Project 1: EcoStitch

PROPOSAL ABSTRACT

Many people are addicted to buying fast fashion and keeping up with the latest trends. Shopping for new styles—whether it’s shoes, jeans, tops, or jackets—allows us to express who we are to the world. But have you ever considered where all that clothing ends up once you’re done with it? Do you donate it, recycle it, or throw it away? Where do all these discarded clothes ultimately go?

It’s time to end throwaway practices and stop destroying overstock clothing. As consumers, we can stop buying excessively by supporting eco-friendly manufacturers and repair services business. Because waste is out of fashion.

PROBLEM

SOLUTION

WHAT IS ECOSTITCH?

A digital app that connects users in need of professional clothing repair, alteration, and upcycling services with skilled tailors and fashion experts. EcoStitch aims to transform the way users engage with their wardrobes and extend the lifespan of their clothing items.

WHO IS THIS FOR?

Anyone who seeks to extend the life of their clothing or accessories while reducing their carbon footprint will find value in EcoStitch. Whether it’s to repair a beloved garment, tailor a new purchase, or explore creative upcycling ideas, users benefit from its sustainable and user-centric approach.

WHAT DOES IT PROVIDE

Convenient access to professional clothing repair, alteration, and upcycling services. The key benefits include virtual consultations, sustainable clothing care solutions, personalized clothing customization, and community engagement with fashion experts.

COMPETITOR ANALYSIS

A comparison of existing clothing care and repair platforms, evaluating their strengths, weaknesses, and opportunities. I highlights areas where EcoStitch can improve user experience, such as integrating intuitive interfaces, virtual assistance, and sustainable material recommendations.

MOOD BOARD

My inspiration are the artworks of Gabriela Martínez. It inspires me using fabric scraps and yarn to give old garments new life. It’s very provoked to see how the artist embraces sustainability and organic concepts into her fashion practice. I want to integrate the principles of ‘slow fashion’ and the colors showing on my mood board into my UI design.

STYLE GUIDE

USER RESEARCH

USER SURVEY INFOGRAPHIC

A visual summary of survey insights from 47 participants. The data reveals user behavior, interest in slow fashion, and key motivations for sustainable clothing practices. Findings emphasize the need for a platform like EcoStitch to bridge gaps in awareness, accessibility, and eco-friendly solutions.

AUDIENCE DESCRIPTION

Individuals aged 25-44, with a moderate interest in sustainable fashion practices and a willingness to engage in clothing repair and alteration services for environmental and economic reasons.

THE MAIN LEARNINGS

My target users show the high interests in sustainable fashion practices, the varying levels of familiarity with slow fashion, and the challenges associated with accessing reliable clothing repair and alteration services.

THE MOST INTERESTING LEARNINGS

The diverse motivations for embracing slow fashion, the significant proportion of respondents interested in using an app for clothing care, and the challenges related to finding cost-effective and high-quality clothing alteration services.

HOW WILL I USE THEM

• - Emphasize the app’s user-friendly interface, affordability, and accessibility, highlighting its capacity to address the challenges users face in seeking reliable and cost-effective clothing repair and alteration services.
• - Integrate educational resources and interactive features within the app to cater to users who are less familiar with sustainable fashion practices.
• - Leverage the motivations for embracing slow fashion to emphasize the environmental benefits and cost-saving aspects of the EcoStitch platform.

PERSONA

The persona represents Zoe Zhao, who values sustainable fashion but struggles to find reliable clothing repair services. Her frustrations include miscommunication, lack of trustworthy platforms, and unmet aesthetic needs. EcoStitch addresses these issues with accessible, user-friendly solutions tailored for people like Zoe.

STORY BOARD

The storyboard illustrates Zoe's journey using EcoStitch. After struggling to fix a button on her favorite jacket, she discovers the app, uploads details, and successfully uses the platform to get her garment professionally repaired. The process highlights EcoStitch's seamless and efficient user experience.

TASK FLOW

This task flow diagram illustrates Zoe Zhao’s journey as she interacts with the EcoStitch app, emphasizing the seamless and convenient process of accessing professional repair services for her cherished jacket by fix the dropped button.

INTERVIEW RESULTS

I picked interviewers from my large target audience and interviewed them in person. During the interviews, I took a lot of notes and observed them. I found out that all of them care about sustainability, showing interests in slow fashion practices. It was interesting that each person has diverse demands for a trustworthy and easy-to-access clothing care app.

USER TESTING METRICS

The user testing metrics summarize the app's usability improvements. After the second round of testing, participants' ease-of-use ratings increased from 4.14 to 4.85. Most users completed tasks successfully and expressed high satisfaction, validating the app's intuitive design and functionality.

HIGH-FIDELITY WIREFRAMES

These screens shows the steps of user choosing service at the bottom menu bar, then selecting jacket at mending section, and choosing the service type of replacing buttons.

These screens illustrates the steps of user inputing item description, then inputing mending details, and choosing delivery preference.

These screens shows the steps of user checking out, then make payment, and finishing booking the service.

Prototype