DripSwap
Sustainable clothing swaps to foster community
Fast fashion is everywhere, especially for college students trying to keep up with trends on a budget. Constantly buying new clothes (especially from cheaper, less sustainable brands) adds up—not just in cost, but in environmental impact. A lot of students are interested in secondhand shopping, but it’s not always easy to know where to go, who to trade with, or how to get involved in local events.
Our team designed a way to make secondhand shopping more accessible, social, and fun. Our concept connects students to swap clothing and to thrifting events happening in their community. Instead of buying something new, students can find pieces they love, give new life to clothes they no longer wear, and feel good doing it.
My Roles
-
There is an estimated 11.3 million tons of textile waste yearly in America alone.
- 54% of Gen Z and 57% of millennials said sustainability is important to them, yet they’re the prime consumers of fast fashion.
-
About 31% of students at GWU are aged 18-21 and about 54% of students at GWU are aged 22-34
- The majority (85%) of students at GWU fall under the age range that cares about sustainability but still consumes fast fashion, making it a great place to target
“Do you currently shop or sell second hand? If not, how do you dispose of old clothing?”
Purpose: Find what alternatives already exist and what the most commonly used are
Students prefer the method of using apps for buying and selling secondhand. There are some in person thrift events on campus, but they’re rare and don’t see any signage/ads.
“What was your experience like using a secondhand app?”
Purpose: Uncover problem areas when using an already existing product
Technology has made people feel more positively towards getting secondhand clothing. The most common complaints were slow message responses and shipping times.
“How would you feel about meeting up with people in person?”
Purpose: Learn what user concerns would arise from solutions we were considering at the time
There needs to be solid safety measures for people to feel safe while using the app.
“Describe your feelings toward trading clothes instead of paying.”
Purpose: Learn what user concerns would arise from solutions we were considering at the time.
Participants were very interested swapping clothes with others if they felt the va;ues were equal or similar
What similar products already exist?
- What features are prominent?
- How do the products try to distinguish themselves and stand out?
- Many platforms aim to be a marketplace of buying and selling rather than trading or donating clothes
- There are fees to be a seller, including on Facebook Marketplace where users can list Items as free
- Profiles with reviews and selling history, liking/saving listings, messaging, and searching with filters are all standard features
- Buyers are able to negotiate for lower prices
Sketches
- Post, in-app safety verification
- Pop-up with suggested safety measures
- Select meeting time availability
- User reviews publicly viewable on each account
- Listings of second-hand clothing events
How does It work?
- Students sign up with their university-granted emails and verify their access to the account.
-
After creating a profile, users can browse local listings for clothing items and thrift events.
-
When ready to swap or donate, users create a listing for their attire. Here, they fill in physical descriptions of the item and choose whether to swap or give it away.
-
After viewing a listing that they are interested in, users can create trade offers with their own listings, which then get sent to the owner of the original listing.
-
If the offer is accepted, both parties choose times and on-campus locations where they are available to meet.
- After the agreed-upon meeting time, both users log back into the app, where they confirm that the meeting went smoothly and safely.
Impact