sustainable supply chain concept developed by Linton et al. (2007). The project objectives are to: 1) Study the current practices of supply chain management of leading apparel companies via interviews and survey; 2) Study the application of Linton et al.’s (2007) sustainable supply chain in apparel industry by incorporating the C2CAD model into Linton et al.’s model; 3) Provide recommendations on the incorporation of sustainable supply chain management into apparel production software packages.
For objective 1, in-depth interviews with apparel designers and manufacturers in apparel companies will be conducted to investigate the current practice of supply chain. From the in-depth interviews, two measurable results will be generated from content analysis. First, the current practice of supply chain management by apparel manufacturers will be described. Second, possible environmental impacts in every supply chain management step will be assessed. Based on this initial data, further survey instrument will be developed to collect more data to make the survey results statically valid and useful for analysis.
In objective 2, we will develop a sustainable apparel supply management tool (a word document) based on the findings from the objective 1 study. The sustainable apparel supply management tool will incorporate C2CAD model and Linton et al.’s (2007) sustainable supply chain. The tool will reflect current practice in apparel production supply chain management, and be easily understood and used by apparel producers.
In objective 3, we will study the features of commonly used apparel production software packages. We will use existing networks with companies to assess the feasibility of incorporating the sustainable apparel supply chain management into these software packages. Based on the findings from objectives 1 and 2, we will promote and provide recommendations on the incorporation of sustainable supply chain management into existing apparel production software packages.
Reference:
Linton, J. D., Klassen, R., Jayaraman, V. (2007). Sustainable supply chain: An introduction. Journal of Operations Management, 25, 1075-1082.
Journal Articles:
No journal articles submitted with this report: View all 1 publications for this projectSupplemental Keywords:
environmentally conscious manufacturing, effluent, waste reduction, industry (apparel, textile),The perspectives, information and conclusions conveyed in research project abstracts, progress reports, final reports, journal abstracts and journal publications convey the viewpoints of the principal investigator and may not represent the views and policies of ORD and EPA. Conclusions drawn by the principal investigators have not been reviewed by the Agency.