Experiences of the Sustainable Design Cards: evaluation of applications, potentials and limitations

This paper examines the usefulness of the Sustainable Design Cards (SDCs) as a design tool developed for designers and other actors in and around design with a focus on sustainability. There exists an abundance of tools for sustainable fashion and we need to better understand the specific strengths and limitations of each tool, in order for designers to navigate and make the best possible choice according to task and context. In a small-scale qualitative study using questionnaires, content and cluster analysis we explore international user experiences of the SDCs to elicit how the deck of cards has been applied and examine its potentials in terms of use-purposes and outcomes. Moreover, we discuss in what ways the deck activates sustainability competence-building and in this way strengthen fashion designers’ ability to impact sustainability strategies in the fashion industry. Lastly, we identify further improvements of the deck and deck services, in order to meet designers’ present and future needs. The study finds, that the deck in its current form aimed at product design supports both entrance and intermediate level engagement with sustainability. We also see that the tool has some limitations when it comes to reaching for more radical and transformative changes in the industry.