Fæbrik

Technology + sewing = more sustainable clothing consumption

Customer

Fæbrik

Case

How can we turn unaware impulse shoppers of fast fashion into responsible consumers?

This is the challenge the sewing enthusiasts at the startup Fæbrik want to help solve. With their new digital solution Pætti, they hope to inspire a revolution in how we buy, use and reuse clothes and textiles.

Assignment

According to UNCTAD (UN Conference on Trade and Development), the clothing industry emits more greenhouse gases than all air traffic and shipping in the world. Figures from 2019 show that this industry accounts for as much as 8 percent of the world's greenhouse gas emissions. One cause of the problem is our increasing "use-and-throw-away mentality". The SIFO (The Norwegian Institute for Consumption Research) report "Clothing consumption in Norway" confirms that the average Norwegian throws away around 23 kilos of clothes a year. Every fifth garment in our wardrobes is never used. Unwanted textiles have become a huge waste problem.

In the sewing industry, technology and innovation have stood still for several years. With Pætti, we want to make the freedom of sewing accessible, by offering everyone an easy way to make the clothes they want.

So how can we turn unaware impulse shoppers into responsible consumers without killing the fun in fashion? With clear goals and lots of motivation, Fæbrik aims to revolutionize our consumer behavior by helping people sew and adapt their own sustainable clothing.


In collaboration with Forte Digital, Fæbrik wanted a new and innovative digital solution that meets the requirements of the conscious consumer. The task was clear: Create a modern tool for designing and sewing unique garments.

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Solution

In a market with a growing interest in redesign and unique clothes of high quality, Fæbrik wanted to offer their customers a playful and fun design tool. To stand out, they decided to go one step further by exploring the possibilities of digitization.


The result is Pætti: An inspiring digital tool where users can put together different patterns, design their own garments, and get patterns sent to them digitally. The patterns are delivered with easy-to-follow instructional videos and tips and tricks on how to sew the garment. Everyone can now have a go at designing their own sustainable, personalized garment.

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The MVP (minimum viable product) is a milestone application that makes the sewing profession more accessible. Thanks to digital lessons and learning materials, lots of inspiration, and self-service solutions, Fæbrik and Pætti have opened the door to everyone who wants to create sustainable fashion.

Technology, design and methodology

In a carefully planned design sprint, we explored various possibilities, designed simple prototypes, and tested them on real users. The result is a pure front-end solution where users can put together unique pattern combinations.

To ensure good scaling opportunities, Pætti was built as an extension of existing solutions on Fæbrik's own Shopify-based platform. The design tool is a configurator built in React, integrated with a custom Shopify Liquid Template. We also used the Shopify CDN for configuration files and content, in addition to the Shopify Storefront API for the check-out process. To ensure that the import of files works correctly, we built a validation and import tool in .NET Core.

Pætti is designed according to Fæbrik's existing design manual. In collaboration with Fæbrik, Forte Digital contributed with new, playful illustrations in line with existing brand guidelines. Clo3D was chosen as the design tool based on the system's integration capabilities, flexibility and ease of use.

The most important success factor in this project was a well-functioning, interdisciplinary team that worked closely with the customer throughout the process. We filled various roles such as a graphic / UX designer, front-end developer, back-end developer, strategic advisor and delivery manager.

Methodology

  • Lean Canvas
  • Google Design sprint
  • Agile development

Technology

  • React
  • C#
  • Azure Devops
  • Shopify storefront API
  • Shopify Liquid template
  • Shopify CDN
  • Clo3D

Results

Pætti combines the craft of sewing with digital possibilities in a fun way. It’s a simple design tool that gives hobbyists a high degree of artistic freedom. The learning videos makes it easy for beginners to master a new craft.

– In the sewing industry, technology and innovation have stood still for several years. With Pætti, we want to make the freedom of sewing accessible, by offering everyone an easy way to make the clothes they want, says Jenny Skavlan at Fæbrik. 

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