Sustainable shoe design. Designing with cork to deliver extreme comfort

Western society had been based for years on an uncontrollable model of consumption. We exploited natural resources in an irresponsible way, and after the financial crisis of 2008 companies looked overseas for cheaper labour. Production had been outsourced in underdeveloped countries, were living standards are lower. Consumers got accustomed to fast and inexpensive fashion, affordable to all but with a high cost for the environment and on labour. Unscrupulousness along the supply chain led to cases like the infamous Rana Plaza accident. Public opinion, after years of blind consumption, had been shocked by the acknowledgment of unbearable labour exploitation and working conditions. Nowadays there is a growing demand for transparency in fashion, together with the need for sustainable models both for the environment and workers. The aim of the following work is to examine sustainable practice in the design of accessories for fashion and to propose a collection designed in a sustainable way and ethically. After giving an overview of the state of the art of technological innovation regarding fabrics and techniques, the following work focuses on the design of a range of sustainable accessories, inspired by nature. Nature act as an inspiration not only for the material selection, but also to help to design innovative solutions in sustainable design.

La società occidentale si è fondata per anni su un regime di consumo sregolato. Abbiamo attinto dalle risorse naturali in maniera incontrollabile e in seguito al crollo finanziario del 2008 le aziende hanno dislocato la produzione all'estero per ridurre i costi.I consumatori sono diventati assuefatti alla fast fashion, senza tenere conto delle conseguenze patite sui lavoratori sottopagati. Eventi quali il crollo del Rana Plaza hanno scosso l'opinione pubblica, con una conseguente richiesta di maggiore trasparenza. L'obiettivo del seguente lavoro di tesi è di esaminare le pratiche sostenibili esistenti nel mondo del design degli accessori e di proporre una collezione basata sui criteri di sostenibilità e trasparenza.