EcoSoleHub
EcoSole Hub is a website designed to promote sustainable and eco-friendly shoe-buying habits among students and young adults. It educates users about the environmental impact of impulsive shoe purchases, offers insights into ethical and sustainable fashion choices, and provides alternatives to traditional shoe consumption.
The platform features curated collections of eco-conscious footwear brands, information on recycling, and tips for reducing waste, all aimed at fostering responsible buying habits.
FINDING
REFERENCES
In building EcoSole Hub, references were drawn from several websites and design choices that emphasize sustainability and user engagement. Veg Non Veg served as a key reference for its minimalist design, focus on eco-friendly products, and strong community engagement through social media. GOAT inspired elements like trust-building through authentication and transparent pricing, while Super Kicks influenced the sleek, modern interface showcasing limited-edition items. These websites guided the visual style, emphasizing clean aesthetics, user-friendly navigation, and a focus on promoting eco-conscious brands.
USER
PERSONA
THE FACES BEHIND THE STORY
The target audience for the questionnaire was young adults aged 18-24 in India. Respondents were environmentally conscious and have a strong interest in eco-friendly and sustainable practices. Comfort, style, and price are important factors in purchasing decisions, with a growing emphasis on ethical production and sustainability. The majority of respondents were not avid shoe collectors, but those who are tend to have smaller collections. The respondents have good awareness of the environmental impact of footwear.
Why do students and young adults frequently engage in impulsive shoe buying?
The desire to keep up with fashion trends, combined with peer pressure and the influence of social media, drives young adults to make impulsive purchases. Limited-time sales, promotional offers, and aggressive marketing tactics from brands further contribute to this behavior.
Why is this behavior harmful to the environment?
Impulsive buying leads to overproduction of shoes, which in turn increases resource consumption and waste generation. Most shoes are made from synthetic materials that can take up to 1,000 years to decompose, contributing to long-term environmental damage through pollution, toxic chemical release, and greenhouse gas emissions.
Why do young consumers, despite being environmentally conscious, continue to engage in these buying habits?
While many young consumers are aware of sustainability issues, the immediate gratification from purchasing trendy items, combined with constant exposure to advertising and social media influencers, makes it hard to resist. There is also a lack of awareness about practical steps to make more sustainable choices, making it easier to fall into old consumption patterns.
THE RIDDLE OF WHY
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MAPPING THE MAZE
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CRAFTING THE PATH
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BUILDING
THE
BLUEPRINT
Problem
Identification
The core problem is impulsive buying and shoe collecting habits among students and young adults. This leads to environmental harm due to the excessive production and disposal of shoes.
Target
Audience
The primary audience is young females aged 18-24 in India who are environmentally conscious but still engage in impulsive shoe purchases driven by fashion trends and social influences.
Secondary
Research
The global footwear industry contributes heavily to environmental pollution and greenhouse gas emissions. Synthetic shoes last for centuries in landfills, creating a prolonged negative impact.
Primary Research
Respondents value comfort, style, and price but are becoming more conscious of ethical production and sustainability.
Most respondents are not heavy shoe collectors, but the ones who do collect have smaller collections.
There is a growing emphasis on sustainable buying habits.
Secondary Research
Veg Non Veg emphasizes veganism and sustainable shoe production with a focus on creating a community of eco-conscious buyers.
GOAT ensures authenticity of resold sneakers, promoting secure transactions and offering cleaning/refurbishing services to increase the longevity of sneakers.
Super Kicks focuses on limited-edition sneakers and aims for brand expansion, tapping into the exclusivity market.
PROTOTYPING THE VISION
SHORTCOMINS
ALONG
THE WAY
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Lack of Awareness: Consumers struggle with understanding the long-term environmental impact of their shoe purchases.
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Social Media Pressure: The overwhelming influence from social media makes resisting impulsive buying difficult.
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Cost of Sustainability: Eco-friendly footwear is often more expensive, discouraging budget-conscious buyers.
Thank you
THE RUSH HOUR
During the development of EcoSole Hub, the rush hour came when integrating educational content with the product catalog while maintaining a seamless user experience. Balancing detailed sustainability information with an easy-to-navigate shopping flow required rapid adjustments to ensure the site remained informative yet intuitive, meeting tight deadlines for launch.
WHEN
THE PRESSURE
PEAKED
The pressure peaked during the final stages of EcoSole Hub's development, as the team worked to ensure that the website effectively communicated its sustainability message while providing a smooth user experience. Tight deadlines intensified the challenge of integrating comprehensive educational content with a user-friendly interface, leading to late-night revisions and collaborative problem-solving to meet the launch goals.