https://padlet.com/andreeatheodorabaniceru/3q9mixt4r6pcwjoh Mindfulness Clinic for Conscious Consumerism and Community Center for Circularity Education en-us 2022-02-23 16:53:54 UTC 2025-10-25 06:53:58 UTC hello@padlet.com andreeatheodorabaniceru https://padlet.com/andreeatheodorabaniceru/3q9mixt4r6pcwjoh/wish/2063174199 In order to limit warming to 1.5°C and to reach net-zero emissions by 2050 we need to act now!
The problem that I want to address in my fashion project is consumerism in the context of pollution and global warming. I think that consumerism is a central value to the system we live by and a major issue when talking about sustainability. So in order to reach our sustainable goals I am of the opinion that we should take care of this consumer side of human behavior. Moreover, I see this as a difficult problem to assess due to its relation to current marketing strategies, that make use of people's need for more and new things. Bringing this idea forward, a sort of anti-consumerism, is opposite to current ways of producing and promoting garments in the fashion industry, so it will be a challenge tackling consumerism, but the project that I am proposing can bring valuable solutions not only to this problem, but to the community as a whole.   ]]> 2022-02-23 18:39:09 UTC https://padlet.com/andreeatheodorabaniceru/3q9mixt4r6pcwjoh/wish/2063174199 andreeatheodorabaniceru https://padlet.com/andreeatheodorabaniceru/3q9mixt4r6pcwjoh/wish/2063177541 Consuming less is the dream that I conceptualized this project for. This implies being more mindful of our acquisitions, of our real needs and values. In order to do this, I thought about setting up a community center, a mindfulness clinic that can help people be more mindful about their choices, while swapping, upcycling or (if necessary) recycling their clothes. Through this clinic/center, people will learn mindfulness techniques from psychology professionals in individual or group sessions. They can also bring in old clothes that they want to swap with each other or learn how to upcycle or just bring them in to be recycled. In addition to mindfulness sessions, there will also be classes for people to learn how to knit, crochet, sew their own clothes in order to experience first hand the process of producing garments and to experience the real value that their clothes possess. These classes and workshops will be divided in different levels depending on people's knowledge of sewing/knitting and their necessity for more/less intense mindfulness workshops. There will, therefore, exist beginner, medium and advanced levels. The center will function with subscriptions that people can acquire monthly or yearly, just for sewing/knitting/repairing classes or also for mindfulness workshops. 
SWOT analysis: 
- Strengths: learning mindfulness techniques and experiencing the real value of clothes through sewing/knitting/repairing classes will help achieve the goal of less consumerism.
- Weaknesses: people may not have time to come to the clinic, may not think stopping consumerism is something they're interested in or may have some sort of stigma for swapped clothes (as being for poor people for example). We will also create campaigns to inform people of the need to transition towards being more mindful and towards a circular economy with the help of other participants to the clinic. In this way, they can learn more facts and information about the current linear models and the challenges that the fashion industry faces, while getting the chance to inform other people as well. I believe that by learning or hearing these information from participants, people who may not be directly involved with sustainability/circularity, this may spark interest in others as well and they may see that we all have our part in this transition.
- Opportunities: clothes that need upcycling, mending and people's need for a refreshment in their wardrobe can become powerful sources that can fuel the activities and that can keep the project going.
- Threats: current marketing practices and big fashion companies can become threats to the project, because if scaled the community center can diminish their sales.  ]]> 2022-02-23 18:41:09 UTC https://padlet.com/andreeatheodorabaniceru/3q9mixt4r6pcwjoh/wish/2063177541 andreeatheodorabaniceru https://padlet.com/andreeatheodorabaniceru/3q9mixt4r6pcwjoh/wish/2117084119 This project creates, first of all, social value, through the sense of community created - through the implication of psychology professionals that help people become more mindful in private or group sessions and through sewing/knitting/repairing classes. By bringing to the community center their old clothes in order for them to be upcycled, swapped or recycled, the center is also creating economic and ecological value. People don't have to buy new clothes and they don't create waste at the same time. Third of all, educational value is created through mindfulness workshops and through classes where they learn about repairing, sewing, knitting, thus learning how to upcycle their old garments. Moreover, they will learn about circularity and the challenges that the fashion industry is facing when transitioning towards circularity through participating in the creation of campaigns. These will inform a larger number of people about the need to consume less, the effects of the linear economy and about the workshops and classes from the community center. ]]> 2022-03-28 12:58:27 UTC https://padlet.com/andreeatheodorabaniceru/3q9mixt4r6pcwjoh/wish/2117084119 andreeatheodorabaniceru https://padlet.com/andreeatheodorabaniceru/3q9mixt4r6pcwjoh/wish/2117214128 Within my project there are 2 archetypes that overlap. First of them is the circular business model that is trying to close waste streams through practices such as swapping, upcycling or recycling. The second business model that is connected to the first one is the community-based business model. Here, people who bring their clothes to the community center get together in mindfulness group workshops, in sewing/knitting/repairing classes or during the creation of campaigns. ]]> 2022-03-28 13:54:29 UTC https://padlet.com/andreeatheodorabaniceru/3q9mixt4r6pcwjoh/wish/2117214128 andreeatheodorabaniceru https://padlet.com/andreeatheodorabaniceru/3q9mixt4r6pcwjoh/wish/2117305830 In this project there are firstly involved associates/employees who regularly run the clinic and keep all activities organized and people from the community who wish to become more mindful, learn about techniques to repair/sew/knit/upcycle their old clothes or be part of campaigns where they can learn about circularity. Psychologists are also involved, as they are the ones responsible for the individual or group mindfulness workshops. Funding will be needed for the community center to keep going. In this sense, a subscription method will be implemented. People will purchase their monthly/yearly subscriptions and based on their type of subscription they will attend sewing/repairing/upcycling classes or will, for a more valuable subscription, access mindfulness workshops. In order to be financially protected, there will also be a charity foundation for the community center, if or when the subscription method will not work properly. Other stakeholders include recycling companies which will be involved only when garments can no longer be reused, repaired or swapped. Lastly, in order to help promote the project and spread the word about its necessity and utility for the community, we will need people from the community to get involved in the making of campaigns, voluntarily or for a few free classes/workshops. Other stakeholders that can help promote the center are influencers/public figures. I believe that if more and more people talk about the community center, then more and more people get used to the ideas of mindfulness workshops or swapping/repairing clothes as normal practices, without stigma. It will, thus, be easier to implement all the activities and to keep the project going. Another stakeholder that can help with promotion is the government. The law may need reinforcements regarding incentives for circular businesses/projects/foundations. In this way the project can be protected from the lack of funds or people's stigma/biases. I believe government regulations can help people warm up to changes that need to appear in their behavior or in society, as changes that will occur during the transition towards a circular economy. ]]> 2022-03-28 14:33:41 UTC https://padlet.com/andreeatheodorabaniceru/3q9mixt4r6pcwjoh/wish/2117305830 andreeatheodorabaniceru https://padlet.com/andreeatheodorabaniceru/3q9mixt4r6pcwjoh/wish/2121464836 My project will include 2 strategies. Firstly, life cycle extension is put into practice when people swap clothes or come to the workshops to learn how to repair/sew/knit/upcycle their clothes, as well as when those garments that can no longer be reused are recycled. The second strategy refers to community building through mindfulness individual or group sessions, through upcycling workshops or through campaigns making. People will gather together at the community center and learn about better ways to treat their clothes.]]> 2022-03-30 13:21:45 UTC https://padlet.com/andreeatheodorabaniceru/3q9mixt4r6pcwjoh/wish/2121464836 andreeatheodorabaniceru https://padlet.com/andreeatheodorabaniceru/3q9mixt4r6pcwjoh/wish/2121486193 The first core activity is R0.Refuse buying more, because people will become more conscious about their shopping habits through mindfulness techniques. R2.Reduce is the second activity, because people will ultimately reduce their acquisitions and their waste. Other core activities represent R3.Reuse, because people will swap garments they do not want, R4.Repair, because they will  learn how to sew and repair their garments and R5.Refurbish by upcycling the items. Lastly there is R8.Recycle, because the garments that cannot be swapped, reused, repaired will be given to a recycling facility.]]> 2022-03-30 13:31:44 UTC https://padlet.com/andreeatheodorabaniceru/3q9mixt4r6pcwjoh/wish/2121486193 andreeatheodorabaniceru https://padlet.com/andreeatheodorabaniceru/3q9mixt4r6pcwjoh/wish/2157083568 The external test was done using a quiz that included the 5 questions suggested in the course. The 10 participants varied in age, between 17 and 49 years old, and profession, highschool student, medicine, engineering university students, doctor, accountant, stylist, communication professional, engineer, fashion designer, finance professional. Overall, the project was viewed as a contribution to the transition towards a circular economy. Based on the feedback, there are some weak spots regarding the financial side of the project, as well as the marketing/promotion side. Moreover, another weak spot is regarding the inclusion of as many social categories as possible. In this sense, I will create a charity foundation to keep the project going if municipality or government is not able to support the community center anymore. In addition, I will ask professionals for help regarding promotion. I believe that with the help of campaigns and influencers/public figures we can spread the word about the project's necessity and utility for the whole community, reducing possible stigma or biases regarding second-hand/upcycled/swapped clothes and mental health practices. Lastly, I will create different mindfulness, sewing/knitting, sustainability education workshops based on people's needs and level of knowledge. ]]> 2022-04-25 18:01:43 UTC https://padlet.com/andreeatheodorabaniceru/3q9mixt4r6pcwjoh/wish/2157083568 andreeatheodorabaniceru https://padlet.com/andreeatheodorabaniceru/3q9mixt4r6pcwjoh/wish/2157164540 The project contributes to CO2 reduction and to the transition towards a circular fashion system by reducing waste, because instead of throwing away clothes, people will bring them to the community center to repair, swap or just recycle them. Value is created, in this sense, by reducing clothing waste by 80% in 10 years, if the project is successful. Moreover, another aim of the project is to reduce people's consumption of new clothes by 60%, being able to get "new" clothes by swapping their old ones. I believe this goal can be achieved earlier than the first one, in 1,5-2 years for each person since the moments she/he starts to come to the mindfulness workshops or to the repairing/sewing/upcycling/recycling classes. Lastly, the project also has the aim of informing people about circularity practices and challenges. If successful and if it scales up also in other locations, I believe the project can reach up to 70% of people in 5 years. 
To sum up, I believe that, if promoted, the community center can be successful in reaching its goals. And if it becomes popular, then it also can be a long-lasting project, because it will become a necessary part of the community as the way to exchange your old clothes for new ones and to also repair them.  ]]> 2022-04-25 18:47:32 UTC https://padlet.com/andreeatheodorabaniceru/3q9mixt4r6pcwjoh/wish/2157164540 andreeatheodorabaniceru https://padlet.com/andreeatheodorabaniceru/3q9mixt4r6pcwjoh/wish/2157183071 The community center will financially sustain itself through the subscription system. There will also be extra funding from the community's charity foundation, but the project will become financially feasible through different subscriptions people will purchase. Basic subscriptions include sewing/repairing/upcycling classes and advanced ones also include mindfulness workshops. ]]> 2022-04-25 18:59:00 UTC https://padlet.com/andreeatheodorabaniceru/3q9mixt4r6pcwjoh/wish/2157183071