Joyful participation in new ways of designing and making clothes. - Enabling person-product attachment to potentially reduce unnecessary consumption.
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School of Arts, Design and Architecture |
Master's thesis
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Mcode
Language
en
Pages
144
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Abstract
This master's thesis investigates design opportunities to motivate and enable sustainable consumer behaviour, especially regarding wasteful fashion and clothing consumption. A literature review provides a theoretical framework and builds background knowledge for three explorative case studies. These practice-led case studies gradually increase the user-involvement in sustainable consumption behaviour. Each case study elaborates a particular research question, evaluating the opportunities to change consumer behaviour with a different design approach. The case studies build upon one another, thus the third case study is discussed in most detail. Selected findings from these three case studies provide an insight to the possibilities of design for person-product attachment with participatory design concepts like 'half-way products': design objects which are intentionally 'unfinished'. The conclusion drawn is that designers can enable a joyful participation in clothes making, for example with half-way products, and thus foster a stronger emotional value towards garments. This emotional value is likely to facilitate a stronger person-product attachment and encourage longer lasting products. Additionally, the research shows that the participatory design concept – 'half-way product' was very much appreciated. The study concludes with possible future prospects.Description
Supervisor
Niinimäki, KirsiThesis advisor
Fuad-Luke, AlastairOther note
Parts
- 2 scientific papers were published based on the research findings of the thesis. Hirscher, A.L. and Niinimäki, K. 2013, ‘Fashion Activism through Participatory Design’, paper presented at the Conference 'Crafting the Future', Gothenburg, April 17.-19.2013 Hirscher, A.L. 2013, ‘Fashion Activism - Evaluation and application of fashion activism strategies to ease transition towards sustainable consumption behaviour.’ Research Journal of Textile and Apparel, (in press)