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WE MADE THIS Illuminating the People, Processes, and Materials Behind a Product to Strengthen the Consumer-Maker Relationship. Indiana Baltodano | Gayatri Mohan | Thijs Schippers | Yushi Li

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Page 1: We Made This: Illuminating the People, Processes, and Materials Behind a Product to Strengthen the Consumer-Maker Relationship

WE MADE THISIlluminating the People, Processes, and Materials Behind a Product to

Strengthen the Consumer-Maker Relationship.

Indiana Baltodano | Gayatri Mohan | Thijs Schippers | Yushi Li

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Timo was an incredible partner, for the knowledge he generously

shared with us. The sources he pointed us to and his prototyping

feedback were at the very core of what led us to our proposed solution.

A N D R E WR O B I N S O NA S S T . P R O F E S S O R P A R S O N S―

TIMORISSANENA S S T . P R O F E S S O RP A R S O N S―

A M M A RB E L A LP A R T T I M E L E C T U R E RP A R S O N S―

THANKING

Andrew has provided immense support in continuously challenging

assumptions and pointing out potentially interesting directions for us

to explore. His network of experts in a variety of fields greatly helped get our idea

off the ground.

Ammar’s research in the fashion design field and his experience and

in the garment industry in Pakistant made him an amazing source of insight.

He significantly helped us understand the perspective of the supply-side players to

achieve a more holistic solution.

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The insights we gained from Nicole helped us develop a

realistic solution fit for a practicing designer invested in using a

sustainable and ethical supply chain.

NICOLELENZEND E S I G N E R A N DC O N S U L T A N T―

N I B R A SI S L A MM & A C O N S U L T A N TP A R T H E N O N - E Y―

TA R AS T J A M E SD E S I G N E RS T U D Y N Y―

Nibras’ family has been in the garment industry in Bangladesh

for decades. The intimate industry knowledge he shared with us aided our

understanding of the supply-side system, particularly that of the realities of factory

owners in Bangladesh and the functions of buying agencies.

Tara’s thought leadership and efforts to advance sustainability in

the field of fashion through her own brand, Study NY, served as inspiration

and guidance as to the role individual designers can play in the greater movement

of sustainable fashion.

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GLOSSARY OFDEFINITIONSC O G N I T I V E M A PCognitive Maps are visual representations of mental processes, where statements are combined with ideas and relationships to sense, store and decode information.

B U S I N E S S O R I G A M IA Business Origami is a miniature of a system and the interactions within it. It serves as a tool to create a shared understanding of that system.

B E T T E R M E T H O D S / P R O C E S S E SFor the purposes of our project, better methods and processes are defined as methods and processes that have a lower environmental and social impact.

S U P P L Y - S I D E G O V E R N M E N TAll governmental bodies whose policies directly affect the businesses in the supply-chain.

D E M A N D - S I D E G O V E R N M E N TAll governmental bodies whose policies directly affect the consumer.

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WHAT WE WILL COVER1 7O N Y O U R M A R K S . . .

2 1D I V I N G I N T O I T

3 4W A R M U P

3 6S E T T I N G A N A I M

4 0T H E B A L L ' S I N E V E R Y O N E ' S C O U R T

/ / I N T R O D U C T I O N

/ / R E S E A R C H M E T H O D O L O G Y

/ / I D E A T I O N E X E R C I S E S

/ / F R A M I N G T H E D E S I G N C H A L L E N G E

/ / M U L T I - S T A K E H O L D E R E C O S Y S T E M

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1 3

4 3M E E T T H E P L A Y E R S

4 5T H E R U N U P

5 8I N T H E E N D Z O N E

6 9P A S S I N G T H E B A T O N

7 0A B O U T T H E T E A M

7 2B I B L I O G R A P H Y

/ / P E R S O N A E

/ / P R O T O T Y P I N G I N I T I A L I D E A S

/ / I T E R A T I N G & F I N A L C O N C E P T

/ / C O N S I D E R A T I O N S & N E X T S T E P S

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P E R S O N A L C O N N E C T I O N S―

I never thought too much about where my food was coming from. I tried not to be too wasteful, but didn't think twice about throwing away a slightly browned apple.

That changed last year when I signed up for my neighborhood farm share. I now pick up a stunning variety of fresh fruit, vegetables, and eggs delivered to my neighborhood from farms all around New York state. Now, I feel a heavy sense of guilt when I can't finish my food before it goes bad. What changed?

Personally, seeing the dirt on my imperfectly shaped produce made me aware of the amount of human effort and natural resources represented by a single apple.

Throwing away all that effort and those resources for any reason feels terribly selfish and irresponsible.

I was sharing this experience with my team mates when we realized that it takes such deeply personal and emotional moments to change consumer behavior. What could we do to trigger such a moment for consumers in the apparel industry? This formed the initial foundation for our project.

Gayatri Mohan

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H O W C A N W E S P A R K A M A T E R I A L S R E V O L U T I O N B Y R E T H I N K I N G H O WW E V A L U E A N D U S E T H E M ?

ON YOUR MARKS. . .

We set out to answer this question by first examining how the global apparel industry is constructed today. We identified major actors in the ecosystem, their relationships with each other, and the challenges they face in moving the industry towards a more sustainable future.

We found an intricate network of corporate giants, independent designers, manufacturers, artisans, consumers, and governments struggling to balance their interests with the urgent need to consider how business impacts people, the global economy, and the environment.

Consumers today have come to expect cheap products.

Most of us would not want to pay more than $40 for a pair of jeans that may truly cost well over $100. We might wear them for a season and toss them. The bigger problem, however, is that we are unaware of the true cost of our clothes, who bears that cost, and what happens to those clothes when we get rid of them season after season.

/ / INTRODUCTION

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PROJECT BRIEF

Value Chain

FieldResearch

LiteratureReview

ExpertCouncil

FRAMING THE DESIGN CHALLENGE

BusinessOrigami

Multi-stakeholderEcosystem Personae

RESEARCH

EXPLORING SOLUTIONS

PROTOTYPING & ITERATING

DEVELOPING FINAL PROPOSAL

CONSIDERING NEXT STEPS

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Research

Ideation

1 9

P R O C E S S O V E R V I E W―

Examining the challenges of an existing system and coming up with holistic solutions is a complex, non-linear journey. To answer the question we posed for our team, we were constantly engaged in literature reviews, industry analyses, and expert interviews to deepen our understanding of the apparel industry, while our ideation and iteration process continued to raise new research questions and push us closer to an informed hypothesis.

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EXPERTCOUNCIL

V A L U E C H A I NA N A L Y S I S

F I E L D R E S E A R C H

L I T E R A T U R ER E V I E W

DIVING INTO IT

R E T A I LE X P E R I E N C E

I N D U S T R YA N A L Y S I S

C A S ES T U D I E S

C O G N I T I V EM A P

S T A K E H O L D E RM A P

/ /RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

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We began our exploration of Nike's project brief with an analysis of their existing value chain, and the corresponding stakeholders for each stage of the value chain. We identified key points of potential intervention further up the chain in the pre-distribution stages, where suppliers – including farmers, factory owners, and factory workers – are key stakeholders.

2 2

V A L U E C H A I N A N A L Y S I S―

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K E Y L E A R N I N G S

Messaging around and investment in sustainability were apparent in stores where brands are already committed to embedding environmental and social sustainability in their mission.

Only conscious consumers make it a point to inquire about the supply chain behind a product and, as a result, store associates for the most part are required to know the bare minimum about products' supply chain.

2 5

F I E L D R E S E A R C H―With a solid understanding of a typical supply chain in the industry, we conducted observational field research to examine how different brands invest in aspects of sustainability in their retail locations. We visited 10 different brands' retail locations to document details like their product lines, shelving, interior design and store layout, signage, and customer service.

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WHAT ARE KEY INDUSTRY PLAYERS CURRENTLY DOING FOR SUSTAINABILITY INFASHION?

WHAT DOES INDUSTRY-WIDE COLLABORATION LOOK LIKE TODAY?

2 6

L I T E R A T U R E R E V I E W―In order to better understand our current problem landscape, we conducted in-depth analysis of the apparel manufacturing industry as it is set up today.

I N D U S T R YA N A L Y S I S

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K E Y L E A R N I N G S

2 7

Acknowledging sustainability as an industry-wide challenge that all brands have to (or will have to) address, we set out to investigate how certain organizations are already tackling sustainability, what sorts of initiatives are in place, and who is pioneering these efforts.

We found initiatives ranging from cleaning up plastic waste from oceans, using waste to make shoes, standardizing sustainability policies across manufacturers, to investing in research and implementation of new technologies, incorporating more sustainable materials in their garments, and pledges to completely eliminate toxic chemicals from the supply chain.

The industry players leading sustainability initiatives include corporate giants like Kering, parent company of luxury brands like Gucci, Balenciaga, Alexander McQueen, and others; Inditex, owner of Zara and Massimo Dutti; H&M and small designer brands like Study NY that use their business as a means to pursue sustainability goals.

Organizations like the Sustainable Apparel Coalition are working to create a common language such as the Higg Index, a standardized measurement tool to asses supply-chain operations, and to facilitate the kind of industry collaboration necessary to drive systemic change.

Currently there are more initiatives that work to reduce the symptoms but not cure the illness of unsustainability.

Lasting and impactful change can only be accomplished through industry-wide collaboration.

Companies that proactively embrace sustainability versus react to unsustainability will be more profitable long-term.

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WHAT TRIGGERED A SHIFT IN CONSUMER BEHAVIOR INOTHER INDUSTRIES?

HOW DID THEY ENACT POLICY LEVEL CHANGE?

2 8

L I T E R A T U R E R E V I E W―We then compared the apparel industry's sustainability trajectory to that of other industries, such as food, tobacco, automobile, and public health to see how they enacted large-scale, policy and behavioral change.

C A S ES T U D I E S

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K E Y L E A R N I N G S

2 9

Enacting regulatory and behavioral change in the face of strong industry opposition is challenging, yet possible, as illustrated by the case of the tobacco industry. Strong public education and carefully written smoke-free bylaws helped effectively overcome intense pressure from tobacco giants on governments to maintain legislation in their favor.

We specifically studied the case of British Columbia, Canada, and how they successfully used public health campaigns driven by medical experts and advocates to foster support for smokefree laws. They ultimately achieved 100% smokefree laws in public spaces in spite of immense opposition from tobacco companies.

In the automotive domain, we have also seen quite a change in consumer behavior in the last fifteen years. The rise of Toyota Prius and Tesla is an example of the newly sparked interest in electrically powered cars, in an industry where gasoline has been the standard for more than 80 years. We looked into what might have brought about this change, and found that, in addition to technological advancements making it much more feasible, it was also

the result of the 'cool-factor' the products evoked: the consumer was already hooked to these cars because of their aesthetic and performance appeal; environmental friendliness happened to be a nice bonus.

We also examined the organic movement in the food industry to glean insights on how a niche market can become mainstream over time. In the 1970s, organic food initially appealed to a small market and was only available at a few specialized stores. Now mass retailers like Walmart, Costco, and Target sell organic food in response to consumer demands stemming from public educational campaigns.

We envision a similar trajectory for sustainable fashion, with awareness and demand for sustainable products growing to the point where it reaches mainstream consumers and retailers, and ultimately becomes the default purchasing option.

Public education is an essential component of making economic, social, and environmental sustainability mainstream.

Sustainable options need not necessarily be less aesthetically, stylistically, or technically appealing to the masses.

Strong and proactive government support in the form of experts, public advocates, and outspoken champions is at the core of translating a consumer behavioral shift to a policy-level change.

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Most other mass goods are

automated.

Would we buy as

much if we knew?

Did it spark

something?

E X P E R T C O U N C I L―Although our industry and case study analyses were important sources of research, we reached out to experts in the field for deeper and more current insights into the most urgent challenges facing suppliers, designers, artisans, corporations, and governments around the world.

We first interviewed Assistant Professor of Fashion Design, Timo Rissanen, at Parsons. His professional experience and academic research into the fashion industry's challenges formed the basis for this C O G N I T I V E M A P , where we visually trace facts, opinions, and ideas he shared with us (in yellow), alongside our own interpretations of the conversation (in gray).

Some components of Nike products

are manufactured automatically.

G-Star Raw initiative to remove ocean plastic is mainly just marketing.

Reducing unsustainability is not the same as creating

sustainability.

People forget that almost all garments are

made by hand.

People don't know how much things really

cost; the price tag isn't an accurate measure.

Some business models actually build long

term relationships with artisans, others are just

marketing.

It 's still a kind of imperialism.

Actual communities in India and China have

been destroyed because of cheap stuff.

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Showday-to-day

operations.

Why not expose

more?

How do you

do this from afar?

Credit culture,

living beyond our means

Should everything

be affordable by everyone?

Would we buy as

much if we knew?

Some components of Nike products

are manufactured automatically.

People don't know how much things really

cost; the price tag isn't an accurate measure.

Big disasters like Rana Plaza don't really affect

the brand or the consumer long term.

Compare a fast fashion item made in

NYC to one made in the original country, there

will be a huge price difference for similar

garments.

On average, Americans buy 68 garments and 7 pairs of shoes a year.

I have a colleague who believes a decent pair of jeans should cost no less

than $250.

It is important to get people personally

invested to create change in people's values.

Research is being done on chemicals that get absorbed into the skin

through clothing.

Consumers have to take up responsibility.

People don't care about GMO in cotton as much as

in food.

People don't know the human cost of GMO

cotton (Indian farmer suicides).

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V A L U E O F C R A F T―

How do women from three distinct cultural and economic contexts value their own time and craft?

Tara St James, designer and owner of Study NY, conducted an experiment to answer this question. She paid women in Afghanistan, Peru, and Queens, NY $24 and asked them to work for what they thought was an appropriate number of hours. These women were all excellent embroiderers who learned their craft from their grandmothers, and were able to work at similar speeds. Yet, there was a wide range in the monetary value each of them attached to their time and work.

The women in Afghanistan and Peru worked 17 hours and

15 hours respectively, while the woman in Queens worked 2 hours.

Cost-of-living aside, what is shaping these disparate notions of value for the same craft? Should we as consumers ascribe value differently for high-quality artisanal work?

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WARM UP

Armed with key learnings from our initial research phase, we conducted ideation exercises to brainstorm blue-sky solutions to the apparel industry's supply chain and sustainability challenges. This unrestricted exploration of potential solutions helped us better define our precise design challenge.

We came up with a broad range of solutions, from concepts modeled on Charlie and the Chocolate Factory's 'Golden Ticket,' in this case, for consumers to visit the factories and workers that make their garments

by hand; to platforms to organize mass boycotts for unsustainable practices.Once we filled up our page with ideas for potential solutions, we categorized them into buckets like 'Civic Activisim,' 'Point of Purchase,' and 'Legislation,' among others.

Finally, we ranked our ideas in order of most feasible to least feasible, which then formed the basis for the next phase of our ideation exercises.

/ / IDEATION EXERCISES

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In this stage, we reframed the most powerful themes from our ideation exercises into 'How Might We' questions.

H O W M I G H T W E F A C I L I T A T E H I G H E R P R I C I N G F O R G A R M E N T S ?

H O W M I G H T W E P R O V I D E C O N S U M E R S W I T H T O O L S T O U N I T E A N D A C T ?

H O W M I G H T W E S H I F T T H E C O N S U M E R ' S N O T I O N O F C O S T F R O M T H E C U R R E N T A R T I F I C A L L Y L O W O N E T O A M O R E R E A L I S T I C O N E ?

These questions became the starting point of our second ideation exercise. As we continued to ideate, we quickly realized that all our potential solutions tackled only one aspect of the larger problem. In reality, no single player in the industry – supplier, brand, designer or consumer – can be held responsible for its challenges. Rather, unsustainability in the fashion industry is a failure of the entire system.

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SETTING AN AIM

To dig deeper into this systemic problem, we interviewed Ammar Belal, part-time lecturer at Parsons, with his own design practice and personal ties to the garment manufacturing industry in Pakistan.

We drew out a B U S I N E S S O R I G A M I guided by his personal experience and insights. We mapped the interactions and leverage points among the system’s key stakeholders, which we defined as the designer, brand, consumer, supplier/manufacturer, buying house, and government. To acknowledge the nuances within this system, we further broke government down into what we call the D E M A N D - S I D E G O V E R N M E N T and the S U P P L Y - S I D E G O V E R N M E N T . This intricate map of the relationships, interactions, and power dynamics between the stakeholders strengthened the conclusion from our ideation exercises that sustainability in the industry is, in fact, a multi-stakeholder responsibility.

The business success of designers and brands is contingent on their ability to effectively meet consumer needs and demands. Consumer demands – influenced by fast fashion, a heavily promotional retail environment, and ill - informed notions of cost – can be summarized as the desire to buy more for a lower price. In order to compete in this environment, brands aim to produce at

the lowest cost possible to maximize their margins and, as a result, exert downward pressure on what factory owners can charge for their work.

Factory owners are then stuck in corruption-laden bidding wars that force them to accept orders at a price and timeframe that cannot be fulfilled sustainably. Obliged to charge unrealistically low prices to win the business leaves factory owners poorly equipped to implement and maintain ethical practices while remaining financially afloat.

To further muddle the problem, factory owners may even resort to outsourcing work to uncertified or unregulated contractors in order to meet the short time frames often demanded by brands. Low prices, tight timelines, and an unregulated system of contractors compounded by corporate incentives to maximize profits produce a hostile environment for ethical practices.

Moreover, the average factory owner operating on current prices likely does not have the cash flow available to invest in sustainable practices such as clean production and living wages. These factors shape a troublesome conflict of interest between reaping profits and building a sustainable business.

/ /FRAMING THE DESIGN CHALLENGE

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DESIGNER CONSUMER BRAND

DESIGNER

Point of Intervention

DEMAND-SIDEGOVERNMENT

SUPPLY-SIDE GOVERNMENT

BUYINGHOUSE

SUPPLIER / MANUFACTURER

Activist/Expert

Existing Relationship

Potential Trajectory for Change

Bidding wars to drive down price; suppliers outbid each other to win business

Higher retail price ≠ higher pay for supplier

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HOW CAN WE CREATE AN ECOSYSTEM IN WHICH THEINCENTIVE STRUCTURE FOR ALL STAKEHOLDERS SUPPORTS SUSTAINABLE PRODUCTION, AND MAKES SUSTAINABILITYACCESSIBLE TO ALL PARTIES?

SETTING AN AIM//FRAMING THE DESIGN CHALLENGE

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WHAT CAN WE DO IN THE NEXT TWO YEARS TO SPURCONSUMER DEMAND FOR ETHICALLY AND SUSTAINABLYMANUFACTURED PRODUCTS?

HOW CAN WE MAKE CONSUMERS CARE ABOUT THE PEOPLE, PROCESSES AND MATERIALS BEHIND A PRODUCT?

3 9

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CONSUMER

GOV´T

BRAND

SUPPLIER

//MULTI-STAKEHOLDER ECOSYSTEM

4 0

THE BALL'S INEVERYONE'S COURT

To build on our understanding of the flawed system we mapped out in our B U S I N E S S O R I G A M I , we tried to illustrate exactly how each stakeholder plays their part in the sustainable future of the industry.

After several iterations, we developed a four-part framework including the Consumer, Brand, Government, and Supplier.

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C O N S U M E RThe Consumer is defined as anyone who buys a new garment. Within this segment, we identified two distinct categories: the Activist Consumer who already buys the B E T T E R garment, and the Mainstream Consumer who currently does not pay attention to the environmental or social impact of garments (he/she only buys based on performance, aesthetics, and price-point).

B R A N DThe Brand is defined as a clothing company of any size. This includes mass market brands like Nike, Adidas, Zara, and H&M, as well as smaller designer brands. As with the Consumer, we distinguished two types of Brands present in the industry today: Activist Brands for whom B E T T E R suppliers are already part of the company's core operations (Patagonia, Stella McCartney), and other brands for whom that is not yet the case.

G O V E R N M E N TThe Government is defined as a governing body on either the demand- or supply-side, whose policies affect the apparel industry. Again, we identified two types of governments in the current landscape: Activist Governments that have policies or initiatives already in place to support the cause, and other governments that are not yet invested in facilitating this change.

S U P P L I E RThe Supplier is defined as any party involved in the production/manufacturing process of garments. Included here are all players from the farm to the logistics partner delivering the product to the consumer, as well as yarn manufacturers, dyers, spinners, embroiderers, etc. They may range in size from an individual to a set-up of 20,000 employees. Once again, Activist Suppliers are defined as those who already employ sustainanable practices as compared to those who do not.

4 1

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MEET THE PLAYERS

Once we established our multi-stakeholder ecosystem and the relationships between key players within the ecosystem, we moved on to building personae that would ground the development of our solution in the real, tangible needs of people today.

We chose to focus on four distinct persona segments, including the conscious consumer, the indifferent consumer, the factory owner, and the resident of the extended community in which a garment factory may be located.

Building these personae also served as a constant reminder that the system we are designing for involves multiple interests, needs, and priorities.

/ /PERSONAE

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Lack of transparency, access to honest information on consumer products

The challenge and time it takes to make informed choices

FRUSTRATIONS

GOALSWants the tools to align her purchases with her principles

4 4

Sarah lives with herfiance and 5-year-old Jack Russell Terrier. She has a very demanding work schedule andtravels often to meet clients. Yet, she always finds time for family, friends and herself.

She stays active and healthy with a regular yoga practice and running routine. She considers herself health-

and environmentally conscious, so makes sure to keep herself informed. She reads all labels and makes very careful purchasing decisions.

Although she is cognizant of the consequences of modern consumption patterns, she knows she is not an expert. Yet, she wishes to vote with her wallet by aligning with ethical brands.

I O F T E N F E E LP O W E R L E S S W H E N I T C O M E S T O M A K I N G E T H I C A L P U R C H A S E S .

Age: 28Profession: Consultant at PWCLocation: New YorkEducation: BS Economics (NYU), MBA (Columbia)

Sarah, The Conscious Consumer

MEET THE PLAYERS//PERSONAE

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Personally distant from urgent global issues because of a feeling that she alone cannotaccomplish anythingimpactful

FRUSTRATIONS

GOALSWants to learn more about sustainable consumption, without a huge personal sacrifice on her fashion choices

I U N D E R S T A N D M Y D E C I S I O N S H A V E A L A R G E R I M P A C T B U T I ’ M U N S U R E W H A T T O D O A B O U T I T .

4 5

Maria has lived all her life in Athens, except for four years of college in the US. She is well traveled within Europe, and is into all the latest fashion and trends. She sometimes like to wear clothing a little against the grain, and enjoys shoppingfor edgy, different items.

As a dancer, she maintains a healthy lifestyle with a regular

exercise routine of yoga and interval training at the gym.

Maria has a general sense of global sustainability issues, but doesn’t have the appropriate vocabulary to talk about it. However, she has a passionate and empathetic personality, and will strongly support a cause she believes in.

Age: 25Profession: Dancer and marketer at a bankLocation: Athens, GreeceEducation: BA Dance (Wellesley College)

Maria, The Indifferent Consumer

MEET THE PLAYERS

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Believes the West to be at the root of problems in the industry

Fears losing his business in 10 years if he wants to keep ethical practices

FRUSTRATIONS

GOALSWants his son to take over the business one day

Wants to give workers a good quality of life and minimize eco impact

Farhan’s factory in the south of Dhaka produces sports t-shirts for Nike. He has been involved inthe business from ayoung age, and recentlyinherited it from his father, who had inherited it from his own father.

He values his workers and already pays them 120% above minimum wage, a lot more than other factory owners pay in the

region. This has, however, already resulted in some loss of business for him.

He is skeptical of transparent supply chains as he is used to working in a traditional opaque industry.

I ’ D L O V E T O I M P R O V E M Y F A C T O R Y C O N D I T I O N S , B U T I ’ M A F R A I D O F L O S I N G B U S I N E S S T O M Y C O M P E T I T O R S .

Age: 42Profession: Factory OwnerLocation: Dhaka, Bangladesh

4 6

Farhan, 3rd Generation Factory Owner

MEET THE PLAYERS//PERSONAE

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Harsh pollutants from the nearby factory are making her anxious about her pregnancy

FRUSTRATIONS

GOALSWants to understand the role of the factory in thecommunity

I ’ M C O N C E R N E D A B O U T M Y F A M I L Y ’ S H E A L T H B U T D O N ’ T H A V E T H EA P P R O P R I A T EC H A N N E L T O L E A R N M O R E .

Nana was born and raised in Yunnan, China. After college, she worked as a high school teacher for a brief time before getting married and moving to Putian with her husband. They live five miles from a Nike contract factory forfootwear.

She recently found out she is pregnant and quither job with plans to move back to Yunnan

during her pregnancy. Her parents are concerned about the overwhelming pollution from the factory inPutian.

Her husband, however, is not in favor of moving yet, so she will have to keep traveling between her home in Putian and her parents’ home in Yunnan.

Age: 34Profession: HomemakerLocation: Putian, ChinaEducation: BA from a local college in Beijing

Nana, Resident of Putian, China

4 7

MEET THE PLAYERS

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Our first phase of prototyping included four distinct strategies targeted at one or more of our defined persona segments.

THE RUN UP//PROTOTYPING INITIAL IDEAS

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5 1

B E H I N D T H E C H E F ' S C O U N T E R―

I invite you to think about the last time you enjoyed a dish at a restaurant. What did you think about as you savored your meal? What if you thought about everyone involved and everything that had to be done in order to make the delicious and artfully plated meal you were enjoying?

What if I told you that a chef spent countless hours developing the recipe using the culinary skills she has spent years mastering, that at least five cooks worked tirelessly to ensure the dish was executed as close to perfection as possible, and that the waiter that brought you the dish dedicated his time to understanding the menu and providing the most thoughtful recommendations for the best possible dining experience?

What if I told you the dish you enjoyed demanded almost perfect timing and coordination among the entire restaurant staff? What if you saw this entire process and the people behind it? What if you knew their names and stories? Would a first hand look at the amount of time, effort, and skill make you appreciate it more? I dare to say it would.

Indiana Baltodano

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HOW MIGHT WE BRIDGE THE PHYSICAL AND EMOTIONAL GAP BETWEEN CONSUMERS AND SUPPLIERS?

5 2

THE RUN UP//PROTOTYPING INITIAL IDEAS

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In order to improve consumer notions of value for their garments, we ideated ways to humanize and communicate the journey of a product to consumers at point-of-purchase. We built prototypes of labels with information, in various formats, about the garment's journey through the supply chain. In one version, we simply provided a detailed story of where the garment was made. In another version, we included the fingerprints of the workers associated with the garment. In our more tech-savvy version, we provided a live QR code for people to scan for information about the garment's materials, maker and journey around the world.

5 3

B U I L D I N G C O N S U M E RA W A R E N E S S

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HOW MIGHT WE CREATE A ROBUST NETWORK OF SUPPLIERS SUCH THAT SUSTAINABLE MANUFACTURING BECOMESACCESSIBLE, FEASIBLE, AND ULTIMATELY THE DEFAULTOPTION FOR BRANDS?

5 4

THE RUN UP//PROTOTYPING INITIAL IDEAS

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To address the relationship between brands/designers and suppliers, we prototyped a web and mobile platform through which designers may search for suppliers and place bids for orders based on a comprehensive criteria, such as toxic emission levels, wages, water consumption, and factory conditions.

To enhance collaboration and transparency, designers would also be able to upload profiles of sustainable suppliers they have worked with in the past, so that other designers may connect with them as well. Our long term vision was to ultimately generate increasing demand for suppliers investing in sustainable practices, and making it easier for them to connect with designers looking for such standards in their business.

5 5

S T R E N G T H E N I N G A C T I V I S T S U P P L I E R S A N D B R A N D S

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HOW MIGHT WE ENHANCE THE SENSE OF COMMUNITY FOR SUSTAINABLY-MINDED CONSUMERS AND INCREASESHAREABILITY OF THE MOVEMENT ORGANICALLY ANDCREDIBLY?

5 6

THE RUN UP//PROTOTYPING INITIAL IDEAS

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We prototyped a subtle symbol that could be worn by consumers purchasing sustainably manufactured products to show solidarity with the sustainable fashion movement and spur conversations with others. People wearing our bracelets would be the evangelists of the movement, helping spread the message and influencing others to change their approach to apparel shopping.

5 7

P R O V I D I N G T O O L S F O RC O N S U M E R S T O U N I T E A N D A C T

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5 8

Our prototyping sessions shed light on some important questions we had to consider before settling on a final concept.

CONSUMER CONCERNS

Not all consumers pay attention to garment labels. An additional label with supply chain information may then be ineffective as a communication and educational tool. Even those consumers who do pay attention to labels may not be sufficiently impacted by a single label for their immediate purchase. What we did learn from consumer interviews, however, is that they may be more impacted by a post-purchase iitem that they could look at in the comfort of their homes, rather than during their shopping experience. A post-purchase item, like the bracelet and necklace we prototyped, also has the potential to be an ongoing conversational and educational tool, perhaps impacting future, if not immediate, purchasing decisions.

On the contrary, some of the consumers we interviewed suggested that they would only read labels if they were aware of the store's or brand's commitment to sustainability. They would not, for example, bother to read labels at a fast fashion store. This insight defeats the purpose of our labels, because we originally wanted to use the label as a tool reach out to all consumers, regardless of brand and store type.

DESIGNER CONCERNS

We saw similarly conflicting views for the platfom we prototyped to connect designers and suppliers transparently. Independent designers did not seem as comfortable as we imagined with the idea of sharing their supply chain information. This was true to varying degrees, depending on the kind of designer we consulted. The practicing designer, for example, seemed very uncomfortable with sharing information on the suppliers she works with for particular kinds of embroidery. Her main concern was that all independent designers may end up with similar techniques and patterns if they all sourced from the same suppliers. Even though she appreciated the theory of bulk buying and sourcing to reduce waste, she did not seem to think it would work in practice. She also alerted us to the possibility of intellectual property infringement if all process, technique, and sourcing information were to be transparent on the platform.

The researcher/academic, on the other hand, was very enthusiastic about such extreme transparency. He enjoyed the idea of sharing and collaborating not only on designs, but on research, new methods, and new connections.

How could we then balance the need for transparency with sufficient privacy and security for designers' intellectual property?

IN THE ENDZONE

K E Y L E A R N I N G S F R O MP R O T O T Y P I N G

/ / ITERATING AND FINAL CONCEPT

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5 9

I T E R A T I N G T O O U R F I N A LC O N C E P T

Although our prototype sessions revealed the platform we had initially envisioned was not the best means to accomplish our goals, we re-centered ourselves on our key objectives to:

Create a strong network of suppliers capable of manufacturing sustainably

Facilitate the exchange of mutually healthy business between designers and suppliers by changing the bidding dynamics to align with sustainability standards.

This led us to consolidate our separate strategies for consumers, designers, and suppliers, and pivot our concept to that of an agency as an intermediary between designers/brands and suppliers, and support our mission to:

C R E A T E A N E C O S Y S T E M I N W H I C H I N C E N T I V E S F O R A L L K E Y S T A K E H O L D E R S A L I G N W I T H P R I N C I P L E S O F S U S T A I N A B I L I T Y , A N DS U S T A I N A B L E O P T I O N S U L T I M A T E L Y B E C O M E E Q U A L L Y A C C E S S I B L E T O B R A N D S ,S U P P L I E R S , A N D C O N S U M E R S A L I K E .

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6 0

P H A S E O N E O F T H E P R O P O S A L

The first phase to our strategy is a stage focused on ‘activists’: the people who are already invested in sustainable practices. By empowering exactly these activists, we aim to push the concept of B E T T E R clothing to gradually gain momentum and become the default option over time.

We define the players in the Activist space as follows:

ACTIVIST CONSUMER

The Activist Consumer is defined as someone who places importance on the sourcing of the products they purchase.

ACTIVIST BRANDThe Activist Brand is defined as a clothing brand that already emphasizes B E T T E R sourcing as part of their competitive advantage, and thus communicate it as a core value to their consumer. Examples here include brands like Patagonia and Burton, as well as smaller designer brands like Stella McCartney and Study NY.

ACTIVIST SUPPLIERThe Activist Supplier is defined as a corporation involved in producing clothing with a better supply chain. Included in this are all players from the farm to the logistics partner delivering the product to the consumer.

ACTIVIST GOV'T INITIATIVESActivist Government Initiatives are defined as projects set up by supply-side governments to support the use of BETTER methods in industry. Examples of this include the Sikkim Organic Mission, a project through which the state of Sikkim in India is being transformed into an organic-farming-only state.

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6 1

ACTIVIST CONSUMERThe value for the Activist Consumer is twofold. For one, we will offer a high level of traceability for all the product manufacturing we are involved with, so that they have deeper insight into the people and processes behind their products. Furthermore, we will provide the Activist Consumer with an opportunity to actively partake in a larger sustainable fashion movement, offering them a more powerful voice in the system.

ACTIVIST BRANDThe value for the Activist Brand is twofold as well. First, they would get access to a BETTER and more transparent supply network for a fraction of the resources it would require them to establish and maintain in-house. In addition, the brand would benefit from the positive brand image generated from partaking in this movement; ultimately translating that to positive consumer sentiment, customer loyalty, and sales.

ACTIVIST SUPPLIERThe value for the Activist Supply has three parts, with the first and most powerful one being the extra business our network would generate. Another important factor would be the guarantee of a fair negotiation process, as we are invested in more than just the interests of one corporate brand. Finally, suppliers would gain access to cutting edge education and resources to further strengthen their practices.

ACTIVIST GOV'T INITIATIVESThe value for Activist Government Initiatives would lie in the interested Activist Brands that could provide new business and new jobs for the people in the country or region.

We propose to offer the following value to each of the defned customer segments:

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6 2

ACTIVIST CONSUMER

To offer the consumer complete transparency into the journey of their products, we will collect raw data (locations, businesses involved, transportation types) about the entire production process of every order, together with photos and stories from some of the people working in the factories. Our consumer prototyping illuminated that consumers would more likely engage with additional information on their product post-purchase in the comfort of their own homes. Therefore, we will compile our raw data into a full consumer-friendly story that he/she will be invited to view through an additional label/tag on their purchase. The label/tag will also contain metrics on exactly how sustainably the product was manufactured. To capture the consumer's attention, these labels/tags will contain a set of fingerprints of the people that actually worked on the product. A specific Consumer Storytelling business division will be responsible for this.

To include the consumer in a larger sustainability movement, we will generate an awareness campaign including media outreach (editorials, advertorials), in-store events with Actvist Brands focused on supply chain transparency, as well as the development of our own accessories (wearables) that would allow the consumer to indicate their part in the movement. A dedicated Awareness Campaign division will be responsible for this.

ACTIVIST BRAND

We will guarantee a BETTER and transparent supply network for the brand through three different activities under the Brand-Supplier Relations division. These include facilitating communication between the brand and the supply-side, making sure both parties meet established standards through credible third-party auditing operations. This division will also be in charge of recommending potential suppliers that a brand could employ for a certain order, complete with ratings for every supplier we recommend.

ACTIVIST SUPPLIER

Business units located in the supply-side countries will be responsible for delivering our defined value to the Activist Supplier. One unit will be dedicated to on-boarding suppliers already using B E T T E R practices to expand the supply-network. Another will be centred around the continuous improvement of the practices of the suppliers already in the network to guarantee that they will remain on the forefront of employing B E T T E R practices in the industry. To maintain a healthy and mutually beneficial relationship, this division will also be our point-person to the supplier for any questions or issues with the network or the business generated through it.

ACTIVIST GOV'T INITIATIVES

At the core of our company will be a team responsible for Initiating relationships with existing government initiatives, as this would form the basis for our strategic success in the supply-side country. This team will make a case for the financial, environmental, and social impact the potential operations could have on industry in the country, and will be responsible for negotiating how both parties will be involved.

We would provide the abovementioned value to each customer segment through the following business units:

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6 4

P H A S E T W O O F T H E P R O P O S A L

The second phase of our strategy is about the ‘frontier ’: the moment when the number of consumers considering the social and environmental impact of garments, and the number of suppliers now able to produce in a BETTER way would make sustainable sourcing and production an attractive and financially feasible business decision for any brand. Brands that currently are not part of the Activist space because of consumer attitudes or significantly higher supply-costs would face a lower barrier adopt a sustainable supply chain by the Frontier phase of our strategy. We acknowledge that the transition from the first Activist to the second Frontier stage will be a decades-long, gradual process.

We define the players in the Frontier space as follows:

FRONTIER CONSUMER

The Frontier Consumer is defined as someone who will always consider the social and environmental impact of a certain garment as part of their purchasing decision in the future, roughly 25 years from now. This group of consumers will include the initial Activist Consumers as well as everyone we reach by the end of our Activist stage.

FRONTIER BRAND

The Frontier Brand is defined as a brand that in this future environment would invest in BETTER sourcing, and would then communicate that as a core value to their consumer (once initial fears of higher supply-cost and lack of demand have been alleviated by our initial Activist stage).

FRONTIER SUPPLIER

The Frontier Supplier is defined as an organization involved in producing clothing with a better supply chain in this future environment. These include Activist Suppliers as well as other suppliers that shifted to sustainable investments during our initial Activist Stage.

FRONTIER GOV'T AGENCY

The Frontier Government Agency is defined as parts of supply-side governments that, in this future scenario, are inclined to support industry changes towards BETTER practices because of the now proven consumer demand.

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FRONTIER CONSUMER

Similar to the Activist Consumer, we propose to offer high level of traceability and the ability to partake in a larger movement.

FRONTIER BRAND

We would continue to offer a BETTER and more transparent supply network. Although more brands will be on board with sustainable practices in this future environment, participating in our network would still be considered a marked industry differentiator.

FRONTIER SUPPLIER

Similar to the Activist Supplier, we will continue to generate more business, guarantee a fair negotiation process, and provide access to education and resources.

FRONTIER GOV'T INITIATIVES

Frontier Governments will see added pressure from successful sustainable business in neighboring regions.

We propose to offer the following value to each of the defned customer segments:

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6 6

As a note regarding the Frontier Consumer, we will have a smaller scale awareness campaign at this stage, assuming that our Activist stage would have drummed up sufficient public buzz and word-of-mouth to carry us through to the Frontier stage.

As for the Frontier Supplier, we will place less emphasis on reaching out to new suppliers, as we hope to have built a stronger business case for investing in better practices by then.

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Page 62: We Made This: Illuminating the People, Processes, and Materials Behind a Product to Strengthen the Consumer-Maker Relationship
Page 63: We Made This: Illuminating the People, Processes, and Materials Behind a Product to Strengthen the Consumer-Maker Relationship

6 9

PASSING THE BATON

The third and final phase to our strategy considers the point in time when B E T T E R clothing will become the standard for all players in the ecosystem. In order for this to happen, we see a bigger role for demand-side governments to start making the higher degree of traceability and social impact of garments a requirement, much like the Country of Origin Marking most countries have adopted. We envision that this would be feasible by then, because numerous brands would already be doing it, there would be enough low-impact suppliers, and a sizable group of consumers demanding it.

The value proposition for governments would include better relationships with supply-side countries, as this policy would improve local conditions and provide potential public health benefits as toxins and other dangerous chemicals would be eliminated from clothing.

Our business activities in this final phase would shift in focus from the Activist and the Frontier phases, with diminished need for consumer awareness campaigns and a solidly established network of sustainable manufacturers. We would continue other activities like communicating the stories of makers to consumers and improving supplier operations even as new environmental and social issues come up in the future.

At the moment, our proposal is still in its research phase. Further work needs to be done to validate the business model, particularly the feasibility of delivering on all our value propositions through the activities outlined, and to determine if our strategic trajectory would indeed unleash the type of systemic change we are envisioning.

K E Y C O N S I D E R A T I O N SHow we will share accountability for supply-chain malpractices with the suppliers and brands we work with?

What will our outreach plan in supply-side countries entail to garner support from local governments and form a strong network of suppliers?

What checks and balances will we establish to help safeguard our agency from getting caught in corrupt practices?

How will we building credibility and ensure an authentic voice when appealing to consumers, to avoid coming across as another greenwashing marketing campaign?

/ /CONSIDERATIONS AND NEXT STEPS

Page 64: We Made This: Illuminating the People, Processes, and Materials Behind a Product to Strengthen the Consumer-Maker Relationship

Yushi studied Fashion Design in London and has worked in the fashion

industry as a shoe designer as well as a freelance textile designer after

graduation. Inspired by different cultures, she enjoys experimenting and working

hands-on with traditional techniques.

Indiana holds a BA in Psychology from the University of Pennsylvania

and has experience working in marketing, brand strategy, and

research. She is interested in human-centered research, experience design,

innovation, and branding.

I N D I A N AB A L T O D A N OI N D I A N A B @ N E W S C H O O L . E D U

YUSHILIL I Y 6 3 6 @ N E W S C H O O L . E D U

ABOUT THE TEAM

Page 65: We Made This: Illuminating the People, Processes, and Materials Behind a Product to Strengthen the Consumer-Maker Relationship

Gayatri brings her background in architecture and business strategy

to the Parsons Strategic Design and Management program, and aspires to

work with human-centred design as a tool for social impact in emerging markets.

G A Y A T R IM O H A NG M O H A N @ N E W S C H O O L . E D U

Thijs is a strategic designer and entrepreneur, with a background in UX

design, industrial design and mechanical engineering. He’s a creative thinker

blending originality with function and a business purpose in everything he makes.

THIJSSCHIPPERST H I J S @ N E W S C H O O L . E D U

Page 66: We Made This: Illuminating the People, Processes, and Materials Behind a Product to Strengthen the Consumer-Maker Relationship

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