Finally: Thesis is printed, bound and ready to be submitted :)

After a long and interesting journey, this master's thesis is finally ready for submission. Yesterday I could pick up it up from the bookbinder. Lots of handwork also in the binding. But I think the result looks good :) I m very happy, thanks again for everyone involved in the project. I would be glad to share the thesis with anyone interested, just drop me a line al.hirscher{at}gmail.com and I ll send you the preview PDF.

Some images plus abstract below. 
Next week I ll be presenting some research result at 'crafting the future' in Gothenburg, I am quite excited and nervous already... Looking forward to whats next!!!!


Joyful participation in new ways of designing and making clothes. 
Enabling person-prodcut attachment to potentially reduce unnecessary consumption. 

Abstract

This master's thesis investigates design opportunities to motivate and enable sustainable consumer behaviour, especially regarding wasteful fashion and clothing consumption. A literature review provides a theoretical framework and builds background knowledge for three explorative case studies. These practice-led case studies gradually increase the user-involvement in sustainable consumption behaviour. Each case study elaborates a particular research question, evaluating the opportunities to change consumer behaviour with a different design approach. The case studies build upon one another, thus the third case study is discussed in most detail. Selected findings from these three case studies provide an insight to the possibilities of design for person-product attachment with participatory design concepts like 'half-way products': design objects which are intentionally 'unfinished'.

The conclusion drawn is that designers can enable a joyful participation in clothes making, for example with half-way products, and thus foster a stronger emotional value towards garments. This emotional value is likely to facilitate a stronger person-product attachment and encourage longer lasting products. Additionally, the research shows that the participatory design concept – 'half-way product' was very much appreciated. The study concludes with possible future prospects.

Things to change and develop over time.

How can we as Designers support the users to become active makers and so encourage a change in the industry? It is of major importance to understand and follow up with the consumers motivation to get involved. Different key enablers to involve a broader majority, need to be discovered. If the entry level is easy to reach, consumers tend to be more willing to participate. By offering achievable goals, the fear of mistakes can be reduced as well. Co-design and participatory design offer the user the opportunities to customise and change the products according to their wishes. Those design practises aim for designing products together with the user. This gives a new perspective to the current economical system, and challenges it through “greater democracy, improved empowerment and less domination(Fletcher and Grose, 2012, 144).” In the best case scenario, those products allow to be developed over time, living with their owner. Consumers cannot engage deeply with artefacts where there is no growth, no change, no narrative and only predictability(Chapman 2006, 128).” One of the only ways to design sustaining products, is to accept and work with the constant change in consumers desire. Products have to be designed in a way they adapt and are able to reflect the current feeling and mood of their owner. Products that are update-able and made for multi-purpose, like the Self-couture garments/bedding by Diane Steverlynck, offer new spaces for designers to become creative (http://www.dianesteverlynck.be/). Steverlynck's project shows how a 3-layerd bedding can be with the help of buttons be transformed into a dress, blouse and woolen cape. Garments that are modular, and can be refashioned according to the owners daily wardrobe, are more likely to sustain according to consumers fast changing desires (Flechter and Grose, 2012). 

One step of 3, transforming a bedding sheet into a dress. Image from www.dianesteverlynck.be

 

The question of quality.

While evaluating the questionnaires of the latest Make{able} workshop, I came across one quote stating, that the level of value and the reasons for shopping new clothes are dependent on the quality of the garment. I do agree here fully, who likes to wear garments that have holes or lost their shape and colour? The participant stated, that the quality of the self made item differed a lot to what you get in the stores. I can agree here as well, because hand made vs. mass-produced items differ. Though, not necessarily in the aspect of quality, depending how we define quality. The items differ rather through a different feel, appearance and appreciation. If one is a passionate, skilled and detail-loving maker personality, achieving qualitative results is 'makeable'. Those clothes can easily compete with the mass manufactured garments coming from cheap labour countries.

Finishing a half-way Tunic.

Perfection does not need to be the goal of the first own garment. Using a sewing machine is not an extraordinary skill, its a tool of creative exploration. The fear of using the sewing machine, relates from the fact, that the majority has lost the skills and knowledge about this great tool already. They restrict themselves to a way smaller product choice, dictated by the companies and fashion makers. Don’t little mistakes show the learning process and will make the piece unique and facilitate learning by doing for the next piece? If one starts to enjoy sewing and overcome the fear, there is plenty of ways to improve skills to reach the level which makes you more aware of the crafting and design in all the pieces found in your wardrobe. The making process puts the user into another position of understanding the manufacture and duration needed to design and accomplish one piece of clothing. In addition, this knowledge helps to learn how clothes are put together, in case they feel the need to change it. Skilled users, are able to do smaller changes by themselves and thus redefine and create story within this piece of clothing as well.

Beyond this learning process, consumers will also start realising the real qualitative difference between, skilfully made garments, with high quality materials. How to check for longevity in products: http://www.alreadypretty.com/2011/01/reader-request-shopping-for-quality-and-longevity.html or: http://thestyleaficionado.com/2010/06/how-to-identify-quality-clothes/

Sustainable Fashion benefits at the most, form the longevity of products, through a long product lifespan. The less new products and resources the consumer purchases, the better. Therefore, designers have the responsibility to ensure a high product quality, as well as enforce and encourage the use of good materials, and preferably local production. The way people interact and behave towards their garments, is eventually based on the way they are designed.

VALUE{able}

How to design something of value?

Fashion and clothing, as bespoke earlier, is about personal style and identity. Therefore it needs to be in someway adaptable, how else would we make sure it really represents ones identity, beside just copying a style shown in the magazines? In the name of sustainable design, this means, that one piece should grow with the persons style and individual preferences. Therefore I ask, why aren’t there more adjustable, or diy-kits available on the market? I know from my project, it is very difficult to design Half-way products, as you do not have any influence on the finishing of the garment beyond the purchase. How much can we expect of the customers to know about sewing, what materials and tools do they have to finish, are they able to “successfully” finish the garment? How can we secure the outcome to be in this case wearable? Is this what fashion designers are afraid of? Are they scared of the freedom and ideas of their customers? At least I have to admit, that I have had a hard time to find fashion students who would be interested in helping me to design a Half-way garment. I have seen many nice study projects on for example: 'A labour behind the label' in UK (http://fashioninganethicalindustry.org/studentwork/) Even though, most of the projects, were based on working with organic or recycled materials but not tackeling the problem of the participatory aspect. 

Pic from: a labout behind the label

 

For this reason I also decided to work with a less researched idea in the area of fashion and clothing design. This project is an experimental approach to get an idea of what are possibilities for Designers and makers to facilitate a change in consumption habits, and consumers attitude. Half-way products and garments which are planned for co-designing, need to offer the opportunity to be easily customised so they can be changed also over time, and as its best they reveal their life-story by altering in beauty. Because than, those garments encourage a closer attachment and support the idea of a longer-lasting product to person relationship. (Fletcher, 2012) This relationship will aim for a higher product value and in the best case involve that user takes better care for the product. The items may be redesigned and time will be invested to reinvent them. Thereby the products replacement will be postponed and the input of new resources can be decreased, which supports a slower consumption. (Cooper, 2005)

How many products can we really value and attach to? Tim Cooper states in his paper on 'Slower Consumption' that it is uncertain to how many products consumers can create a closer affection. If we compare; human beings are only able to create a deep emotional bonding to a certain amount of other human beings. (Cooper, 2005, p.62) Resulting in the question, how many products are we able to really care for? In the current throwaway culture, it is very hard to make people care for their objects, and prohibit the fast replacement through an update. What creates the need to constantly consume more, and how can it be replaced? (TEDs 10) Can we train, to wish for more? Interesting approach is http://www.thegreatamericanappareldiet.com/ - where you can freely sign up to the community, and share your experience whilst reducing or stoping your fashion consumption for a year. Participation is reducing consumption to the extreme, but will most likely make you forever aware when you will purchase something the next time. Tim Cooper states that for reducing the consumers desire for new products, their values and attitudes need to be understood, that an actual attachment to the products they own can be encouraged. (Cooper, 2005) It very much depends on ones personality, and capability to start a progress of valuing what one owns, similar as some do have more closer friends and take the time to care for their friendship. 

Value through keeping up the memory and attachment.

  Based on the research results and positive feedback of the first workshop, this case study could lead to the assumption that 'making' can be a key to create higher value and attachment towards a piece. Half-way products offer the chance for self-expression, as well as provide an easy base to start, which may prohibit production failure, especially within the setting of a participatory workshop. The gained skills and understanding of the product will help to take good care and redesign the product if desired.

Therefore we could assume, that for supporting an open and sustainable design approach, Half-way products, as well as participatory Design workshops offer an interesting opportunity for further research to be explored. In general, Half-way products can not become a mass-produced new way of fast consumption, they should be seen as a tool, as well as participatory workshops are a tool to encourage and enable the user. In the best case scenario, they reach a higher level of value in the owners wardrobe and help them to develop an independent and personal style, which offers a starting point towards a behavioural change among their makers.

'Make the people make'

at Kamppi (image by Siivuous Päivä)

Does making result in a closer product-attachment and through that has the impact of changing peoples attitude and behavior towards their shopping habits? This is one of the main questions I wish to follow up during my thesis research. As I mentioned before, the general feedback of the Make{able} - capable of being made (def. by the dictionary) - workshop was extremely positive, and in the hype of making, the participants were sure they will change their perception and attitude towards clothes. But how to keep up the image and feeling in ones mind for a longer time and in the bigger scale it is of course not only trying to change the attitude towards clothes, fashion and the service provided by the clothing industry, but make the customers aware of each story behind the things they purchase. Most of us, have lost the knowledge and skill to evaluate the amount of work, and resources used during the process of making the items, which are so easily and cheaply available in the next by store.
Is there a way to constantly keep the issue up, rise awareness and at the same time actually provide the opportunity of making things by oneself. If thinking now only on clothing, skills, tools and material needs to be provided, as well as the space. But it is not a Mission impossible in my eyes.

balloon kinda skrit

Like mentioned before we are just in the time were the making-culture is on its way back, just spotted yesterday in Helsinki an amazing sewing-workshop outdoors in lovely sunny weather. It seems the city and its inhabitants are willing and interested to gain back places and skills for making things themselves. The spirit of the place was the same inspiring as on the workshop I was organizing on the weekend. To see and feel people gathering, making and helping each other within a nice setting is just the best thing to end a busy working day for example. Through exchange among the participants and workshop leaders lovely items of recycled fabric were made. I think its not only about sewing, that it brings up that feeling of understanding and change of attitude, whichever way or material will be used, the making together can be one of the facilitators that bring the change. And that is what we as designers should keep in mind. Involve the future user in that process as much as possible. I of course had to participate a bit myself, and made a multi-functional skirt/top for the summer as well as a little shirt.

as a small dress or top.

shirt kinda thing.

The event was related to the upcoming  Siivuous Päivä. "Cleaning Day will convert cities into giant flea markets on Saturday 12th of May. Anyone can sell or donate their furniture, clothes, gadgets and more, right on the street, and shop new ones from their neighbors. During this neat day one can also sell anything self-made." http://siivouspaiva.com/

Well-being, Half-way products and ways to enable the consumer to become an active user.

How to motivate the consumer to get involved within the process of design? How to nourish the emotional attachment towards products? These are two main questions that have been in the air for a long time. Relating this of course to my thesis research I am trying to find ways to encourage and enable consumers to become active participants in the design process. So they are able to learn new skills, and though get the freedom of choosing over the only ready made products. Giving the responsibility and the choice into their hands."The sweing machine is an insturment for liberation and skills are a path to freedom!" (Otto von Busch) One way of doing so is that the designer, plays a role of facilitating the consumers with a set of skills and tools, providing knowledge and by doing so enhances their own creativity and imagination, to start the change by getting involved. Regarding to Ezio Manzini, the opportunities for designers lie in offering new solutions to the already existing ones, that tend to be seen as better and offer the user the chance to gain further abilities. “.. in order to promote sustainable wellbeing, one has to support the capabilities of people and communities to live better consuming less, i.e., their capabilities to rely less on products and services, and more on contextual qualities and on the possibilities for them to be active.“ (Manzini, 2008)

The following project “multiskirt” is my first try out and still be considered as a work in process to realise one of those ideas in a more practical approach. I am of course aware there are already made very great projects by numerous well known designers like Martin Margiela, who contributed in 2004 to the “Design_Download series”. he offered the downloadable pattern of a half-finished dress to be completed by designers or interested users.(picture: http://showstudio.com, pattern of Martin Margiela Dress)

Over that there has been preformed a very interesting research series by Kate Fletcher and Mathilda Tham on the lifetime and use of several garments. “This project is about trying to match fast and slow garments with fast and slow rhythms of use to save resources while simultaneously providing for people's symbolic AND material needs.” (Fletcher,Tham online) Regarding this research they have outlined a series of future scenarios, how can the future of several items be seen in a more sustainable context. The detailed description of the project can be found here: http://www.katefletcher.com/lifetimes/index.html

The Cookbooks by Otto von Busch are another valuable source of projects and ideas based on the idea of user-customised garments. They are a collection of methods to redesign garments and so empower consumers to make clothes really their own. Otto von Busch is known for researching and encouraging the fashion-hacking culture. “>self_passage< is a brand and research project that explores how fashion can be used for empowerment, self-development and personal growth instead of being a phenomenon of top-down decrees and collective anxiety.” (http://www.selfpassage.org/) Here is a snapshot of one of his workshops on youtube. Fashion – Otto von Busch lecture: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Euk06ElNNH4