................................................................................................................................................................. 3 Introduction ............................................................................................................................................................ 4 Chapter 1 Contextual and theoretical framework ........................................................................................................ 7 1.1 Fast fashion ................................................................................................................................................... 7 1.2 Second-hand ................................................................................................................................................... 8 1.3 User participation .......................................................................................................................................... 10 1.4 Sustainable design ......................................................................................................................................... 11 Chapter 2 Research methods . ................................................................................................................................ 12 2.1 Heuristics ..................................................................................................................................................... 12 2.2 Research Diaries ............................................................................................................................................ 16 Chapter 3 The Practice ........................................................................................................................................... 17 3.1 Experimentation with materials ....................................................................................................................... 17 3.2 Rags to riches ............................................................................................................................................... 20 3.3 Denim experiments ........................................................................................................................................ 24 3.4 Garment as narrative ..................................................................................................................................... 26 3.5 Applied decoration ......................................................................................................................................... 28 3.6 Developing garments for the kits ..................................................................................................................... 30 3.7 Developing the kits: ....................................................................................................................................... 32 Chapter 4 User Participation .................................................................................................................................... 37 4.1 Ethics approval .............................................................................................................................................. 37 4.2 Participants’ garments .................................................................................................................................... 38 4.3 Participant feedback ....................................................................................................................................... 44 4.4 Validating my analysis of the particpant feedback .............................................................................................. 46 Chapter 5 Later Practice .......................................................................................................................................... 47 5.1 Later Practice: exploring design options ............................................................................................................ 47 5.2 Final Phase: developing the concept ................................................................................................................. 51 Conclusion ............................................................................................................................................................ 55 References ............................................................................................................................................................ 59 Table of Images ..................................................................................................................................................... 62 Appendices............................................................................................................................................................ 67 Kit Instructions ................................................................................................................................................... 67 Research forms ................................................................................................................................................... 98