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Back to ArchiveUse Frequency and Textile Aesthetics
Autumn - Winter 2015
As an endeavour of the research project VIGGA: Sustainable Clothing for Babies, Anne Louise Bang and Louise Ravnløkke set out to investigate use frequency and the importance of textile aesthetics when parents dress their toddlers.
The research project VIGGA: Sustainable Clothing for Babies was funded by the Danish Ministry of Business and Growth. The project was a collaboration between Design School Kolding, Southern University Denmark, PlanMiljø, and the company Vigga with a business concept that offers a baby clothing subscription service, promoting sustainability through sharing economy.
Babies grow with such a speed meaning that they rarely wear out the garments. Therefore, the company Vigga aims to increase the longevity of the garments by circulating them between the subscribers. The research is not a study of the business model or Vigga’s service in particular. It is more a general investigation of ways in which aesthetics, material and the senses have an impact on use frequency; in order to better understand active use and longevity as a parameter for sustainability in textiles and clothing. As such the study took the starting point that active use and longevity have a significant impact on furthering sustainability in textiles and clothing since these can be a driver on many levels, may it be new business models, decisions made in the design phase and/or changes in use and consumption.
In studying use frequency and textile aesthetics, Anne Louise and Louise investigated six parents’ preferences for baby clothing and their experience of value connected hereto. The study used a variation of an interview and a wardrobe method where the babies' wardrobes and a selection of baby clothing were the basis for the investigation. Having garments and textile materials, in their physical form and appearance, assisted the parents in talking about preferences, textile/garment functionality and everyday needs of baby clothing. In this way, the wardrobes of the babies and each textile and garment supported the conversation with the parents as tangible dialogue tools. One of the items repeatedly confirmed to be a most often used garment, was a romper – or a body stocking, as it is called in Danish. The romper was therefore the common reference point for learning about reasons for high use frequency. Moreover, the rompers showed how personal taste, preferences for aesthetics and experience of well-being may have an impact on high use frequency.
The result of the study was two-fold. At first, the interviews with the parents – and their babies, resulted in a (tentative) matrix structure to better understand the parameters in designing sustainable textiles and garments focusing on longevity. As such, this matrix may be used as a framework for working with longevity already in the design phase. Secondly, the study accumulated knowledge and experience with involving participants in design and designing. Future designers will have to pay even more attention to the use phase of garment products, including how products are perceived and how they perform in everyday life of using them, to be able to foster sustainable cycles in textiles and clothing.
Ravnløkke, L., & Bang, A.L., 2016, “The body stocking: Design aesthetics and functionality as a means for sustainable fashion and textiles”. In Celebration & Contemplation, pp. 378–86. 10th International Conference on Design & Emotion, 27-30 September 2016, Amsterdam.
Project overview: https://www.designskolenkolding.dk/projekter/vigga-sustainable-clothing-babies
Conference: https://www.designskolenkolding.dk/kalender/vigga-konference
Project insights: https://www.designskolenkolding.dk/node/1981
The research project VIGGA: Sustainable Clothing for Babies was funded by the Danish Ministry of Business and Growth. The project was a collaboration between Design School Kolding, Southern University Denmark, PlanMiljø, and the company Vigga with a business concept that offers a baby clothing subscription service, promoting sustainability through sharing economy.
Babies grow with such a speed meaning that they rarely wear out the garments. Therefore, the company Vigga aims to increase the longevity of the garments by circulating them between the subscribers. The research is not a study of the business model or Vigga’s service in particular. It is more a general investigation of ways in which aesthetics, material and the senses have an impact on use frequency; in order to better understand active use and longevity as a parameter for sustainability in textiles and clothing. As such the study took the starting point that active use and longevity have a significant impact on furthering sustainability in textiles and clothing since these can be a driver on many levels, may it be new business models, decisions made in the design phase and/or changes in use and consumption.
In studying use frequency and textile aesthetics, Anne Louise and Louise investigated six parents’ preferences for baby clothing and their experience of value connected hereto. The study used a variation of an interview and a wardrobe method where the babies' wardrobes and a selection of baby clothing were the basis for the investigation. Having garments and textile materials, in their physical form and appearance, assisted the parents in talking about preferences, textile/garment functionality and everyday needs of baby clothing. In this way, the wardrobes of the babies and each textile and garment supported the conversation with the parents as tangible dialogue tools. One of the items repeatedly confirmed to be a most often used garment, was a romper – or a body stocking, as it is called in Danish. The romper was therefore the common reference point for learning about reasons for high use frequency. Moreover, the rompers showed how personal taste, preferences for aesthetics and experience of well-being may have an impact on high use frequency.
The result of the study was two-fold. At first, the interviews with the parents – and their babies, resulted in a (tentative) matrix structure to better understand the parameters in designing sustainable textiles and garments focusing on longevity. As such, this matrix may be used as a framework for working with longevity already in the design phase. Secondly, the study accumulated knowledge and experience with involving participants in design and designing. Future designers will have to pay even more attention to the use phase of garment products, including how products are perceived and how they perform in everyday life of using them, to be able to foster sustainable cycles in textiles and clothing.
Related Sources
Møller, T., Ravnløkke, L., & Bang, A.L., 2016, “Tangible Dialogue Tools: Mediating Between Non-verbal Users and Everyday Experts”. In Conference proceedings: 15th NORDCODE Seminar - Design and mediation. University of Southern Denmark, 22-24 November 2016, Kolding, Denmark.Ravnløkke, L., & Bang, A.L., 2016, “The body stocking: Design aesthetics and functionality as a means for sustainable fashion and textiles”. In Celebration & Contemplation, pp. 378–86. 10th International Conference on Design & Emotion, 27-30 September 2016, Amsterdam.
Project overview: https://www.designskolenkolding.dk/projekter/vigga-sustainable-clothing-babies
Conference: https://www.designskolenkolding.dk/kalender/vigga-konference
Project insights: https://www.designskolenkolding.dk/node/1981