Intelligent design in terms of sustainability, also known as Eco Design, is "a way of thinking about design which takes into account the environmental impact of a product or packaging across its entire existence" (WRAP (2009) Topics and Issues). Intelligent design is innovative and aesthetically pleasing while employing clever solutions in order to reduce the negative impacts on our surrounding environments during each stage of a product’s lifecycle.
"Design has [the] potential to influence both groups [industry and consumer] and affect change in all of these areas, working both to shape products and to facilitate new types of behaviours" (Fletcher, K. (2008), Sustainable Fashion & Textiles: Design Journeys, p164).
Many treatments to fabrics can be harmful to the environment, including dyeing and printing and it is important to be aware that certain colours and prints can have more of a negative environmental impact than others, such as darker shades that contain heavy metals and soft coloured prints that often contain PVCs which are highly toxic (NICE (2010) Production Treatments). Technologies and processes for these treatments are also important to consider, ensuring that dye houses have waste water treatment and good chemical management.
Creating a longer-lasting product is directly dependent on the quality of the material and the garment being robust and able to withstand wear and tear. It can also entail offering a repair service or warranty for products, thereby lengthening the life of the product.
Good function, fit and design can also discourage the consumer to part from the product, such as designing classic and timeless pieces that the consumer will not get bored of. Appropriateness in terms of time and place is also important in making a product indispensable. If a durable product does not get used because it is inappropriate to the culture and time it has been produced for, this is a misuse of resource. "Making a product last is very different to making a long-lasting product" (Fletcher, K. (2008), Sustainable Fashion & Textiles: Design Journeys, p166)
Water use, contamination and waste in fabric sourcing are important concerns as water is rapidly becoming a scarce resource. Natural fibres in general require more water during farming and refinement processes, also creating wastewater (Breds D., Hjort T., Kruger, H. (2002) Guidelines: A handbook on the environment for the textile and fashion industry). Waste water treatments, good chemical management and water saving measures during material processing as well as the dyeing process are also important aspects, especially where pesticides and chemicals have been used so as to minimize contamination to local water supplies.
Due to much confusion in the textile industry over which fabrics can be considered more sustainable than others, MADE-BY have developed a benchmark based on the impacts involved in producing a fibre such as green house gases, human toxicity, eco-toxicity, energy input, water input and land use. It classifies raw materials from most sustainable; (Class A), to least sustainable (Class E) although some fabrics have been labelled as 'unclassified’ due to lack of sufficient research to determine which class they fall under (MADE-BY 2009, Environmental Benchmark for Fibres) Click here to see the MADE-BY benchmark
A Supply Chain is "a chain of production involving suppliers and activities which takes a raw material through to product" (MADE-BY jargon buster, 2010). It is important to know your supply chain, and if you are not familiar with it, to know which questions to ask.
Production processes can have negative social and environmental impacts, though problems can be prevented through knowledge. You as a buyer have some control over setting more sustainable demands. To ensure transparency, audits can be carried out as well as certificates requested. Overall, engaging with your supply chain and being committed to a long term partnership is usually the best way to make a difference.
Social costs in the production process refer to issues such as worker's rights, worker's health and safety, child labour and living wages. Monitoring systems can be helpful to reduce these social costs hence MADE-BY have developed a benchmark which indicates which social compliances to aim for in factories (Class A being the best) (MADE-BY 2009 Benchmark for Social Standards): Click here to see the MADE-BY social benchmark
Using recycled material in your collection, such as pre-consumer and post-consumer waste where materials are shredded and recycled back into the product lifecycle to produce new yarn reduces waste at the end-of-life stage of a product. Synthetic fibres produced in a closed loop recycling process can maintain fibre quality in continuous life-cycles and reduce the demand for new petroleum based fibres. Whereas when recycling natural fibres, the fabric quality is often reduced due to the fibres being broken down in the recycling process. Up-cycling post consumer waste such as vintage and second clothing helps to reduce landfill mass as well as reduction of energy use and green-house-gas emissions. Up-cycling pre-consumer waste, where cuttings and fabric leftovers at the production stage are reused, not only helps your suppliers to improve their waste management strategies but it also allows you to have a tighter control over the quality of the fibre.
Waste is any material which is perceived to have no further use (WRAP, 2010). It can be hazardous in the sense that it can cause harm to people or the environment and when considering waste management it is important to not only look at the product but also its packaging. If natural materials that are degradable, such as paper, aren’t practical to use in your packaging, and plastic is a better option for you, there are alternative sustainable options, such as biodegradable plastic, recycled plastic and/or recyclable plastic.
Durable design refers to products that have been designed to last longer and have an extended life, thereby reducing the need for replacements and consequently saving resources. Durability "represents long-established ‘good’ design qualities like efficiency and timelessness" (Fletcher, K. (2008), Sustainable Fashion & Textiles: Design Journeys, pg 164). Product durability is also dependent on being able to withstand wear and tear and general consumer use such as not fading due to washing.
"Product care can be the largest environmental impact in some product lifecycles" (EcoIndexBeta (2010) Use and Service Guidelines)
The care needed for your product, such as washing, drying and ironing, can have a big impact on the environment and as a designer you can make choices that can influence the level of this impact. For instance, when selecting your material, consider how the fabric retains odours, how it creases and whether it needs dry cleaning or not. The garment construction is also important in terms of retaining its quality after frequent washing, to avoid premature disposal. Informing and educating your customer through care instructions, for example to wash at 30 degrees, or line dry instead of tumble dry, can also make a big difference.
Once the initial use of a product has come to an end, it may be able to have a second life. This can be done through reuse or recycling. Offering your customers a take-back or repair scheme is one way to enable your products to have a second life. If you are unable to store or process these take-back products, you could instead build links with second hand markets, charities or the post-consumer recycling industry, where you can pass on the used clothes (EcoIndexBeta (2010) End-of-life Guidelines).
How a product can be disposed of needs to be considered at the early design and product development stages, when selecting raw materials, fabric blends and also product treatments. Sustainable options include using biodegradable fabrics and dyes. Biodegradation "involves the fibre being broken down into simpler substances" (Fletcher, K. (2008), Sustainable Fashion & Textiles: Design Journeys, pg 112). Most synthetic fibres cannot be broken down because they lack the enzymes necessary for this process, however there have been recent developments in biodegradable plastics. Recyclable fabrics is another option which not only reduces the waste impact at disposal but also impacts production phase, especially for fabrics that have high impacts at this stage (Allwood J.M., Laursen S.E., Malvido de Rodríguez C., Bocken N.M.P., (2006) Well Dressed?).
