Proposition: Encouraging producers and consumers to re-evaluate the way that they perceive fashion products – replacing the notion of fashion as disposable, and instead seeing fashion as a valued object to be cared for and maintained.
Providing consumers an intuitive tool which embraces modern technologies, guiding them to carry out repair tasks, as well as encouraging the unique potentials of visible mending.
Research, Industrial Design.
Visible Mending with AR Guidance.
1st Place Winner- One week design challenge
Brief set by Panasonic.
Nearly 20% of global waste water is produced by the fashion industry.
It is typically more energy-intensive to recycle existing garments than to produce new ones.
Today, the cultural and economic value attributed to clothing has on the whole dramatically changed and the practice of repairing or altering clothing has largely disappeared, while the fashion industry has increased the availability of inexpensive, mass-produced, ready-to-wear clothing.
While there is renewed interest in the creative potential of mending or altering garments in some quarters, in particular amongst the online and offline craft communities, within mainstream society, damaged clothing is typically discarded to landfill rather than repaired, which causes substantial environmental and social impact.
Reduce, Reuse, Repair, Resell, Rethink.
Hoshu is a clothing repair module which ultilises the user’s smartphone for AR guidance.
Combined with Hoshu’s app connected via NFC with wireless charging, the user can follow intuitive instructions to set up the module, complete repair tasks, and to choose from a range of mending techniques and patterns from different cultures on the app’s library.
Key Insights from Consumer and Expert Interviews:
1. A behaviour change is needed to impact the fashion industry’s increase in the availability of inexpensive, mass-produced, ready-to-wear clothing.
2. Consumers feel that they don’t have the skills to carry out repair tasks, more guidance and education are needed to encourage clothing repair.
3. Clothing repair is seen as a feminine activity, the design of the product should be gender neutral and encourages self expression.
4. With the increasing amount of awareness to fashion’s environmental impact, visible mending could become “in trend” again, similar to the global movement in the punk era. Consumers should be encouraged to explore the individualism/unique potentials of mending.
Consumers in the United Kingdom have an estimated $46.7 billion worth of unworn clothes in their closets. Actions should be taken to encourage consumers to repair their clothes, such as collaborations with apps such as Depop to promote purchasing used clothing and refurbishing them, instead of further contribute to the fast fashion culture.
The user can choose basic repair guides, as well as choosing from the library of visible mending techniques and patterns from different cultures on the app. More advanced customisations can be created and transferred onto the AR guiding system.
A selection of materials and repair tools can be found in the enclosed storage space. The user can then follow the intuitive instructions displayed on the app to set up the repair module, including winding up the bobbin holder.
Stitch type, width and length can be selected on the app once the user’s smartphone is connected through NFC pairing, reducing the need of physical dials to minimise over-clustered controls.
Once the module is set up and the preferred sewing pattern is selected on the app, the user can then follow the augmented reality guide lines and the listed instructions to achieve the wanted result.
After the mendings or customisations are done, the user can enjoy their refurbished clothing, or reselling the items to further continue the item’s lifecycle.