designers in a sustainable world
TRANSCRIPT
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Designers in a Sustainable World A database for soft goods designers with a sustainable mindset
Thesis candidate: Kendra W. Hargens Dec. 13, 2012 Thesis advisor: Arlene Birt Thesis coordinator: Cindy Gilbert Thesis committee: Curt McNamara Eric Brody
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Abstract How can an online database foster collaboration and transparency between sustainable soft good designers? This thesis is based on personal experience, conversations with soft goods designers, researching the existing online and print resources for sustainable soft goods designers, and sustainable textiles being used by designers and companies worldwide. As a result of completing the above research, my thesis will propose a searchable, highly visual database that can be sorted in a variety of ways to assist sustainable soft goods designers in being informed on the current state of sustainable textiles and innovative products. I’ve limited the scope of this proposal to soft goods due to the timeframe of the project, my personal interest, and my professional knowledge of the topic. Eventually, this database could expand far beyond soft goods and grow to include other industrial design disciplines. Table of Contents/Outline
Section 1 1.1 Introduction 1.2 Objectives 1.3 Objectives summary 1.4 Current sustainable design resources 1.5 Importance of my proposal 1.6 Relevance of textiles and application to soft goods design
Section 2 Sustainable Design
2.1 Definition of sustainable design 2.2 Background of sustainable design 2.3 Life cycle and life cycle assessment (LCA)
Section 3 Textile Industry
3.1 Definition of soft goods 3.2 History of soft goods
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Section 4 Conventional Textiles
4.1 Types of conventional textiles 4.2 Natural fibers
4.2.1 Cotton 4.2.2 Wool 4.2.3 Silk 4.2.4 Flax
4.3 Manufactured fibers 4.3.1 Polyester 4.3.2 Nylon 4.3.3 Viscose 4.3.4 Acrylic
4.4 Environmental impact of traditional textiles
Section 5 Sustainable Textiles
5.1 Sustainable soft goods 5.2 Sustainable materials
5.2.1 Organic cotton 5.2.2 Hemp 5.2.3 Polylactic acid (PLA) 5.2.4 Recycled fibers
Section 6 Sustainable Methodology
6.1 Sustainable methodologies and soft goods 6.2 Lightweight design 6.3 Do it yourself (DIY) 6.4 Biomimicry 6.5 Socially responsible and ethically made 6.6 Closed loop
Section 7 Designer Database
7.1 Current state of online resources for designers 7.2 Current state of printed resources for designers 7.3 Social media and networks for designers
Section 8 Database
8.1 How to sort the database and aesthetic direction 8.2 Sustainable methodology 8.3 Designer versus company
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8.4 Material 8.5 Geographic location
Section 9 Discussion 9.1 Benefits of a new database for sustainable designers 9.2 Collaboration and transparency between designers 9.3 Application of database for sustainable soft goods designers 9.4 Opportunity for expansion into other industries
References Image Sources Appendix A
• Concept for sorting by sustainable methodology • Concept for sorting by designer/company • Concept for sorting by material • Concept for sorting by location
Appendix B
• Sample of products for database content
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Preface This thesis paper has been prepared as a proposal for an online searchable database for sustainable soft goods designers. It includes background of textile manufacturing, sustainable textile research, and sustainable methodologies applicable to soft goods, market examples, and discussion. It is my intention that this paper will lead to the creation of a thriving, highly visual, and operational database for sustainable soft goods designers with the eventual goal to add all industrial design fields. Section 1 1.1 Introduction
Collaboration and transparency between industrial designers is vital to growing success and application of sustainable design. Industrial designers focused on sustainability are often presented with the opportunity to work remotely for a wide range of clients and organizations, but there is not one location that showcases their work and where they can connect, interact, and learn. There is need for a curated, visually compelling, and searchable project database to support the development of future sustainable design work and creative leadership by industrial designers. This project will document and catalogue existing sustainable projects, designers, and design methods in the form of a database resource for projects and design learning. Ultimately, I want to explore how to apply this database to a variety of industries, but at this phase of the project, I will be focusing on sustainable design in the soft goods industry. Sustainable design emerged with the goal to create physical object, printed graphics, the built environment, and services that have no or very little impact on human health and the environmental impact.1 It is a design philosophy that seeks to maximize the quality of the built environment, while minimizing or eliminating negative impact to the natural environment. Some of the key issues include: carbon footprint, the total energy consumed, air and water pollution. The architecture field has been leading the sustainable movement in terms of defined standards and accreditations with LEED certification for projects and
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architects.2 Industrial design is adopting many of the same sustainable design methods and principles as the architecture field. A few examples are: low-impact materials, design for reuse and recycling, renewability, and quality/durability. Sustainable design is now a starting point and necessity for all design.
1.2 Objectives
During my research as a soft goods designer with a goal to create sustainable products, I was struck by how many resources I had to reference to find some simple answers to “what is the best material to use, what other products have used this material, and who was the designer or company that initiated the innovation behind this design?” Most of the sources I found divided up the sustainable products by industry, but soft goods seemed to get lost in the fold. For example, there may be development in the apparel or furniture industry that is relevant to outdoor equipment or medical devices. It is easy to distinguish disciplines like furniture, architecture, energy, lighting, medical, electronics, but soft goods can bridge all of these fields; this is the reason this industry needs to be highlighted. Very few resources focus on fabric and its application, which is the component I find extremely compelling and relevant to advancing sustainable soft goods. This database will provide a level of usable detail and contact information so that designers are able to connect, find existing examples, and expand on what had already been done without having to reference multiple books and websites. I will answer the question of what is a sustainable soft goods product, highlight the designer of the product, and provide a visual tool for designers to find examples and creators of various forms of sustainable design in the soft goods field. The opportunity is to develop and showcase a way to improve communication between sustainable designers and show their work. The projects will be categorized by designer, sustainable design method, material, and geographic location. I will be selecting soft goods projects based on the following criteria:
• Must contain at least 50% textile/fiber based material, • Must satisfy one sustainable design methodology, and • Must make a positive impact in one of the following areas:
social/human conditions, environmental impact, or textile innovation.
My plan is to develop a way to organize and catalogue sustainable soft goods projects. I plan to approach this goal by first building a framework
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containing data for each product. I will define what projects to include and what criteria I will be using to select these projects. I will be providing case studies of showcase projects, considering the designer of the project, as well as the sustainability methodology applied. I envision the site having multiple methods of searching and sorting. The site I am proposing will fill a void as a curated, and searchable project database to support the development of future sustainable design work and creative leadership by industrial designers.
1.3 Objectives summary
For my thesis I will present background information and context, an example for each sustainable methodology that are exemplary examples of sustainable soft goods, the method for cataloguing information, initial graphics, and a concept for a website design to be built at a later date.
In summary, the objectives of my thesis are to provide:
• A brief history of textiles and examples of traditional and sustainable
material production.
• An overview of current resources for sustainable soft goods designers.
• A proposal for a database concept for sustainable soft goods designers.
• A concept of a sustainable designer database.
1.4 Current sustainable designer resources
There are several organizations and designers in the design field working to define standards for industrial design and soft goods. Some of the most progressive examples are Patagonia, Sustainable Apparel Coalition, OIA Eco Index, Nike Sustainability Index, and HDC connect. During my initial research, I have found a few sustainable designers such as Javier Bertani, Ezequiel Castro, Vera Kade with the BCK Solar cooker and Peter Kallen with Nau. Some of the industrial design resources I am referencing include Core77, Treehugger, AskNature.org, ProjectH, and Worldchanging. These sites are fantastic resources for projects from a wide range of industries. In section seven, I will go into a more detailed list and description of relevant designer resources. Online and printed resources exist for designers to learn about sustainable concepts and to see examples of successful products; the missing element is that there is
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not one resource dedicated to sustainable industrial design, which also showcases the designer.
1.5 Importance of my proposal My proposal will fill a void in the soft goods industry. What I observed from my initial research is that there are a lot of solid industrial design resources, but none that showcase the designer, sustainability, and soft goods. The benefit of a collaborative database is to create an open source dialogue between designers to propel the sustainable soft goods industry.
1.6 Relevance of textiles and application to soft goods design Textiles are an extremely complex and expansive material. Since I am establishing the guidelines that a soft goods product should contain 50% textiles, they are vital to the design process. There are many options to customize the raw material and production process to achieve a desired textile. A product can have the greatest design, but a selected material can change the entire shape, feel, and environmental impact of that item. I will provide overviews of textiles I feel are most widely used in the soft goods industry. I plan to include textiles in my final database by permitting the user to search projects by textile type. This will be an extremely valuable to a designer because material is one of the first considerations in a design.
Section 2 Sustainable Design 2.1 Definition of sustainable design
One of the ideas behind sustainable design that has been in the back of my mind for the past five years is from the book Cradle to Cradle (year), where the author, Michael McDonough, tells the reader why being “less bad”, is no good at all. “To be less bad is to accept things the way they are, what would it look like to be 100 percent good?”3 In my opinion, this relates directly to textiles and soft goods because designers can and should be rethinking the entire soft goods industry.
2.2 Background of sustainable design
Sustainable design has been part of designing both architecture and tactile objects for a long time. Sustainable architecture has been influenced by early vernacular structures such as igloos and teepees that utilize and maximize the Earth’s natural cycles and materials.4 In the
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seventies, sustainable design originated as a response to the oil crisis prompting a movement to conserve resources with tools like solar power and energy conservation. “Architects and engineers revived passive, climate responsive, bioregional strategies, which still form a foundation for sustainable design.”5 This movement continued into the eighties and nineties, but when energy and resources were cheap again, there was less motivation to conserve. Based on my observation, this was also apparent in 2010 when gas prices soared, people looked for other means of transportation, but when they came down again people reverted back to driving. As we learn more about what sustainable design means in the current times, it seems like a very recent design philosophy.
2.3 Life cycle and life cycle assessment (LCA) One of the most valuable tools to a designer is to know the actual measured impact of an existing or future design. This can be found using a number of processes, such as Life Cycle Assessment (LCA). LCA is a method of measuring the environmental and social impact of a product or service. It enables the assessment of environmental impacts that occur at each stage of a product or service lifecycle.6 It is a way to quantify the entire environmental and human impact of a product from cradle-to-grave. In general, the phases include extraction of raw materials, processing or manufacturing, maintenance and use, transportation and end of life or disposal. One sustainable alternative to cradle-to-grave manufacturing is cradle-to-cradle (C2C) product design. The term C2C is a registered trademark of McDonough Braungart Design Chemistry (MBDC) consultants.7 C2C is a cyclical approach to product design and manufacturing in which materials are divided into biological or technical nutrients. Biological nutrients refers to materials that originate from organic resources, technical nutrients are inorganic or synthetic materials. Instead of following the conventional process of cradle-to-grave, the C2C process reintroduces the materials into the manufacturing stream instead of them being waste. This approach is beneficial because it results in less waste and the need for fewer raw materials. Another resource that has recently been released in the Higg Index, which was originally created in collaboration between the Outdoor Industry Association (OIA): Eco Working Group and the Sustainable Apparel Coalition.8 The Higg index is more specifically focused on soft goods and textile based items, where as a general LCA method can apply to a variety of products. The process of measuring of a product provides a basis for what materials, energy, water, resources are needed to design
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and manufacture an item. Once a benchmark is established, improvements can be made.
Section 3 Textile Industry 3.1 Definition of soft goods
Soft goods design is a component of industrial design that combines art and applied science. The unique element of soft goods is they are made primarily from a woven textile or fiber. Designers that focus in this field have a strong knowledge of textile structure, patterning, and sewing construction. Soft goods are seen all around us and have applications in apparel, agriculture, medical, transportation and home furnishings. Soft goods designers study function, form, and the connection between product, the user and the environment.
3.2 History of soft goods
During my research, I learned about the first textiles, textile composition, and manufacturing. Here are some of the key historic dates from the evolution of textiles.
• According to Chinese legend, silk culture began in 2640 B.C., when Empress His Ling Shi became interested in silkworms and learned how to reel the silk and weave it into fabric.9
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• Nylon, the first fiber synthesized entirely from petrochemicals, was introduced as a
sewing thread by DuPont in 1936, followed by DuPont's acrylic in 1944.10
• Cotton was first cultivated in the Old World 7,000 years ago (5th millennium BC), by the inhabitants of Indus Valley civilization currently situated in Western Pakistan, for example as the site of Mehrgarh where early cotton thread has been preserved in copper beads.11
• 1946, In United States, founders of what is now "Ten Thousand Villages" organization buy needlework from Puerto Rico producers and sell them in their USA homeland.12
• As of 2007, 265,517 bales of organic cotton were produced in 24 countries and worldwide production was growing at a rate of more than 50% per year.13
• In 2009, organic fiber sales in the United States grew by 10.4 percent over the previous year, to reach $521 million, according to the Organic Trade Association's 2010 Organic Industry Survey.14
• Current estimates for world production are about 25 million tons annually, accounting for 2.5% of the world's arable land.15
• July 2004 marks the creation of Patagonia’s Recycle clothing take back program. Since then they have recycled 83,629 lbs of worn out clothing and gear.16
• Textile and fabric supply generates 26 million jobs worldwide.17
Section 4 Conventional Textiles 4.1 Types of conventional textiles
There are two universal categories of textiles, natural fibers and manufactured fibers. Natural fibers are almost entirely made from plant or animal sources. Manufactured fibers are made from raw materials that come from a variety of sources including plant, animal, and synthetic polymers. There are benefits to both types of textiles in the soft goods industry and each has different effect on the environment as part of their production or disposal. In the following sections, I will provide a brief overview of most commonly used natural and manufactured materials. This is by no means a complete list of all textiles because there are endless combinations and blends as well as emerging engineered textiles. The intent of each description is to provide a basic foundation of textile production and the diversity of materials.
4.2 Natural fibers
A very simple explanation of how natural fibers are created is that they are formed from small plant or animal based fibers that are spun into thread; these thread filaments can then be used to make textiles. Natural
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fibers are made from cellulose, similar to the protein of an animal. “Cellulosic fibers are classified by the plant component from which they are removed, seed, stem, leaf, or miscellaneous component (root, bark, husk, or moss).”18 Commonly used animal fibers are: wool, silk, animal hair (alpaca, horse, sheep, and goat). Commonly used plant based fibers are: cotton, jute, flax, hemp, coconut, and bamboo. Some sustainable natural fiber options are: organic cotton, low-chemical cotton, low water use cotton, Fair Trade cotton, hemp fiber, and flax.19
4.2.1 Cotton
Cotton is an important seed fiber; the largest cotton producers are China, US, India, and Pakistan.20 “Cotton grows on bushels 3 to 6 feet high. The boll begins to grow after the blossom falls off. Each boll contains seven or eight seeds, each seed can have any many as 20,000 fibers growing from the surface.21 “The bolls are picked by machine and taken to a gin to separate the fibers and the seeds. The fibers, which are called lint, are pressed into bales weighing 480 pounds each.”22 Staple length relates to the fiber fineness and fiber tensile strength. Cotton fibers can range in length and classified as short staple, the lowest quality, medium-staple, a mid level quality, and long staple, the highest quality.23 Cotton is the most widely used material in the apparel industry. The appeal of cotton for the apparel industry is that the material is low luster, and can range is structure from very soft, which makes it a comfortable next to skin material, to heavy weight which can be used in upholstery applications such as corduroy or denim. It is also a very easy material to use as a blend with other materials. The benefits and applications of cotton fiber are vast which explains why “In 2004, cotton met 52 percent of the worldwide demand for apparel fiber.”24
4.2.2 Wool
Wool is a natural protein fiber, made from the hair and fur of animals. The top wool producing countries are Australia, New Zealand, China, and Eastern Europe.25 The benefits of wool textile are that it can be shaped by heat and moisture, has excellent heat retention, water repellency, felt ability, and flame retardant. The most valuable type of wool is merino. Australia exports over 90 percent of the merino wool worldwide.26 Merino wood has a soft hand feel, a matte luster, and good drape, which make it a premium apparel textile. Merino wool is the most widely used type of
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wool in the apparel industry, a single merino sheep can product 5kg of fine, good quality wool.27
In most all countries sheep are primarily farmed for meat production, wool is a secondary product. Sheep are generally sheared once a year, the freshly shorn wool is called fleece.28 Harvested wool is dirty and greasy, during the cleaning and scouring process additional water and chemicals are used to release impurities. “Raw wool contains 30 to 70 percent of its weight from impurities such as dirt, grease, and dried sweat.”29
There are three categories of wool:
• Virgin wool – wool that has never been processed. • Wool – new wool or wool fibers reclaimed from knit scraps or broken
threads. • Recycled wool – scraps of new woven or felted fabric that are
shredded back into a fibrous state and reused. Recycled wool can be blended with other fabrics before being re-spun.30
The quality of the wool is determined by the fiber fineness, length, color, and cleanliness. Wool use is comparably low compared to cotton and “in 2004, wool accounted for 0.7 percent of all fiber consumption in the United States.”31
4.2.3 Silk
Silk is another example of a natural protein fiber. Silk is produced from the larvae of a moth. Primary silk production comes from China, India, and Japan.32 Silk is a high-quality and high cost fabric. Silk is primarily used in apparel and furnishing due to its high cost and characteristics. Silk has low conductivity, thermal retention, good absorbency, and wicking ability making it popular in underwear and cold weather apparel. Silk takes dye well, has soft luster, and a smooth hand feel. “Sericulture is production of cultivated silk, which begins when the silk moth lays eggs on a specially prepared paper. When the eggs hatch, the larvae are fed fresh mulberry leaves, after 35 days they are 10,000 heavier than when hatched and they begin spinning a cocoon. The silkworm produces two strands at a time that are coated with a water-soluble protective gum, called sericin. When the silk comes in contact with the air it solidifies. In 2 or 3 days, the silkworm will spin approximately 1 mile of filament. The silk filaments are then gathered and wound onto a reel. Several filaments are combined to form a yarn.”33 The yarn is then taken and woven into fabric.
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4.2.4 Flax
Flax is a bast fiber, meaning that the fibers come from the base of the plant. Flax is one of the oldest textiles fabrics and flourished until the 18th century when cotton production took over.34 Flax fiber is desirable because it has a stiff hand feel, has natural high luster, it is a strong natural fiber, and can be made thick or thin. Linen fabric is created from flax. Flax is not elastic, but has good absorbency and is traditionally used for many home goods such as sheets and towels. Most flax is produced in Western Europe. “It takes 100 days for the plant to grow from seed. While the stem is still pliable, the plant is pulled and dried. The next step is retting – a natural breakdown of the stem materials and pectin’s that bind the fiber bundles to the stem. Retting can be done with water or chemicals. After retting and drying the fibers are combed out and dry spun.”35 Other bast fabrics include hemp, ramie, and jute. Since production of bast fibers is time consuming and requires heavy machinery researchers have developed a way to match the size of the bast fibers to match cotton, which is called cottonizing.36 This makes the processing of bast fibers more mainstream and easier to process because the two fibers can share the same equipment.
4.3 Manufactured fibers There are many examples of manufactured materials such as nylon, polyester, viscose, and acrylic. Some of the benefits manufactured fiber are that dry quickly, are easy to maintain, durable, and are cheaper to produce than natural fiber. Manufactured fibers are created from a series of steps, first a synthetic polymer is melted into a liquid form, it is then forced or extruded through a spinneret, which is a metal cap with many tiny holes through which the liquid is extruded. There are three extrusion methods, chemical bath, dry spinning, and melt spinning.37 This creates filament fibers that are then spun on a spool. The filaments are then twisted together to form a thin rope that is woven into fabric. There are many ways to create variation between manufactured materials. There are at least 6 spinneret shapes through which the hot liquid is extruded. Each shape gives the filament a different characteristic.
4.3.1 Polyester
Polyester fabric is widely made from a trilobal shape filament, which from a cross section view looks like a triangle. This type of shaped filament “produces a fabric that has a silky like hand-feel, subtle opacity, soil-
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hiding capacity, and built-in bulk without weight, and heightened wicking properties.”38 Polyester fabric is an extremely versatile manufactured fabric and is used across many industries including apparel, house wares, equipment, and accessories. Polyester was the second manufactured fiber to be developed in 1941 and is now the most widely used, due to its versatility and lower manufacturing cost to Nylon.39
4.3.2 Nylon “Nylon was first marketed in 1938 to be used as bristles, fishing line, and nylon hosiery.”40 Nylon is another fabric that is traditionally made from a trilobal shape filament. Therefore many of the characteristics of polyester also apply to nylon, but Nylon is the strongest major fiber in its standard form.41 Nylon was originally developed to replace silk during World World II when silk was scarce. Now, nylon is equally as versatile to polyester, but used for higher end products due to its higher manufacturing cost.
4.3.3 Viscose
Viscose is a cellulosic fiber that is formed from natural polymers that are dissolved and extruded as filament. “During the processing of a cellulosic polymer, the cellulose is purified, bleached, and soaked in sodium hydroxide. It is then treated with carbon disulphide and spun in a solution of sulphuric acid, sodium sulphate, zinc sulphate, and glucose.”42 One of the most common viscose yarns is rayon, which is created from a combination of natural and man-made components. Rayon is used for many types of textile products, but primarily apparel. Viscose has a silky appearance and feel, and has the ability to breathe in a similar manner to cotton.
4.3.3 Acrylic
Acrylic fabric is another synthetic fabric made from polymers. Acrylic is solvent spun, washed in hot water to remove residual salts, drawn in tanks of boiling, and finished by immersion in acid bath before being dried.43 The DuPont Corporation first created acrylic in 1941.44 Acrylic is lightweight, soft and warm, and has a wool-like feel; it takes color well, and is machine washable. The fibers are very resilient compared to other synthetic and natural fibers. Acrylic fabric is used for some apparel as a low cost option, but primary uses include accessories, i.e., socks, scarves, home furnishings, and sweaters, baby clothes, and soft toys.
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“In 2011 164,000 tons of acrylic fibers were produced in Germany.”45 Acrylic production is primarily based in Germany, Turkey, India, Mexico, and South America. There is no longer any acrylic manufacturing in the Unites States.46
4.4 Environmental impact of conventional textiles
There are some customary processes in conventional textile manufacturing. By conducting a lifecycle assessment, companies are able to obtain a more accurate idea of their products impact.
Raw materials – are obtained either from a natural source that heavily uses water and energy or chemicals, which can be detrimental to humans and the environment. For example, conventional manufacturing of acrylic requires the use of vinyl acetate and dimethylformamide. “Vinyl Acetate Monomer exposure can irritate the respiratory tract, eyes and skin. Skin contact may cause sensitization and an allergic skin reaction in a small proportion of individuals.”47 “Dimethylformamide has been linked to cancer in humans, and it is thought to cause birth defects. In some sectors of industry women are banned from working with it.”48 Manufacturing – requires high energy and water consumption and the emission of chemicals into environment. Use- during the use phase products can have varying impact depending on the amount of water, detergents, and electricity used in washing and maintaining an item. Transportation – the transportation phase is part of every stage of the lifecycle. The distribution path of an item can but not be limited the transportation of raw materials, transportation of the final product, and during disposal. Each leg of transportation contributes to the overall impact of a product’s lifecycle. Disposal - in most cases, traditional textiles are part of a cradle-to-grave cycle and soft goods are either incinerated or thrown in a landfill. During incineration or landfill chemicals and byproducts are released into the atmosphere. As was mentioned in section 2, a viable sustainable alternative to disposing of materials is for a design to incorporate C2C practices.
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Kate Fletcher states in her book Sustainable Fashion & Textiles (year) that the greatest impacts from this lifecycle are: - Large quantities of water and pesticides required for growing cotton; - Emissions to air and water arising from producing synthetic cellulose
fibers; - Adverse impact on water linked to natural fiber production; - Significant use of energy and non-renewable resources for synthetics.49 “Cotton is traditionally one of the most land intensive and resource heavy materials. For example, cultivating 1kg of cotton draws as much as 8000 liters of water (an estimated average across the global cotton crop)”.50 Traditional processing of natural fibers can be extremely damaging to the environment primarily due to the large amount of water and chemicals to grow and clean the fibers before processing.
Section 5 Sustainable Textiles 5.1 Sustainable soft goods
There is a lot of opportunity to improve on conventional textile manufacturing. Sustainable soft goods are made from textiles and fibers that cause less harm to humans and the environment than their conventional counterparts. Sustainable fabrics should not release chemicals and toxins during manufacturing that can contaminate waterways, land, and negatively affect overall environmental health. Additionally, they should not emit toxins during use, which is a concern because many of the textiles highlighted are worn next to skin. The few materials listed below are considered ‘more’ sustainable. They don’t have zero impact on the environment, but are moving towards better solutions for sustainable soft goods.
5.2 Sustainable fibers 5.2.1 Organic cotton
Cotton is one of the most widely used materials, but also poses some of the greatest sustainability challenges due to the high levels of fertilizers, water usage, and farming conditions. Organic cotton does not contain pesticides, fertilizers, and instead uses natural methods to control weeds, bugs, and disease.51
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“Presently, organic cotton makes up a tiny percentage of world fiber demand (0.18 percent).”52 Organic production results in a dramatic change in the toxicity profile. For example, the toxicity at the material cultivation stage for a cotton t-shirt drops to zero, which is a 93 percent reduction compared to a conventionally grown cotton t-shirt.53Many sustainable soft goods, primarily in apparel, are using varying percentages of organic cotton in their products. “Nike and Marks and Spencer made a goal of having all their cotton products contain 5 percent organic cotton by 2010.”54 Currently there is research and development being dedicated to producing low-chemical cotton, low water use cotton, and Fair Trade cotton.
5.2.2 Hemp
Hemp is a bast fiber. The fibers are removed from the stem by retting, a similar process used for flax. Hemp grows quickly, and naturally deters weeds and pests and is considered agriculturally low impact. “Growing hemp also helps clear land for other crops; it improves the structure of the soil, its strong roots control erosion; it has a high yield and can be grown in cool climates.”55Hemp is most commonly used for coarser applications like twine, rope, and canvas, and a substitute to linen. The one reason why hemp production is not as prevalent is because it contains low levels of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), but it is still regarded as a sustainable fiber option. Hemp is beneficial because it reduces the ecological footprint of conventional production by half, if grown to replace cotton for use in textiles, and wood for use in pulp and paper industries.56
5.2.3 Polylactic acid (PLA)
PLA is thermoplastic polyester derived from renewable resources such as corn, tapioca, or starch. In certain conditions it will biodegrade, but it is difficult to recycle. The properties of PLA material are similar to those of polyester and have the promise to be as widely used in many industries. In certain conditions PLA is compostable, but this requires highly regulated industrial compositing sites in order to have the right temperature and conditions to break down the fibers. There are some advantages to using biopolymers over petrochemicals such as energy savings, fewer emissions, and the use of renewable resources, but they also have significant environmental impacts. The large-scale agriculture necessary to produce the raw materials has negative effects. Also, if the
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final product is placed in a landfill instead of being properly disposed it releases methane, which is a power greenhouse gas.57 Some of these findings pose questions of the actual benefit of PLA and biopolymers as a sustainable alternative to traditional petrochemical fibers. This is an example of a material that, while it is an improvement to some textiles, it still poses sustainable concerns.
5.2.4 Recycled fibers
Recycled fiber pertains to both natural and manufactured fibers. Recycled fiber is beneficial because they use reduced raw material use, reduced chemicals, and reduced energy consumption. “Recycled pure wool fabric, energy consumption is thought to be half that needed to produce virgin material.”58 Recycled polyester is a low-impact alternative to conventional manufactured fibers. The downside to recycling many manufactured materials is that they are really just down-cycled and used for low quality applications. Recycled polyester can be made from both post-consumer and post-industrial resources; the most common is plastic water bottles. It this polyester is uncoated and processed through a controlled take back program, it can be repeatedly recycled as part of a closed loop process. Recycled polyester as very versatile and is used in a variety of industries including upholstery, equipment, and apparel.
Section 6 Sustainable Soft Goods Design 6.1 Sustainable methodologies and soft goods
The following section outlines five sustainable methodologies that I think are most relevant to soft goods.
6.2 Lightweight design
A lightweight product refers to one that is made with fewer materials, lightweight materials, or has less impact during the use phase. Therefore reducing the amount of raw material needed, energy consumption and lowering the weight in transportation, and end of life impact. Types of soft goods products that are contained in this category
• Physically lightened product using less material and is
repairable. • Lightweight during in use phase.
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GoLite products are lightweight in the materials they choose to use in their designs. GoLite has looked into their design and manufacturing process and learned that more than 60% of their overall environmental impact comes from the materials used in their products. GoLite products follow the equation, lighter products = less materials = less carbon, less toxics, less waste. They continue to reduce their products impact and have shifted towards the use of Environmentally Preferred Materials (EPMs) in their products. In the 2010 product line, over 67% of the mass of the materials in our products are made of EPMs; their goal is 100% EPMs by 2015. The impact reduction for recycled textiles varies, but it has shown to have up to 70% (for nylon) and up to 80% (for polyester) reduction in energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions while performing on par with their conventional alternatives.59
6.3 Do it yourself (DIY)
Do It Yourself (DIY) has emerged and grown widely in the past ten years. The term means that a product is built, sewn, or created by one’s self as opposed to being built by a professional. The advantage of DIY and sustainability is that items can be made on a small scale, which minimizes energy usage, shipping, and can reduce the use of raw materials. In many cases, DIY soft goods are made from reclaimed, recycled, and repurposed materials.
The DIY movement has taken hold in a big way, this is apparent with mainstream examples like the creation of the DIYNetwork, a television network dedicated to showcasing designers in a variety of industries including architecture, apparel, landscaping, and interior design. 60 One of their programs is called Project Runway where apparel designers perform a weekly competition to create one of-a-kind design. The designers create hand-sewn unique items, which instill romanticism behind custom design.
Types of soft goods products that are contained in this category • Handmade; • Locally-sourced; • Made from remade and repurposed materials.
Project Runway influences sites like Etsy.com. Etsy was launched in 2005 and is a site focused on handmade, one of a kind items, vintage products, photography, soft goods, beauty products, and jewelry. It is the most well known site for handmade custom artisan items where the designer can customize their website to reflect their designs and gains a lot of visibility through Etsy organized feature stories and local craft fairs.
21
In 2010, Etsy’s sales increased by 74.4% and saw revenue increase from $180 million to $314 million, which is evidence that this type of product creation is not just a trend, but resonates with both designers and customers.61
6.4 Biomimicry
Biomimicry, meaning from “ethos” to imitate, in the sustainable design field refers to how designers can look for ways that nature does things well and apply that to develop design solutions.62 Biomimicry is a science that studies nature’s models and then emulates these forms, process, systems, and strategies to solve human problems – sustainably. Innovation inspired by nature. Janine Benyus outlines biomimicry as existing as three approaches, nature as model, using nature as a model to inspire innovations with human problems; nature as measure, using nature to measure the success of innovations; and nature as mentor, designing with values and perspectives that are seen in nature.63 The products categorized in this section of the database will show examples of biomimicry in action.64 One of the most publically visible examples of biomimicry came from development for the Athens 2000 Olympics. “The swimsuit company Speedo has incorporated shark-inspired textures into their swimsuits. The 3% improvement in swimming speed due to the original “shark-skin” suit likely contributed to the fact that 80% of the swimming medals won in the 2000 Olympics were won by athletes wearing Speedo’s Fastskin suits; swimmers wearing the suit also broke 13 of 15 world records. Speedo has made further modifications to their Fastskin suit based on continued research of shark skin and increased the swimming speed of its wearers further, generating further anticipation over the suit’s performance in the upcoming 2008 Olympics.”65 This design took inspiration from the natural design of sharkskin. Sharks are able to move through the water a very rapid speed and with buoyancy. Their ability to resist drag is in part due the shape of their skins surface. It appears to be smooth, but is actually made up “very small individual scales of shark skin, called dermal denticles (“little skin teeth”), which are ribbed with longitudinal grooves which allows moving more efficiently over their surface than it would were shark scales completely featureless. Over smooth surfaces, fast-moving water begins to break up into turbulent vortices, or eddies, in part because the water flowing at the
22
surface of an object moves slower than water flowing further away from the object.”66
6.5 Socially responsible and ethically made
In soft goods design, selection of a material is one of the first steps during the design process with consideration being performance, hand-feel, and price. Textile and fabric production is one of the most technical and involved manufacturing process. Not only does it impact the environment with the large amount of water use and emitted pollutants, but it also requires a supply chain that relies heavily on labor. The products that align in this category are socially conscience, which means they may be use Fair Trade materials, they may following a high standard for working conditions, or be made by artisans. The types of soft goods products that are contained in this category are those that make a dedication to giving back and ensuring that their products are ethically made with high codes of conduct. Here are a few examples of certification that hold a high standard for the soft goods supply chain. Fair Trade – “The World Fair Trade Organization (WFTO) is a global network of fair trade organizations. WFTO’s mission is to enable producers to improve their livelihoods and communities through Fair Trade. WFTO standards include criteria for working conditions, wages, child labor and the environment. These are verified by self-assessment, mutual reviews and external verifications. There are over 350 Fair Trade Organizations working with WFTO in 70 countries. Many of these organizations specialize in a variety of traditional techniques in textiles, fashion, jewelry and accessories. The World Fair trade Labeling Organization is primarily connected to the agricultural industry. Its original aims were to guarantee good standards and wages for farmers. It began by certifying perishable goods like bananas and chocolate, and in 2005 extended this to cotton.67 Bluesign – Bluesign is a certification that applies to all phases of the textile supply chain. It is a tool for manufacturers and suppliers that measures environmental, social, and impact of all textiles supply chain elements such as yarns, dyes and additives, to textile manufacturers, to retailer and brand companies, to consumers.68
Many companies donate to non-profit causes, but I have selected a handful of organizations that are top on the donation list for many companies.
23
Conservation Alliance - the mission of the Conservation Alliance is to “engage businesses to fund and partner with organizations to protect wild places for their habitat and recreation values.”69 1% for the Planet – 1% for the planet is a non-profit organization that businesses can join through which they donate 1% of their sales to environmental groups. “It’s about realizing the positive effects of connecting businesses, consumers and nonprofits through philanthropy. And it’s about understanding that the true cost of doing business can be mitigated by a simple pledge to the planet.”70
An example of ethically made products is Ten Thousand Villages, which is an online retail site that has been in existence since 1946. They sell artisan goods from around the world. Their products are not exclusive to soft goods, but they sell a variety of textile based household items, and accessories. Ten Thousand Villages is “one of the world's largest fair trade organizations and a founding member of the World Fair Trade Organization (WFTO), the company strives to improve the livelihood of tens of thousands of disadvantaged artisans in 38 countries. Ten Thousand Villages accomplishes this by establishing a sustainable market for handmade products in North America, and building long term buying relationships in places where skilled artisan partners lack opportunities for stable income. Product sales help pay for food, education, healthcare and housing for artisans who would otherwise be unemployed or underemployed.”71
6.6 Closed loop
“Closed loop” refers to a sustainable system in which a product is created using reclaimed material that is recycled into new products. This cycle results in very little or zero net waste from the manufacturing process. In order for the closed loop to be successful manufacturers, recyclers, and consumers need to work together to ensure that a material is recycled properly and input to the proper channels. The role of each party in the closed loop system is as follows:
Collection: collection is the first step of this process in which recycled materials are brought together, transported to a sorting facility, cleaned, and prepped for the manufacturing process. Manufacturing: in the case of soft goods, the recycled material (in most cases this is a synthetic polyester) is broken down into smaller and smaller pieces that are then melted and extruded to create filament that is woven into various fabrics.
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Purchasing: the final step in completing and restarting the closed loop system is at the purchasing stage at which consumers select a soft goods product made from recycled content. The consumer additionally assumes the opportunity to continue the closed loop process and at the end of their usefulness of an item recycle it at a collection facility.
In order to keep the organized categories to a minimum, I have grouped a few sustainable concepts with similar practices into the same overall theme. The types of soft goods products that are contained in this category
• Recyclable polyester: the use of this material means that a
product can be almost completely recycled and made into a new garment or product.
• Design for disassembly (Dfd): Design for disassembly means
that a product is designed with the intent that it is returned to the manufacturer to be recycled or repurposed to create a new product. It also means that a product is made from fewer components and more components are made from the same material.
An outstanding example of a closed loop system in soft goods was developed by Patagonia with their Common Threads program. Patagonia takes used, worn out apparel and processes it through a polyester recycling process so that the fibers can be recycled and reused to create new apparel items. Additionally, Patagonia encourages users to think about how to reduce the purchasing or products or how to make their products last longer through repairs and reuse.
“Patagonia has repaired 13,649 pieces from January 2012 to September 2012, and recycled 83,629 pounds of clothing and gear since the Common Threads program began in 2004.”72
Section 7 Designer Database 7.1 Online resources for designers
There is a collection of resources that are beneficial for advances in sustainable soft goods and cutting edge soft good designers; these sites were primarily selected based on their focus of designers.
25
Coroflot73 is the leading resource for industrial designers to connect with each other and showcase their portfolios. It is a searchable website where industrial designers can publish their portfolios for free, with access to a job board, a forum board, and links to industrial design articles via the sister website, Core 77.74 This site allows designers to post work, illustrations, and resumes highlighting their achievements. There is an option to check both sustainable design and soft goods. When searching this option, Core77 displays a handful of designers. Based on my professional experience, I know there are more.
Treehugger.com75 is a great resource that provides articles on new sustainable design development in all design disciplines including i.e. architecture, design, transportation, business, and energy. It provides a tremendous amount of data, but I find the site difficult to navigate and there is little focus placed on the designer.
Sustainabledesigners.org76 is a website focused on sustainable design in the apparel industry, this site appears to be focused primarily on educating designers about sustainable practices versus showcasing their work. Etsy is a website dedicated to the sales of DIY (Do It Yourself), handmade, and vintage items. It has several methods of sorting data including by region, color, item type, and keyword. Etsy is an example of a searchable database that funnels a large amount of data and presents it in a very manageable manner for the user.
7.2 Printed resources for designers
There are several printed references for industrial designers. The list below is a sampling of ones that focus on sustainable design or textiles that provide a solid background of the industry. Sustainable Fashion and Textiles (2008) by Kate Fletcher. This book discusses sustainable design from the fashion designers perspective. It goes into details regarding textile production and apparel manufacturing. This book provides a lot of background on sustainable textiles as well as numerous case studies and highlights a number of designers. Product Design in the Sustainable Era (2010) by Dalcacio Reis is a book that highlights several industrial design projects that are applying sustainable methods to the design process and the final product. Most of the examples in this book are from large brands and products that are commercially produced, however only a handful are soft goods.
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Design Revolution: 100 Products that Empower People (2009) by Emily Pilloton provides several examples of apparel and soft good products. Many of the products in this book are both commercially produced and DIY and references many individual designers. This book presents a well-rounded selection of case studies.
7.3 Social media networks for designers
Many of the online resources listed above are applicable to social media. Etsy and Coroflot have a large network of designers and conversation forums. One of the main business networking sites, LinkedIn, showcases a number of industry specific and sustainable groups that designers can join. Joining a group related to textiles and sustainability will keep you up to date on innovations within the industry. However, in my opinion, this isn’t the most ideal way to showcase portfolio work or connect with fellow soft goods designers because the site isn’t specifically created for designers or sustainability professionals.
Section 8 Concept and Layout 8.1 Sorting and aesthetic direction
In order to create a highly visual presentation of sustainable design soft goods products, the focus will be on imagery. There is an emerging trend in social media, design, and photography of a grid layout that can be easily modified and added to. This direction aligns well with the database proposed in this thesis paper; it will be easily searchable and visual. See Appendix A for a design concept of what this database may look like. As mentioned earlier, there will be four methods for sorting data: sustainable method, designer, material, and location. The objective is to keep navigation simple to focus on the project itself. When an item is clicked, a pop-up window will appear with detailed information.
8.2 Sustainable methodology
There are a large number of sustainable methods and some of them have overlapping philosophies. The list of sustainable design methods is as relevant to soft goods and as concise as possible. Icons specifically developed for each sorting criteria in the database will be presented in the following sections. The icons will make it easier for users to make a quick visual association between different projects.
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Refer to Appendix A for an example of how this category will appear in the database.
8.3 Designer and company
Designer The objective of this database is to bring designers to the forefront and places an emphasis on the importance of a designer community. Company What it takes for a lot of companies to succeed in sustainable development is capital. Companies like Nike, Adidas, and Columbia are leading the industry with regards to sustainable design and materials. Refer to Appendix A for an example of how this category will appear in the database.
DO it Yourself (DIY)
Closed Loop
Ethically Made
Biomimicry
Lightweight
Designer Company
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8.4 Material
Natural: natural fibers are almost entirely made from plant or animal sources. Manufactured: Manufactured fibers are made from raw materials that come from a variety of sources including plant, animal, and synthetic polymers. Refer to Appendix A for an example of how this category will appear in the database.
8.5 Geographic location
The designer and company data will be combined with the geographic location to increase relevance to user. The thought behind this is to showcase the designer and encourage opportunities for collaboration between designers by seeing proximity.
Refer to Appendix A for an example of how this category will appear in the database.
Section 9 Discussion 9.1 Benefits of a new database
When I started researching this project, I thought I would find a vast amount of soft goods products that fit my criteria, and I did. I was pleasantly surprised by how many examples I did find, which are shown in Appendix B. I was struck by how many sources I had to reference. And many of these resources did not focus on the designer or soft goods. It would have been much more streamlined if these products were located in one online resource. I believe that a database similar to the one I have outlined would be a valuable resource for both singular designers and soft goods companies to access similar projects, materials, and to seek out designers.
Manufactured Natural
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9.2 Other opportunities for a website of this type
My proposal could have number of applications. I first envision it as a stand-alone website and database for soft goods designers, with the definite chance of it growing to include other industrial design disciplines. I think this site should provide updates on the sustainable soft goods industry such as new printed and online resources, articles written by visiting designers, and new design innovations. Originally, I didn’t consider a monetary aspect to this proposal, but after learning more about existing resources, I could see this site being a useful site for consumers. There are several “sustainable” design online shops, but how many of them actually have data backing the design or the company? This would be an opportunity to apply the successes that have been achieved by companies like Etsy.com and have them centered on sustainable design. I feel that consumers are getting increasingly savvy with their knowledge of product construction as well as sustainability claims. How much more reassuring would it be to have the content and a personal experience with the designer of a product instead of the anonymity of a department store?
9.3 Future objectives
My ultimate goal is to create a fully functioning searchable database that can be tested my sustainable designers. This may be best marketed through an existing designer database like Coroflot.com. Since the goal of the website is to have it be very visual, I think that the definition and the material sections need to be very clearly and succinct.
I would like to give a more thorough description of textiles, they are extremely elaborate and once I started to dive into my research, I realized that there was not way I could include all the details necessary for an informed reader to grasp the expanse of textile design. I would like to apply some scientific benchmarks to the benefits of sustainable materials over traditional textiles. The elements that I think would give additional insight into the textile industry would be to include the dying and coating processes. These add additional considerations for recyclability and chemical use during manufacturing. In order to accurately represent products that actually are sustainably beneficial it will be necessary to partner with an organization that is already establishing standards and methods for measuring the impact of materials and soft goods products. One possible option for this collaboration is the Sustainable Apparel Coalition and the Higg Index. It will be important to team up with a credible source to avoid products that may fall prey to ‘greenwashing’.
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Greenwashing is when company or product is promoted as sustainably beneficial, but it actuality it may have a negative or neutral impact despite it’s claims. This is not always a deliberate act but may come from a lack of knowledge about all aspects of the product lifecycle. That is one reason for the importance of establishing a measuring method that is recognized within the industry.
9.4 Collaboration and transparency between designers
The industrial design world contains many disciplines, but there are some that primarily focus on textiles and soft goods. In the design industry, I have experienced a trend that I have not noticed in fine art or architecture. There tends to be a divide between industrial design disciplines. I notice that designers tend to be specialized in one discipline, i.e., footwear, equipment, apparel, hard goods, or soft goods. This project has the opportunity to bridge the gaps between disciplines and bring all designers working in textiles together to collaborate and learn from each other. I hope that this database can encourage equipment designers to be inspired by upholstery designers and upholstery designers to be inspired by home goods designers. I have learned though my research that there is a lot of development in sustainable textiles and materials coming from a wide range of industries. The use and applications of textiles is diverse and their function can transfer industries. Just think of how much farther sustainable textiles can grow if we share resources and work together. I want to put the power of design back in the hand of designers and provide them with the resources that are leading the field of sustainable soft goods.
I feel that this would be a positive way for sustainable soft goods designers to not only see how many other designers have the same approach and goal with their design, but also give them the opportunity to collaborate. I would love the chance to search my county for like-minded designers and either work together on a freelance project, or develop our own idea to bring sustainable soft goods to the next level.
References Image Sources Appendix A
• Concept for sorting by sustainable methodology • Concept for sorting by designer/company • Concept for sorting by material • Concept for sorting by location
Appendix B
• Sample of products for database content
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________________________________________________________________________ Image Sources Appendix A Pinterest - sustainable apparel, 2010 Appendix A Patagonia.com, 2010 Appendix A Nau.com, 2010
Bibliography 1 Sustainable design definition. 2012. Wikipedia. Nov. 30, 2012
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sustainable_design> 2 LEED certification definition. 2012. Green Building Coalition. 2012. Nov. 30, 2012
<https://new.usgbc.org/leed> 3 McDonough, William and Michael Braungart. Cradle to Cradle. New York: North Point
Press, 2002. Print. 67
4 McLennan, Jason F. The Philosophy of Sustainable Design. Missouri: Ecotone, 2004.
5 McLennan 28 6 Life Cycle Assessment definition. 2012. Wikipedia. Nov. 30, 2012.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Life-cycle_assessment> 7 Cradle to Cradle definition. 2012. Wikipedia. Nov. 30, 2012
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cradle-to-cradle_design> 8 Outdoor Industry Association (OIA). 2012. OIA Organization. Nov, 30. 2012
<http://www.outdoorindustry.org/responsibility/swg/index.html> 9 Kadolph, Sara J. Textiles Tenth Edition. New Jersey: Pearson Prentice Hall, 2007.
Print. 76 10 Definition of Cotton. 2012. Wikipedia. Nov. 30, 2012
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cotton>
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11 Moulherat, C., M. Tengberg, J.F. Haquet and B. Mille. First evidence of cotton at
Neolithic Mehrgarh, Pakistan: Analysis of mineralized fibers from a copper bead Journal
of Archaeological Science 29 (12): 1393–1401. 2002 12 History of Fair Trade. 2012. Wikipedia. Nov. 30, 2012 <http://www.fair-trade-
hub.com/history-of-fair-trade.html> 13 Organic Trade Association. 2012. Nov. 1, 2012
<http://www.ota.com/organic/mt/organic_cotton.html> 14 Organic Trade Association. 2012. OIA. Nov. 1, 2012
<http://www.ota.com/organic/mt/organic_cotton.html> 15 Natural Fiber resource. 2012. Natural Fibers. Nov. 1, 2012
<http://www.naturalfibres2009.org/en/fibrescotton.html> 16 Patagonia Retail. 2012. Patagonia. April, 2006
<http://www.patagonia.com/us/common-threads?hp1> 17 Fletcher, Kate. Sustainable Fashion & Textiles. London: Earthscan, 2008. Print. 42 18 Kadolph 40 19 Fletcher 42 20 Kadolph 41 21 Kadolph 42 22 Kadolph 42 23 Humphries, Mary. Fabric Reference Fourth Edition. New Jersey: Pearson Prentice
Hall, 2009. Print. 31 24 Kadolph 25 Kadolph 26 Humphries
27 Fletcher 10 28 Humphries 37 29 Kadolph 66 30 Kadolph 70 31 Kadolph 71 32 Kadolph 76 33 Kadolph 76 34 Kadolph 52
33
35 Humphries 31 36 Kadolph 52 37 Kadolph 89 38 Kadolph 91 39 Humphries 66 40 Humphries 65 41 Humphries 41 42 Fletcher 14 43 Fletcher 13 44 Definition of Acrylic Fiber. 2012. Wikipedia. Nov, 1, 2012
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acrylic_fiber> 45 Material definitions. 2012. Ivc-ev.de. Nov. 1, 2012 <http://www.ivc-
ev.de/live/index.php?page_id=71> 46 Acrylic fiber information. 2012. INDUSTRIEVEREINIGUNG CHEMIEFASER E.V. Nov.
10, 2012 <http://www.ivc-ev.de/live/index.php?page_id=71> 47 Product Safety Assessment. 2012. Dow Companies. Nov. 10, 2012
<http://www.dow.com/productsafety/finder/vinyl.htm> 48 Wikipedia Dimethylformamide 2012. Wikipedia. Nov. 10, 2012.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dimethylformamide> 49 Fletcher
50 Laursen, S. E and Hansen, J. (1997) Environmental Assessment of Textiles,
Copenhagen: Danish Environmental Protection Agency, p46 51 Fletcher 18 52 Fletcher 21 53 Fletcher 19 54 Fletcher 21 55 Fletcher 25 56 Fletcher 25 57 Fletcher 28 58 Fletcher 35 59 GoLite sustainbility. 2012. Go Lite website. April 6, 2012
<http://www.golite.com/Info/Meaning-Of-Lite/Sustainability.aspx>
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60 DIY Network. 2012. DIY network website. Nov. 10, 2012
<http://www.diynetwork.com/> 61 Quarterly Retail Review. Mar. 1, 2011. Quarterly Retail Review. Oct. 5, 2012
<http://www.quarterlyretailreview.com/2011/03/etsy-2011-sales-revenue-expected-to-
exceed-400-million-sales-grew-74-4-in-2010/> 62 Ask Nature. 2012. Ask Nature Orgnanization. Nov. 1, 2012
<http://www.asknature.org/article/view/what_is_biomimicry> 63 Fletcher 138 64 Biomimicry Institute. 2012. Biomimiry Institute. Nov. 1, 2012
<http://biomimicryinstitute.org/home-page-content/home-page-content/biomimicking-
sharks.html> 65 Biomimicry Institute 66 Biomimicry Institute 67 Ethical Fashion Forum. 2012. Ethical Fashion Forum. Nov. 1, 2012 <
http://www.ethicalfashionforum.com/the-issues/fairtrade> 68 Bluesign Standard. 2012. Bluesign. Nov. 1, 2012
<http://www.bluesign.com/index.php?id=57> 69 Conservation Alliance. 2012. Conversation Alliance. Nov. 1,
2012<http://www.conservationalliance.com/about> 70 One percent for the planet. 2012. One percent for the planet organization. Nov. 1,
2012<http://www.onepercentfortheplanet.org/en/> 71 Ten Thousand Villages. 2012. Ten Thousand Villages. Nov. 1, 2012
<http://www.tenthousandvillages.com/about-us/> 72 Patagonia Retail. 2012. Patagonia. April, 2006
<http://www.patagonia.com/us/common-threads?hp1> 73 Industrial design resource. 2012. Coroflot. Jan. 1, 2006 <www.coroflot.com> 74 Industrial design resource. 2012. Core77. Jan. 1, 2006 <www.core77.com> 75 Treehugger. 2012. Treehugger. Aug. 15, 2008 <www.treehugger.com> 76 Sustainable designers organization. 2012 Nov. 15, 2012
<http://www.sustainabledesigners.org/>
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APPENDIX A Sustainable Methodologies
Designer
About Blog Contact
Sustainable Methodology
Material
Geographic Location
Sustainable Soft Goods
Lightweight
DIY
Biomimicry
Ethically Made
Closed Loop
About Blog Contact
Sustainable Soft Goods
“After conducting a full assessment of our operations,
we know that more than 60% of our overall
environmental impact is embedded in the materials
in our products. While GoLite products are by nature
“greener” (lighter products = less materials = less
carbon, less toxics, less waste), we are working hard
to reduce the environmental impact of the products
we make. Part of this work has included a major shift
towards the use of Environmentally Preferred Materials
(EPMs) in our products. In the 2010 product line, over
67% of the mass of the materials in our products are
made of EPMs. Our goal is 100% EPMs by 2015.
As part of this effort, GoLite has replaced virgin, petro-
chemical based materials in all of our main pack fabrics
and travel luggage with 50% Tier 1 recycled nylon, and in
all of our sleeping bag collections and some apparel with
100% Tier 1 recycled polyester. The impact reduction for
recycled textiles varies, but it has shown to have up to
70% (for nylon) and up to 80% (for polyester) reduction
in energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions
while performing on-par with their conventional
alternatives.”6
Designer
Sustainable Methodology
Material
Geographic Location
Lightweight
DIY
Biomimicry
Ethically Made
Closed Loop
36
APPENDIX A Designer
About
Designer
About Blog Contact
Sustainable Methodology
Material
Geographic Location
Sustainable Soft Goods
Individual
Company
Designer
About Blog Contact
Sustainable Methodology
Material
Geographic Location
Sustainable Soft Goods
Individual
Company
“Joanna Notkin is founder and head
designer of LoooLo Textiles. Based in
Montreal, she has been recognized as an
important up-and-coming designer and
PIEHIV�MR�XLI�½IPH�SJ�WYWXEMREFPI�XI\XMPIW��Joanna’s interest in sustainable textiles
emerged while studying at the Ontario
College of Art and Design. While in the
program, she studied for one semester at
the Rhode Island School of Design where
WLI�FIKER�VIEHMRK�EFSYX�½FVIW�X]TMGEPP]�considered “natural”, such as cotton and
wool, which she found were actually laden
[MXL�TIWXMGMHIW�ERH�GLIQMGEP�VI½RMRK�processes. Extensive research about these
½FVIW�ERH�MRHYWXVMEP�TVSHYGXMSR�LIPTIH�XS�reveal methodologies and raw materials
that were truly sustainable. Joanna believes
that good design must incorporate
sustainability.”3
37
APPENDIX A Material
About Blog Contact
Sustainable Soft Goods
Designer
Sustainable Methodology
Material
Geographic Location
Manufactured Fibers
Natural Fibers
About Blog Contact
Sustainable Soft Goods
Designer
Sustainable Methodology
Material
Geographic Location
Manufactured Fibers
Natural Fibers
“Our new Common Threads Initiative is a
partnership between us and our customers to keep
SYV�GPSXLMRK�SYX�SJ�XLI�PERH½PP��-X´W�KYMHIH�F]�JSYV�6´W��VIHYGI��VITEMV��VIYWI��VIG]GPI�We make four Capilene fabrics for different levels of
exertion and temperatures; it is a moisture-wicking
TSP]IWXIV�JEFVMG�XLEX�OIITW�]SY�[EVQ�IZIR�[LIR�[IX�ERH�HVMIW�UYMGOP]��'ETMPIRI�TSP]IWXIV�MW�EPWS�VIG]GPIH��VIG]GPEFPI�ERH�JIEXYVIW�+PEHMSHSV��REXYVEP�SHSV�GSRXVSP�
'ETMPIRI�TIVJSVQERGI�GLEVEGXIVMWXMGW�
����5YMGO�XS�[MGO��UYMGO�XS�HV] Designed for fast-forward, aerobic activities
����*IEXYVIW�+PEHMSHSV�REXYVEP�SHSV�GSRXVSP����1EHI�[MXL�VIG]GPIH�TSP]IWXIV�����VIG]GPIH���content or more)
��������VIG]GPEFPI� Machine washable”9
38
APPENDIX A Geographic Location
Designer
About Blog Contact
Sustainable Methodology
Material
Geographic Location
North America
Europe
Australia
Asia
South America
Africa
Sustainable Soft Goods
Designer
Company
Designer
Sustainable Methodology
Material
Geographic Location
North America
EuropeAustraliaAsiaSouth AmericaAfrica
Sustainable Soft Goods
Designer
Company
About Blog Contact
39
APPENDIX B Sample Database Content
SUSTAINABLE METHOD
CLOSED LOOP
CLOSED LOOP
CLOSED LOOP
CLOSED LOOP
CLOSED LOOP
CLOSED LOOP
CLOSED LOOP
CLOSED LOOP
CLOSED LOOP
ETHICALLY MADE
LIGHTWEIGHT
LIGHTWEIGHT
LIGHTWEIGHT
LIGHTWEIGHT
LIGHTWEIGHT
LIGHTWEIGHT
LIGHTWEIGHT
LIGHTWEIGHT
LIGHTWEIGHT
DIY
DIY
DIY
DIY
DIY
DIY
DIY
DIY
DIY
DIY
DIY
DIY
ETHICALLY MADE
ETHICALLY MADE
ETHICALLY MADE
ETHICALLY MADE
PRODUCT
EcoCircle and Synchilla Product line
Looolo blanket
Five Bamboo
FLOR carpet
FIFTYrx3
back2back
reused Yarn t-shirts
Upholstery Fabric
Biodegradeable Tshirt
SylvanSport GO
BCK Solar Cooker
No Wash Top
Satin Dress
Cambria T-shirt
Solar Rolls
Skysails
Skull Dress
Soccer Balls
Pillows
Dosa Label
Handstitched recycled Quilt
High bag pants
T shirt Constructive Workshops
do shirt by do
Updateable Tshirt
Shay Morrison/BolderPath
Rapid Deployment System (RDS)
Eco Jeans
Suit in Lyocell
DESIGNER/COMPANY
Patagonia
Joanna Notkin/Looolo
Vaude
Interface FLOR
Jill Danyelle
Junky Styling
Muji
Climitex Lifecycle
Trigema
GoLite
Peter Kallen/NAU
Sylvan Sport
Javier Bertani, Ezekial Castro, Vera Kade
5 Ways Project
Lauren Montgomery Devenney
Paramo
Brunton
SkySails GmbH & Co. KG
Natalie Chanin/Project Alabama
Etsy
Rachel Mallory-Richards
Liza Forester, Marti Guixé, and others
Aid by Artisans
Christina Kim
Alabama Chanin
Otto Von Busch
Matruska
KesslesKramer/ Droog Design
5 Ways Project
BolderPath, Inc.
Hoberman Associates/Eureka Tents
Levi Strauss Co
Moral Fervor
Linda Loudermilk
LOCATION
Ventura, CA
Ontario, Canada
New York, NY
UK
Japan
Germany
Boulder, CO
Portland, OR
Riverton, WA
Alabama
Brooklyn, NY
New York, NY
LA, CA
New York, NY
San Francisco, CA
COMPANY
Company
Designer
Company
Company
Company
Designer
Designer
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Company
Company
Company
Company
Company
Designer
Company
Designer
Company
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40
SUSTAINABLE METHOD
DIY
DIY
ETHICALLY MADE
ETHICALLY MADE
ETHICALLY MADE
ETHICALLY MADE
ETHICALLY MADE
ETHICALLY MADE
ETHICALLY MADE
ETHICALLY MADE
ETHICALLY MADE
ETHICALLY MADE
ETHICALLY MADE
ETHICALLY MADE
ETHICALLY MADE
ETHICALLY MADE
BIOMIMICRY
BIOMIMICRY
BIOMIMICRY
BIOMIMICRY
BIOMIMICRY
BIOMIMICRY
BIOMIMICRY
CLOSED LOOP
CLOSED LOOP
ETHICALLY MADE
CLOSED LOOP
LIGHTWEIGHT
CLOSED LOOP
LIGHTWEIGHT
CLOSED LOOP
LIGHTWEIGHT
PRODUCT
Updateable Tshirt
Shay Morrison/BolderPath
PACT Underwear
Rapid Deployment System (RDS)
Eco Jeans
Suit in Lyocell
Fairtrade cotton T-shirts
One T-shirt
Organic Cotton Tshirt
Organic Cotton Tshirt
100% Hemp Jacket
Merino Wool Products
Gum Series
Merino Wool Products
Merino Wool Products
Fastskin FSII
Morphotex
&YFFPI�RIX�W]WXIQ�XS�GEXGL�½WLNomex® and Kevlar® Honeycomb
Composite Materials
Fog Harvesting Mesh
Interface Floor i2 modular carpet
Tubes 84 mattress
Evergreen Carpet Lease Program
Stockholm City Mission Bag
Urthbags
Velocity Cyclin Helmet
Voltaic Solar Powered Bags
60Bag.com
Fuzzibunz Cloth Diapers
Loop by the Yard
Lunapads
DESIGNER/COMPANY
5 Ways Project
Bolderpath
Thefuseproject
Hoberman Associates/Eureka Tents
Levi Strauss Co
Moral Fervor
Linda Loudermilk
Marks And Spencer
Lesotho
Howies
American Apparel
Katherine Hamnett
Ibex
Rip Curl
Icebreaker
Smart Wool
Speedo
Teijin
Instituto Politécnico De Leiria
Dupont
Mit
Interface
Spaldin Sleep Systems
Evergreen Carpet
Marten Claessonm Eero Koivisto
Fair Trade Women’s Group
Art Center College Of Design
Voltaic Systems
Devon Visual Group
Mother Of Eden
Mio Jaime Salm, Isaac Salm, Sharon Nao
Madeline Shaw
LOCATION
UK
Boulder, CO
San Francisco, CA
New York, NY
San Francisco, CA
UK
LA, CA
UK
White River Jct., VT
New Zealand
Steamboat Springs, CO
CA
Japan
Peniche, Portugal
Cambridge, MA
Stockholm, Sweden
Huntington Beach, CA
Pasadena, CA
New York, NY
Warsaw Poland
Lafayette LA
Philadelphia, PA
Vancouver, CA
COMPANY
Designer
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Education
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Education
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Education
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Designer