Future Frictions

Emerging frictions

Contextualise the intervention and the changes it introduces to your scenario. Brainstorm about changes to the context (place/neighbourhood) and characters you visualised earlier. Can you imagine any issues that might arise? Describe the most thought-provoking issue/friction you want to visualise in the next step.

The intervention changes the situation by making sustainable clothing choices easier, more visible and more rewarding for young adults. Instead of automatically buying new fast-fashion clothing, users are encouraged to repair, reuse, exchange and buy second-hand clothes. The app connects them with local repair shops, second-hand stores, clothing swap events and textile collection points.
The different actors in the clothing system are affected in different ways. Young adults may buy fewer new clothes and keep their existing clothes for longer. Repair shops and second-hand stores may receive more customers because they become easier to find. Fast-fashion brands may experience less demand for new clothing and may need to respond to changing consumer behaviour. The clothes themselves are kept in use for longer through repairing, reusing and reselling, which can reduce the amount of clothing that is thrown away.
However, the intervention can also create new problems. Users might only participate to collect points and receive rewards rather than because they genuinely want to make more sustainable choices. The app could also be difficult to use if there are not enough local repair shops, second-hand stores or swap events. Repairing clothes may still be more expensive or less convenient than buying something new. There is also a risk that fast-fashion brands use the app or sustainability messaging for greenwashing without making meaningful changes to their production.

Scenarios ➡ The Sustainable Fashion App ▶

Emerging frictions