FINISTERRE

#Sustainable Design #Awareness #Service Design #Methodology #Outdoor Apparel

Team Size: 1 Service Designer 2 Sustainable Designer
Duration: Sep-Nov, 2022
Role: Service Design, Research, Graphic and Infographic Design

_{The Challenge}

The outdoor industry values sustainability, and the challenge lies in educating consumers about the lifecycle of their products while promoting continued use, repair, and recycling. Our solution must seamlessly integrate with existing product and stir consumer curiosity and engagement.

_{The Methodology}

Our approach blends journey mapping and behavior pattern analysis with primary and secondary research. This is complemented by stakeholder engagement mapping, service blueprinting, and the use of tools such as the value proposition canvas and AUUIDO. This allows us to design a comprehensive, customer-centric solution.

_{The Outcome}

We introduce a QR Code Tag. Each product is equipped with a unique QR code that directs consumers to detailed sustainability, material, and care information for their item. This interactive approach not only fosters product longevity and recycling but also piques consumer interest, transforming every purchase into an educational journey in sustainability.

Finisterre

Sustainability is a core value to the outdoor industry regardless of company size, product type or location. Since companies are selling products to use in nature, they strive to preserve the environment their company is built around.

QR Code Tag

The QR code tag is easy to print onto any existing tag and can be placed alongside other clothing tags which include regulatory information and washing instructions. We include the “share your #finistory” tagline, and the information at the bottom to stir up interest and promote curiosity to a point in which the consumer wants to scan the tag. The benefit of this is that they can scan this QR code for years and have access to this information whenever they need it.

Packaging with QR Code

How it Works

The behavior change cycle begins when a consumer purchases an article of Finisterre clothing and scans the QR code tag. The process can broadly be described as purchase, scan, education, product care for prolonged use, recycling, and repeat. The way our concept works is by replacing the information on these tags with a QR code. Each QR code on any given product is linked to its own product page, so every clothing item will have its own profile. When the QR code is scanned, the user will be brought to the product page that explains information to the user about sustainability, materials, and care, so the user will know how to better care for their item and repair it if necessary. Then if they eventually do decide that they don’t need their item anymore, they are given options of donating the item locally or sending it back to Finisterre to repair and resell or recycle into new products.

Scrolling down from the first screen, our product information will additionally include care instructions in order to make gear last longer. This can usually be found also on tags on the inside of outdoor apparel, and serves as a secondary location to find the information. The next section shows visualizations related to the carbon footprint impact of the jacket. Here, Finisterre can add more information as they chart out their carbon total carbon footprint, an already proclaimed goal they hope to have completed by 2030. This information shows the user how proper care and repair can reduce the item’s environmental, therefore their own too. Below that is a product video demonstrating its proper use in an outdoor activity.

Next is a detailed flow chart which guides a user through a thought exercise to determine at what stage of life their outdoor apparel is in. The options included are: if it’s still working, to lend it to a friend or family member, sell, gift or donate it. If it is no longer functional or has become damaged, the flow chart offers the option to purchase a repair kit, go to a local tailor for repair, or, finally, to send it back to Finisterre for repurposing and recycling of the material. Some of finisterre’s repair kits are $11-$15 dollars, so it would be worth spending the money on to repair a $200 jacket.

Finally, the bottom of the product screen offers various pictures of other consumers sharing their #finistory. This section offers consumers the opportunity to explore new activities that they could try with their Finisterre gear. It also spurs the consumer to action by sharing their own ways for engaging in outdoor activities in a sustainable way.

The consumer’s journey is one from consideration of purchase to fulfilling retention through realizing a prolonged use of their purchase. Activities and motivations are built in to how one would normally go about purchasing an article of outdoor apparel. At the end of this journey, a consumer is proud of how their actions are reducing apparel waste and how they have learned a skill in the process.

On the customer side, the QR code tag is just the starting point for a much longer prolonged item’s lifespan. When scanning the tag, the consumer is exposed to the plethora of different care options and sustainability information. These options are explained in more detail in a later section. Overall, this information and the ease of access to it allows for a streamlined education process, and therefore encourages behavior change towards care and prolonged use rather than disposal. The QR code acts as a trigger that sparks behavior change in the consumer.

On the brand’s side, our design implementation seeks to promote behavior change through several factors. Using the online store as a starting point, there are materials on the website already to promote responsible consumption. However, there is potential for a consumer to not engage with the website after the point of purchase, so adding a QR code onto the tag or onto the packaging adds a prompting or trigger opportunity. When the consumer comes into contact with the QR code, they are directed to a site for the specific clothing item, which offers much more information on proper care and prolonging methods that they otherwise might not come into contact with again. Overall, the implementation of the tag helps put the consumer back into contact with the educational materials necessary to prolong an item’s lifespan, thus keeping it out of landfills and in use.

Secondary Research

1. Manufacturing and circular business model: Consider every stage of a product’s life and prioritize longevity, such as recycling and upcycling. 2. Transparency: Verifiable circular production models are critical for brands, their retailers and their customers. 3. Accountability: In order to make lasting, sustainable products, companies need to analyze their supply chains and processes. 4. Transport: Consider every stage of a product’s life and prioritize longevity, such as recycling and upcycling. 5. Product end of life: Brand should look at their product life cycle from design to end of life when beginning to design their clothing.

A large part of Finisterre's target group is sea sport enthusiasts. At the same time, Finisterre actively collaborates with locals to carry out some workshops, live courses and other activities.

Finisterre ranks similarly to a few major competitors in many areas such as quality, price range, and sustainability. However, they have a huge opportunity to grow their market share and increase customer engagement with better brand visibility and customer connections.