SERVICE ECOSYSTEM:empowering textileartisans’communitiestowards a sustainablefuture

Loughborough Design School | AHRC Design Starsupervisors: Dr MC Escobar-Tello, Dr VA Mitchell Nordes ‘15

Francesco Mazzarella, PhD researcher

index

research background anthropocentrism & beyond sustainability challenges towards holistic sustainability service design conclusions

research background

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

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

the aim is to explore how servicedesign can strategically drivetextile artisans’ communitiestowards a sustainable future

TEXTILEARTISANSHIP

textile artisanship is the human-centred economic activity of givingform and meaning to local fibres,by hands or directly controllingmechanised and digital tools,and managing the apparel making

anthropocentrism

material

by handsmachinerydigital tools

qualityskilled control

personal identitymaterial culture

local fibres:vegetableanimaldiscarded

artisancommunity

small scalelocaliseddiversifiedflexible

tool making

textiles

utilitarianculturally meaningful

aesthetic

large availability of fibresgreat employmentwide applicationsrising consumer trends

why?

textile artisans’ communitiesare bottom-up aggregations,embodying the craft atmosphereof a territory, due to physicalproximity and shared materialcultural background

& beyond

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

textile artisans’ communitiescan contribute to sustainabledevelopment as they...preserve cultural heritage provide social engagement

boost creative economy enhance resource stewardship

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)

SERVICEDESIGN

macro-transformations

micro-transformations(good design of sustainable products/processes/services

addressing people’s needs within local systems)

service design can facilitatethis holistic process:

1. artisans’ communities2. collaborative services3. enabling ecosystem

methodology

ontology

di�erent stakeholdersacknowledge multiple

realitiesconstructivism

interpretivism

participatoryaction

research

epistemology

researchparadigm

interaction withparticipants influences

the researchqualitative and flexibleprocess of in situdata collection

participatory action research

reflectset a strategic agendafor driving TAC towarda sustainable future

1C

prelim

inar

y st

ud

y

planselect TACto involvein co-design

2A 2C

to co-designcollaborativeservices forsustainable

TAC

planmap textileartisanallandscape

1A

planbuildinterconnectionsamong TAC

reflectsynthesize servicedesign processinto a theoreticalframework

3A 3C

evaluatio

n

to developan enablingecosystem ofsustainable

TAC

act & observeexplore sustainablefuture scenariosfor TAC

co-designcollaborativeservices

act & observe

1B

act & observedevelop anenabling ecosystemof services

3B2B

PS: TAC: Textile Artisans’ Communities

to developtheoretical

framework ofsustainablefuture for

TAC

mai

n s

tud

y

reflectevaluate whereasservice designhas met thetheoretical framework

conclusions

an enabling ecosystem (withautopoietic interrelations amongartisans, designers, communities,policy makers) will boost sustainablecommunities, with stronger senseof belonging and social responsibility

questions ?

f.mazzarella@lboro.ac.uk francesco.mazzarella10

Francesco Mazzarella