Rethread
App Design · UX/UI Design · User Research · Figma · Branding
Rethread is a digital product that aims to reduce the environmental impact of the fashion industry
As the fashion industry continues to expand at a rapid pace, so too does the volume of excess fabric produced - much of which is dumped, particularly by large corporations. This is significantly harming the environment, at a time when consumers are increasingly demanding more sustainable practices from the brands they support.
Rethread is an idea conceived by a friend and I to explore how a digital marketplace could allow businesses and consumers to reduce their impact on the environment - by incentivising businesses to sell their excess fabrics instead of dumping them, and giving consumers an easy to use, trustworthy platform to buy only what they need, second hand.
For this project we were fortunate to partake in the 2023/24 CoFounders programme by Catalyst, wherein we pitched our progress on several occasions with a focus on our user research, and early prototype progression. This experience taught me a lot about not only the ins and outs of creating a digital product, but how to market it and ourselves to potentially seek funding opportunities down the line.
We knew that speaking to more people within the industry - consumers and businesses alike - was key to understanding their needs and any challenges they currently face with procuring materials, or trying to reduce their excess fabric waste.
We conducted a series of user interviews with the likes of small fashion business owners, as well as the Head of the Fashion Department at Ulster University. These conversations focused on testing our value proposition, understanding their goals and expectations for a platform like Rethread, and identifying any potential concerns. The research uncovered several valuable insights and feature opportunities, including:
A clear need for strict rules and guidelines: Businesses listing fabrics would need to adhere to transparent standards, ensuring consumers have complete clarity about what they are purchasing.
Strong incentives for resale over disposal: Businesses would require meaningful incentives to resell rather than discard excess materials, such as reward systems or sustainability certifications that also enhance consumer trust and brand reputation.
Once we had a better understanding of our users, we began to explore the potential features of the product, and how it would behave differently for sellers and buyers. For the purposes of the CoFounders programme this involved a very early prototype that we used to inform initial user testing, with the understanding that rounds of iterations were to be expected.
In response to our research insights, Rethread delivers a focused set of solutions designed around transparency, ease of use, and community:
Intuitive search and clear product details: Smart search tools help consumers quickly find what they need, supported by detailed, transparent product pages.
Impact visibility: Users can see the environmental difference they’re making by choosing Rethread.
Clear upload guidelines for businesses: Structured standards ensure consistency and build trust between sellers and buyers.
Streamlined business dashboard: A clean interface gives businesses clear oversight of listings, sales progress, and transactions.
Community and learning hub: Educational content, discussion threads, and local event listings help Rethread go beyond a transactional app - fostering skills, connection, and a community.
This is a project I would love to continue to evolve in the future - for now it's only scratched the surface, and with the fashion industry continuing to grow daily, it only becomes more valuable as a digital product idea. So, watch this space!
