User Cards – Understanding Garments and Wear is a collection of cards which introduces a range of methods that fashion designers can use to begin to understand their users which in turn can help them make better circular design choices. The cards have been developed by Cathryn Anneka Hall, Ulla Ræbild, Louise Ravnløkke, and Karen Marie Hasling to support fashion designers situated in the industry. The teen methods in the collection serve as inspiration for designers to start their journey into understanding the user.

One of the easiest ways to help improve the environmental impact of garments is to design for increased use over the longest timeframe. There are numerous ways that this can be done, but how do we know if our design will be used lots of times and will last as long as intended? This means that designers and clothing brands need to understand their users: Who are they? What are their preferences and needs? How do they use clothes? If we do this, we will be one step closer to our long-lasting designs becoming a reality.

Examples of topics of garments and wear might be:

• Use of a specific garment or element, e.g. knitted jumpers or pocket placement
• Use relating to a specific strategy, e.g. physical durability or repair
• Use and a specific challenge, e.g. wear and tear or fit
• Use and the difference between users, e.g. ages, gender, body type, location or use situations

Find out more about the User Cards and download them here

The User Cards have been developed in connection with the research project called ReSuit (Recycling Technologies and Sustainable Textile Product Design), funded by Innovation Fund Denmark. In this project, the role of Design School Kolding was to investigate and develop circular design strategies with two industry partners, Bestseller and Elis, to encompass all aspects of circular design (materials, production, use and recovery).