Grantee Research Project Results
Final Report: Change Without Buying: An Application of Adaptable Design in Apparel
EPA Grant Number: SU834323Title: Change Without Buying: An Application of Adaptable Design in Apparel
Investigators: Cao, Huantian , Kallal, Mary Jo , Malano, Grace , Starner, Heather , Shaw, Jenna , McCord, Jennifer , Chang, Rita
Institution: University of Delaware
EPA Project Officer: Page, Angela
Phase: I
Project Period: August 15, 2009 through August 14, 2010
Project Amount: $10,000
RFA: P3 Awards: A National Student Design Competition for Sustainability Focusing on People, Prosperity and the Planet (2009) RFA Text | Recipients Lists
Research Category: Pollution Prevention/Sustainable Development , P3 Challenge Area - Chemical Safety , P3 Awards , Sustainable and Healthy Communities
Objective:
Consumption and production contribute significantly to global warming, pollution, material use, generation of waste and hazardous waste, and natural resource depletion (Nash, 2009). Excess consumption, a concept explained by Schor (2005), is that cheap prices have contributed to a more rapid cycle of acquisition and discard in a number of consumer categories. The excess consumption of apparel products, which is driven by both the industry, including producers, brand owners, retailers, and consumers, has been considered as an extreme case by Schor (2005).
Within recent years, the concept of “fast-fashion” has emerged, allowing designers to clothe the public while promoting constant sales through rapidly evolving fashions. In order to offer more styles at lower prices, lower quality materials are utilized. Although the material and garment have lower quality and price, they still use the same amount of resources. Consumers are the other leading protagonists in the struggle against excess consumption. Shopping serves as more than just a satisfying recreation activity. People shop to fill an emotional need, buy updated items, fit in, fill basic needs, and impress others. The recent introduction of low-price, fast-fashion has fueled rapid consumption. As a result, it has become common practice to buy clothes one may never wear, dispose of clothing that is still usable, and simply buy excess garments to satisfy psychological needs and wants.
To reduce the total production volumes and extend the products’ lifespan, Gu, et al. (2004) introduced the adaptable design concept. The underlying philosophy of adaptable design is the ability to adapt to new requirements and reuse a product and design when circumstances change (Gu, et al., 2004). Adaptable design has been successfully applied to several products, such as automobiles, electronics, and buildings.
Both the industry and the consumers cause the problem of excess consumption of apparel products; therefore, we believe the solution must come from a synergic effort from both sides. The goal of this project is to demonstrate a strategy of collaboration between the apparel industry and consumers to decrease discard, increase utilization, retard fast-fashion, and promote longer wear of garments. More specifically, the purpose of this project is to apply adaptable design in apparel and demonstrate that this strategy will allow: (1) the apparel industry to make a profit with better design and high-quality product rather than large quantity and low quality products; and (2) the apparel industry to meet consumers’ desire to change without buying.
Fast fashion is a concept developed initially to serve markets for teenage and young adult women. Therefore, we choose female college students as the target users for our adaptable apparel design. The adaptable design mainly focuses on three types of adaptability: function, fit, and style. The objectives (scope of work) include: (a) designing and producing adaptable apparel for female college students by using environmentally friendly materials; (b) evaluating the adaptability, consumers’ acceptance, and cost of our design and product; (c) revising the design based on evaluation results and developing educational tools.
Summary/Accomplishments (Outputs/Outcomes):
Female college students typically wear casual clothing on campus. To meet this need and make our design to be used more often and longer by female college students, we decided to focus on casual wear design. Cotton fibers, with relatively poor resiliency, are commonly used in casual wear, which is very popular on college campuses because of its comfort and easy care properties. Cotton also can be used in four seasons, and is especially appropriate in spring, summer, and autumn. Therefore, we decided to use organic cotton fibers in our garments.
Chemicals used in textile processing often include dyes and multiple finishes on the same fabric. Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS) is the leading set of criteria in organic textile processing. Huntsman International LLC (The Woodlands, Texas) provided us with three GOTS approved dyes, together with the Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS). We assessed the human and ecological toxicity information of these three dyes based on the MSDS documents. We found that Novacron Blue FN-R and Novacron Yellow FN-2R have the least known adverse effects on human and environmental health, so we used these two dyes to dye our organic cotton fabrics.
Based on the properties, i.e., thickness and stretch, of the organic fabrics we selected, we designed two different patterns for the adaptable garment, and constructed two prototypes. Both prototypes made intensive use of attachable/detachable parts to allow the users to create their own way of wearing the garment for different needs, occasions, and styles.
Prototype 1 has a hood, a jacket, and a skirt. The jacket has a curved-v neckline. On the two side seams of the jacket, there are four zippers that can be used to adapt for wearers with different sizes or when the size of the wearer changes. The unzipped configuration is for a larger person, while the zipped configuration is for a smaller wearer. The sleeves can be detached from the jacket to make a vest for different wearing occasions or different seasons. The removable hood can be attached to the vest or jacket through snaps at armholes and shoulders. The detached hood can be unzipped to lay flat, and be worn as a capelet, scarf, or an off-the-shoulder decoration. The circular skirt can be attached to the vest or jacket at the hipline with snaps, or be worn separately at the waist. The skirt also can be worn around the shoulders as a cloak or poncho. In addition, the skirt can be worn as different styles of shirts through additional snaps.
The concept of modular design is used in prototype 2. This second prototype also has a hood, a jacket, and a skirt. All three are reversible, and made with many detachable parts using snaps as attaching/detaching joints, which will increase interchangeability. The geometric shapes of these detachable parts further maximize the interchangeability. These interchangeable parts can be considered as modular components. All the detachable parts are held together with bands. The parts can be put together to create many different looks and styles. Similar to prototype 1, the sleeves can be detached from the jacket to make a vest. The hood can be attached to the jacket or vest. The waist of the skirt can be adjusted for different sizes. The skirt can be attached to the jacket or vest to make a dress, or it can be worn separately. The skirt also can be converted from a flared skirt to a pencil skirt, and vice versa. In addition, the skirt can be worn as either a straight cape or a flared cape. The cape can be worn together with the jacket or vest, or separately. By being able to create different outfits, a consumer will be able to wear it throughout different seasons and for different occasions.
We designed a survey, focus group discussion and wear test protocols to evaluate the consumer’s acceptance and adaptability of our apparel prototypes. The three testing protocols have been approved by the University of Delaware Institutional Research Board (UD IRB) and the EPA Program Director of Human Research Ethics. We completed a focus group discussion with five female students. The preliminary analysis of the focus group discussion indicated that the adaptable apparel could decrease apparel discard, increase utilization, and promote longer lifespan of the garments. We will complete the survey and another focus group discussion with five additional female students, and wear test the garments in the next 2 weeks and report the results in the EPA Sustainable Design Expo in Washington, DC.
Conclusions:
Applying adaptable design in apparel, we designed and constructed two garment prototypes for female college students that maintain good fit when the user’s size changes, adjust for different styles, and can be used for different occasions. The materials used in our garment prototypes are organic cotton fabrics dyed with Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS) approved dyes; thus, they are environmentally friendly and safe for apparel production employees and users. The preliminary analysis of our focus group discussion indicated that the adaptable apparel could decrease apparel discard, increase utilization, and promote longer lifespan of garments. However, we also found from the focus group study that consumers did not want to pay more for high-quality apparel made from environmentally friendly materials, and consumers would not purchase less by using adaptable garments.
Proposed Phase II Objectives and Strategies
A large quantity of apparel products available at cheap prices in the market is the main reason for the excess apparel consumption problem. As indicated earlier, we believe that a synergic effort from both the industry side (designers and merchandisers) and consumer side is important to solve the excess consumption problem. The creation and design of a garment is only the first step in the long process of product development and lifecycle management. Without the proper distribution, promotion, and sales, an adaptable and environmentally friendly garment cannot serve its intended purpose or potential. The purpose of Phase II is to integrate the adaptable design implemented in Phase I with an appropriate plan and system that will promote environmentally friendly distribution, promotion, sales, advertising, and end of life management. By creating a sustainable on-campus apparel store Blue FasHens, named after the UD’s mascot, “The Blue Hen”, future apparel industrial professionals (designers and merchandisers) will work together with potential consumers. The result of this phase will serve the apparel needs of fast fashion’s main market of teenage and young adult women, while simultaneously providing an educational environment that utilizes and educates sustainable practices and pollution prevention.
The objectives (scope of work) of Phase II include: (a) opening and operating the Blue FasHens store; (b) designing an apparel collection system from UD apparel design students that will utilize and modify the used garments and make them more adaptable; (c) evaluating the design modification and impact of Blue FasHens on the promotion of sustainable apparel using a survey, focus group and wear test.
Blue FasHens is a revolutionary sustainable apparel store that is run by Fashion Merchandising and Apparel Design students. Designed to create an apparel collection system from UD students, the store will adapt and modify garments, as well as provide sustainably approved apparel. While the idea of a student-run store has been considered before, Blue FasHens is unique in that it is one of the first sustainable apparel stores that is designed to educate, prepare, and provide unique solutions to the rising concern of social and environmental concerns.
The products offered by Blue FasHens are categorized into two areas. The first is apparel that is donated to the store by the University’s students or surrounding community. This apparel will be modified by apparel design students and adapted to meet the criteria of adaptable designs. The store also will serve as a gallery and opportunity for apparel students to display and sell their modified creations. The second is approved sustainable and/or organic products that are manufactured by organizations following the guidance set by the UD Sustainable Apparel Initiative (UDSAI, http://sai.udel.edu). This combination of merchandise not only promotes sustainable products, but also offers a variety of products that attract both students and the Newark community. In addition to products, Blue FasHens offers services that promote the recycling and resale of apparel. Blue FasHens will not only act as a store, but as a location for the public to donate and drop off apparel products for proper recycling.
Another important service that Blue FasHens offers is education. Blue FasHens is an educational entity on campus for both fashion and apparel students (future professionals) and students in other majors (potential consumers). Fashion and apparel students and faculty associated with Blue FasHens will not only gain experience and knowledge of a store environment, but also gain exposure and sense of social responsibility. The products and services of Blue FasHens, although based upon resale items are competitive to that of other stores due to the competitive location, price point, and individuality of the adaptable garments. The product’s diversity will attract the typical college female who seeks style at affordable prices, thus battling the ongoing problem of overconsumption and fast-fashion. Students in other majors will have easy access to environmentally friendly apparel, and learn how adaptable apparel will extend use time and offer features of sustainable apparel. The combination of innovative and unique products and services makes Blue FasHens not only a sensible business venture, but also a positive addition to the rising initiative of sustainable and educational standards.
In order to evaluate the results and success of Blue FasHens and the implementation of adaptable design, in the 2-year Phase II project, we will conduct one survey, one focus group discussion, and one wear test each year. In the spring semesters 2011 and 2012, respectively, we will recruit students in other majors for the survey, focus group discussion, and wear test. Questions in the survey and focus group will deal with their experience of shopping at Blue FasHens, their perceptions of sustainability, and their thoughts and reactions to our adaptable garments. Each year, we also will select two or three of our adaptable modifications of the garments, and conduct the wear test with students to address the fashion, style, functions, and fit of our designs. In addition to these evaluation methods for students in other majors (potential consumers), we will also assess the reactions and education of the employees and managers in Blue FasHens, which are students in the Department of Fashion and Apparel Studies (future apparel professionals). Before joining Blue FasHens, student employees will be given a general survey that will evaluate their knowledge and perceptions of sustainable practices. Every 6 months of employment, employees will be reevaluated to test their progress as well as their obtain their perceptions of working at the store.
The findings of our study will be submitted to annual conferences of International Textile and Apparel Association for national dissemination. In April 2011 and April 2012, we will display our project at the EPA Sustainable Design Expo in Washington, DC, and at the end of this project, we will submit the final report to EPA.
References:
Gu, P., Hashemian, M., and Nee, A. Y. C. (2004). Adaptable design, CIRP Annals – Manufacturing Technology 32, 539-557.
Nash, H. A. (2009). The European Commission’s sustainable consumption and production and sustainable industrial policy action plan, Journal of Cleaner Production 17, 496-498.
Schor, J. B. (2005). Prices and quantities: Unsustainable consumption and global economy, Ecological Economics 55, 309-320.
Supplemental Keywords:
material conservation, environmentally conscious manufacturing, inherently benign materials and chemicals, reuse,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.