0-1 MOBILE APP DESIGN
Passion Project
Eco Closet
Reimagine sustainable closet management experiences
Role
Sole UX Designer & Researcher
Timeline
January - April 2023
Tools
Figma
Adobe photoshop
Adobe illustrator
Description
A closet management mobile app that simplifies the clothing maintenance process and promotes sustainable fashion
Problem Space
Customer Interest vs. Pollution Levels Across Fashion Stages
As a designer and consumer, I've witnessed the escalating environmental pollution caused by the fashion industry. The lack of transparency, oversight, and proper education has left the public unaware of the irreversible damage inflicted upon our planet.
Unfortunately, public awareness often peaks only during the glamorous stages of fashion design.
Mobile Screens PREVIEW
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Scroll to see how I translated user insights into design decisions!
Market Research
Mapping & Understanding Stakeholders' Roles
To understand the different roles shaping the fashion industry, I mapped three key parties and their current situations.
Key Findings
Most companies manufacture in developing countries to cut costs, it becomes challenging to oversee their practices overseas.
Consumers can play significant role in addressing the fashion pollution problems. Every action that customers take, from buying to disposing of clothes, can impact the industry's future.
User Research
Interview Findings
After conducting landscape scanning and secondary research, I interviewed five participants to explore their understanding of materials, as well as their clothing care and disposal habits.
User Persona
Katherine Ayers
A graduate student studying media, passionate about fashion trends and sustainability. As a marketing researcher intern, she supports her daily expenses while seeking ways to extend the lifespan of her clothing and reduce waste.
Age
Job Title
Status
Location
Income
22
Graduate Student
Single
New York
40k
Buy comfortable, sustainable clothing effortlessly.
Easily understand care instructions and labels.
Extend the lifespan of clothing.
Maximize the value of unwanted clothing.
Improper care shortens clothing lifespan.
Difficulty remembering and categorizing care instructions.
Lack of knowledge about material and industry pollution.
Limited options for clothing disposal and resale.
To guide design ideation, I identified a target user group and outlined their goals and needs to ensure solutions addressed real behaviors and motivations.
Customer Journey Mapping
I identified key pain points and design opportunities:
Overflow of fast-fashion items with short lifespans makes it hard to manage wardrobes.
Unclear care instructions lead to unintentional clothing damage.
Limited disposal options make it difficult to donate or resell unwanted items.
Design Principles
Intuitive, Accessible, Sustainable
Intuitive Action Flow
Scan → Learn → Save → Use → Let Go
Making closet management effortless through an intuitive flow—from adding to caring to letting go.
Accessible & Personalized Information
Provide tailored solutions for every potential problem and ensure multiple entry points to various pages.
Sustainability Education & Awareness
Design should make environmental impact visible, empowering customers with knowledge to make informed, responsible choices.
Before diving into ideation, I identified three key design principles to guide the solution around the core values Eco Closet should promote.
Design Iteration
Concept Sketches & Low-Fidelity Prototypes
I began with concept sketches to map the core user flow, from adding new clothes to eventually letting them go.
Mid-Fidelity Prototypes
I connected screens to ensure a smooth, intuitive flow and to validate usability throughout the experience.
Usability Testing
Iterating with Feedback
Paper User Test → Feedback Sorting
I printed the mid-fi prototypes and tested with two participants, simulating real interactions by having them navigate screens to assess usability.
Findings
Users were unsure about the environmental impact of specific garments.
Care information was hard to access when they wanted to learn more.
These insights directly informed my next design iteration.
Change 1: Added a leaf icon to product cards to indicate garments made from organic materials.
Addresses: Users’ lack of clarity around environmental impact.
Change 2: Integrated an entry point to a fabric guide and a sustainability rating scale for each material.
Addresses: Users’ lack of access to detailed fabric knowledge and its environmental impact.
Change 3: Moved the 'care guide' entry point to the homepage and clarified bottom navigation hierarchy.
Addresses: Difficulty accessing care info and unclear navigation flow.
Design System
Style Guide
Final Solution
'Eco Closet' App
Add new clothes
Feature 01
Effortless Add & Learn
Simply scan a product tag to retrieve clothing details, confirm the information, and add it to your personal closet.
Tap on tooltips to instantly understand the environmental impact of the fabric.
Comprehensive guidebook
Feature 02
Handy Care Guide
Customers' go-to hub for keeping clothes in good shape, including care tips, fabric-based guides, and laundry symbol references.
Designed to help extend garment lifespan and support sustainable habits.
Resell
Donate
Feature 03
Easy Resell & Donate
Select items from your closet to resell with auto-filled product details — just review and post.
Choose to donate and view a map of nearby donation drop-off locations.
Reflection
my first passion-driven UX project!
Fashion sustainability is a collective effort that requires everyone in the industry to take part. Eco Closet was designed based on my experience as both a designer and a consumer, proposing a vision for a more sustainable fashion future.
If I had more time, I would conduct additional rounds of user testing to gather more feedback and refine the app’s features. I want to ensure the solution is truly addressing user needs but also scalable and impactful in promoting sustainable practices.
