TYPE
Academic (Capstone Project for System Design at CCA)
TIMELINE
Feb 2024 - May 2024
TEAM
Maitri Bhateja
PRACTICES
Research
Cybernetics
Feedback Systems
MENTOR
Information Loops
Problem Mapping
System Design
SOLVING FOR SYSTEMIC CHANGE
Fast Fashion:
Rapid, Trendy, Cheap, and Controversial
CONTEXT & BACKGROUND
As per UNFCCC, The fast fashion industry, valued at $1.7 trillion, produces 1.2 billion tons of greenhouse gas emissions yearly and is responsible for 20% of global wastewater pollution. The environmental challenges posed by this industry are deeply rooted in its systemic design. Therefore, addressing these issues requires a holistic approach that encompasses changes across the entire fashion ecosystem, from production to disposal.
PROJECT OUTCOME
Post our research and analysis, Eeshani and I came up with a comprehensive systems map that elaborated the complex interplay between context, connections, consequences, parts and wholes, stocks and flows, transformations and feedback, scales, timelines, and the empowerment or inhibition of different groups and actions across natural, social, and technical domains.
We also got the opportunity to present our research for the SF Climate Week exhibition held at the California College of the Arts where fellow students, professors, entrepreneurs, academics, and designers from the industry engaged with our exhibit.
NOT JUST A STATISTIC, BUT A CRISIS
In 2022, only 12% of textile waste was recycled globally and only 1% of discarded textiles were turned into new fabrics.
As per McKinsey Sustainability, the clothing industry leaves behind a heavy environmental footprint. These metrics underscore the urgent need for improved recycling infrastructure, innovative textile recycling technologies, and a shift towards a circular economy in the fashion industry to mitigate its environmental footprint.
UNDERSTANDING THE COMPLEXITIES OF THE PROBLEM
Let's navigate the Fast Fashion mess
The "Mess Map" depicts the complex interplay driving fast fashion's wasteful cycle: consumer demand for cheap trends, business practices like mass production and overconsumption marketing, and societal factors such as low-cost disposable goods, linear "take-make-dispose" model, and economic disparities enabling wastefulness - leading to severe resource depletion and environmental impact.
THE VALUE CHAIN: MAPPING THE FLOW OF CAPITAL, PETROLEUM, CHEMICALS AND WASTE
Identifying points of maximum impact
The fast fashion value chain involves rapid design, low-cost production, and extensive marketing to quickly deliver trendy clothing to consumers, leading to frequent purchases and significant waste. It prioritizes speed and affordability over sustainability and quality.
WHAT DID WE LEARN?
The Value Chain helped us in understanding how different activities are interconnected and how changes in one part affect others. It also helped us pinpoint which activities add the most value to the product or service, guiding where to focus improvements.
LET'S DISSECT THE FAST FASHION VALUE CHAIN
What accelerates the system and what holds it back?
We broke down the value chain into three parts causing the maximum impact in the system: Manufacturing, Disposal and Logistics. For each part, we understood what is driving it and what is obstructing it from achieving the desired goal.
Systemic obstructions often result from inherent conflicts and feedback loops within the system, necessitating strategies that consider the goals and actions of all actors involved. Whereas drivers better achieve their intended purposes and adapt to changes. By focusing on drivers, we identified leverage points for effective intervention and improvement in system performance.
1.
The three major stressors:
INCREASED MANUFACTURING TO COPE WITH TREND CHASING
Sub-system of Manufacturing
Drivers & Obstructors
What did we learn?
The fast fashion cycle is self-perpetuating: mass manufacturing outsourced to reduce costs enables affordable pricing, fueling consumer demand for cheap trends, prompting further mass production. Societal factors like economic disparities and linear business models exacerbate this wasteful dynamic.
2.
STRAINED SHIPPING AND LOGISTIC CHAINS
Sub-system of Logistics
Drivers & Obstructors
What did we learn?
Fast fashion's relationship with mass manufacturing and outsourcing creates jobs but often leads to labor exploitation due to weak regulations and cost-cutting. High sales volumes strain logistics, increase emissions, and are driven by consumer trends and aggressive marketing, highlighting the need for ethical reform in the supply chain.
3.
POOR QUALITY = MORE WASTE GENERATED
Sub-system of Disposal
Drivers & Obstructors
What did we learn?
The prevalence of polymer materials leads to more returns as products fail to meet consumer expectations, resulting in increased waste. Frequent returns and disposals along with limited recycling infrastructure contribute to higher landfill waste.
RE-DESIGNING THE SYSTEM
Linear? Nah! Circular is better.
To support sustainable fashion, we need cultural transformation and regulations like extended producer responsibility to promote durable clothing and responsible consumption. This involves shifting power towards sustainability-focused businesses, enforcing stringent policies, fostering environmental responsibility, promoting textile recycling innovations, and increasing social awareness and corporate social responsibility.
TOWARDS A BETTER SOLUTION
Designing for Disassembly
Designing for disassembly in fast fashion promotes sustainability through recycling and waste reduction, emphasizing transparency, accountability, and consumer education via clear labeling, carbon offset options, and end-of-life instructions. This approach encourages modular and standardized design, facilitating easier disassembly and improving recycling efficiency.
KEY PRINCIPLES
Non-permanent fastenings and simplified designs
End-of-Life Considerations
Recyclable Fabrics along with biodegradable materials
End-of-Life considerations: Repairability and Recyclability
Consumer Education: care instructions and disassembly guidelines
CUSTOMIZED GARNMENT TAGS
1.
These tags will inform consumers about material composition, origin, and recycling guidelines, empowering them to properly disassemble and recycle clothing, thereby supporting sustainable practices and a circular economy.
DESIGNING FOR A MORE INFORMED E-COMMERCE
2.
Our Ecoweave plugin is designed to change the online shopping experience by empowering consumers with valuable insights into the sustainability practices of brands. It operates on the principle of ethical data tracking, ensuring transparency between brands and consumers.
REFLECTIONS AND LEARNINGS
What I'm taking away from
systems thinking
Intrinsic Responsibility:
Design systems where those responsible for actions experience the consequences.
Nonlinearities:
Be conscious about such behaviors of the system where outputs are not directly proportional to inputs.
Humanity in Systems Thinking:
Understanding and working with the complexity of human and natural systems, not just controlling them.
Delays and Oscillations:
Delays in feedback can instability within systems. It is crucial to understand the timing and impact of these.
Identifying Leverage Points:
Places within a complex system where a small shift in one thing can produce big changes in everything.