micro.local.social.circularservice ecosystems for thesustainable future of textileartisans’ communities

Francesco Mazzarella, PhD researchersupervisors: Dr MC Escobar-Tello, Dr VA Mitchell@FraMazzarella #clOthing sustainRCA 01/03/16

the global crisis is leading to theend of a linear economy, whilesetting the ground for redistributedmicroproductions, based on new ethics of sustainability

research problem

the craft discourse is mainlybased on individual makingpractices, overlooking theirhuman and social dimension

it is missing a strategicagenda, which could createsustainable interconnectionswithin this pacthy landscape

scope

material

by handsmachinerydigital tools

bottom-upskills, quality

human controlmaterial culture

local, naturaldiscarded fibrestextiles & fashion

artisancommunity

local businesssmall batchesflexiblelocal market

tool making

focus

our artisans’ communitycan contribute to local

sustainable developmentto explore how service designcan contribute to encouragetextile artisans’ communitiestowards a sustainable future

aim

sustainabilitychallenges

delocalisation of manufacturing dwindling of natural fibres water and carbon footprints increasing purchase of clothes

fast fashion(quick, high quantity, low quality and price)

=fast landfill

(producers, heritage, environment are no taken into account)

artisans are living a precariouscondition, experiencing agenerational divide andthreatening of traditional crafts

due to ine�ective top-downpolicies, some artisans arejoining an informal economy,and are even more endangeredin the developing world

holisticsustainability

designers can potentiallyreduce environmental impactsby 80%, through... synergies designers & artisans long-term visions hard & soft design decisions

environmental sustainability

local natural fibres no chemical dyestu� dematerialisation design for disassembly design for disposal rich environmental info traceability & transparency cradle2cradle

economic sustainability

micro-economies sustainable business models target market niches relocalise production glocal markets (tourism)

social sustainability

happiness & wellbeing profitability & social capital entrepreneurship grassroots innovation enabling ecosystem sharing (time, space, relations)

cultural sustainability

cultural heritage & diversity environmental education collaborative consumption (services for mending, sharing, leasing, collecting, reselling, upcycling)

researchmethodology

participatory action research

2A

actsustainablefuture trends for TAC

reflectbarriers,enablers,sustainablemanifesto

planmap TAC &future trends

plansampling strategy,study protocol,pilot

reflectimpactof service designmodel

2Cto developtheoretical

framework forsustainablefuture for

TAC

conclusions& discussion

to developflexible service designmodel of co-designingcollaborative servicesfor sustainable TAC

to empowerTAC

to co-designa collaborative

serviceto scale upinnovations

within enablingecosystem

1B

1C

1A main studies evaluation

scop

ing st

udy

2B actsustainablefuture trends for TAC

TAC:textile artisans’ communities

discover define

develop deliver

focus groupinterviews

shadowing

contextualinterviewsbrainstorming

participatorydesign

workshop

stakeholders mapecosystem canvasservive blueprint

user centred, relational, systemic process of co-creation oftangible and intangible values to encourage holistic sustainability

service designprocess

challenging sustainable futures

discover

focus groupinterviews

shadowing

experts’ focus group shadowing

semi-structured interviews

redistributedmanufacturing

circulareconomy

flexibleproduction

alternativeeconomies

slowconsumption

advancedartisanship

designerentrepreneur

enablingecosystems

theoretical framework

a sustainable manifestofor textile artisans’ communities

Shift the focus from aesthetics to ethics, from style to quality meanings;

Ethical labour and rights must be set: less bad is not good;

Textile artisanship stands as a slow reaction to fast fashion;

Textiles are interconnected to their wholeness: materials, processes,

people, places;

Being vs. having, learning from nature and acknowledging the unpredictable;

Manage connectivity within local communities, as collective wisdom and

social act of collaboration;

Design as political agent, embracing diversity as resource, weaving

synergies among di�erent assets;

Scale up open initiatives within peer-to-peer networks at a glocal scale;

Understand the root system and trigger holistic and systemic change,

from micro to macro scales;

Build an enabling ecosystem: complex, adaptive infrastructure supported

by polycentric governance.

barriers enablers

Dominance of financial structures based

on profits;

Lack of time & e�orts to develop

alternative models;

Lack of skills;

Export of machinery and outsource of

production;

Lack of interest for young people in craft

production;

Endangered craft heritage;

Consumers’ misperception of quality;

Over-consumption;

Lack of information on textiles, artisans

and sustainability challenges;

Lack of sustainability uptake;

Lack of training in strategies/management/

entrepreneurship in design curricula.

Change of mindset (systemic thinking);

Interconnected

design-artisanship-academia

-policy-consumers;

Cultural empathy with artisans;

Metatools, flexible, collaborative, reflective;

Storytelling to elicit and convey engaging

meanings;

Empowerment models: access to

information, awareness, ability,

independency;

Development of sustainable business

models;

Technological advancements.

PAR strategy

participatoryaction

research

to develop a flexibleservice design modelof co-designingcollaborative services,encouraging textileartisans’ communitiestowards a sustainable future

new york

cape town

nottinghamto empowera heritage artisans’ community

to scale upa cutting-edge artisans’ ecosystem

to co-designwith contemporary artisans

storytelling withnottingham lace artisans

G.H.Hurt & Son Ltd

shawlsknitting lace

lace fabricsleavers lace

jewelleryembroidered lace

JC Middlebrook

Cluny Lace Co Ltd

define

contextualinterviewsbrainstorming

storytelling photo-diaries

what does ‘being a nottingham lace artisan’ mean for you today ?

https://goo.gl/Z25Xpn https://goo.gl/aCH6v0 https://goo.gl/LMZQLI

swot analysis of ideas

what may a sustainable future look like for your lace-making business?

�nding peopleskilled to teachand learn howto handle andupdate ourmachinery

for mea sustainable future means...

developingour business

for moderntimes while

keeping ourtradition and

quality

being economicallyself-sustainable

while runningmy own business

full time

barriers enablerslack of skilled workersyoung people disinterestedin working in factorieshigh human control involvedonerous bespoke productionlack of knowledge and availabilityof sustainable raw materialsdi�culty for upcycled productsto meet consumers’ tasteslack of skills and time for marketingoverseas competitionshortage of knowledge about userslow sales due to product longevitylong time needed for experimentationdi�culty in marketing hybrid productslack of consumers’ understanding of the whole artisanal processdi�cult cross collaborationse�ort and time for networkingdecreasing top-down support

skills transfersharing of knowledge and resources

technological advancementsincreased customers’ interest

in natural raw materialswaste minimisation within small production

closed loop of resources(e.g. waste collection, mending, upcycling...)traceable and transparent supply chain

collective trade showsimproved (digital) communication

shift from craft to high-end fashion marketcommunication of stories behind products

close consumer relationship & feedbackheritage & contemporary aesthetic

collaborations with other craft mediaopenness to understand the otherpost-sale services (e.g. alterations)

more active and supportive organisationspeer-to-peer support

org

an

isations

des

igner

s

consumers

participatory design workshop

develop deliver

participatorydesign

workshop

stakeholders mapservice blueprintmanifesto

enable lace making businessesto be viable in nottingham

peer consumers

peer producers

partners

on

lin

eo

�in

e

collaborativeindividual

co-designerin residence

shared values:

trustco-creationqualitymodernityawarenessprovenancesustainabilitypride

textile artisans’ communitiescan contribute to a sustainable

development

rescue cultural heritage provide social engagement

encourage economic development enhance environmental stewardship

questions ?

f.mazzarella@lboro.ac.uk

Francesco Mazzarella

@FraMazzarella