Findings from this study provide insight into the processes that guide the design of interior textile products in a professional business setting. Additionally, findings revealed varied approaches among designers with respect to the processes employed to design interior textile products, suggesting that the process may be influenced by a company’s or individual’s differences, including one’s commitment to a Design for the Environment (DfE) perspective.
Design process for interior textile products
Participants’ narratives revealed that the design and development of interior textile products is delineated with respect to six main themes, or stages. These stages included resources and research, consumer need and trend identification, inspiration, creative exploration, product samples, and design completion. Designers’ descriptions of and perspectives on the tasks, decisions, and concerns related to each stage of the design process are presented here. Similarities or differences in the accounts or perspectives of participants who employ a DfE orientation to textile design to other participants are noted when warranted.
Resources and research
The first theme identified through data analysis was resources and research, which established the foundation for initiating the design process. Collectively, participants expressed the importance of prior knowledge and experience and new information for informing decisions at all steps in the design process, thereby supporting Watkins’ (1988) proposition that information creates a foundation for generating design solutions. For both conventional designers and DfE-oriented designers, this foundation included formal education and industry expertise. As demonstrated in the following quote, knowledge obtained through formal education was identified as having an important influence on design work:
There are a lot of foundational things that I learned as a design student with regard to things like color theory and things like that which obviously makes a difference in the quality of the product (Participant 1).
Explicit here is the notion that knowledge learned in school, has a direct impact on product quality. Likewise, industry experience was identified as an important to the design process as revealed in an explanation of fabric choice, “For different patterns you would use different fabric…different fabrics take dye differently…we kind of know all that stuff from doing it all these years” (Participant 9). This statement suggests that acquiring ‘on-the job’ experience or knowledge throughout one’s career contributes to one’s expertise when making decisions during the design process, such as selecting an appropriate fabric for pattern design and dye type. In addition to the foundation described above, DfE-oriented designers relied heavily on knowledge gained from research to inform later stages in the design process. Participants from medium sized DfE-oriented companies stated that in-house research and development departments or in-house environmental experts often serve as supportive sources of information for designers, whereas participants from small DfE-oriented companies indicated that they generally engaged in their own research to find more sustainable approaches to inform the design process. As the following quotes imply, there was general agreement among participants regarding the need to engage in research in order to obtain relevant environmental information and to make informed design decisions. When addressing the importance of research in prior design work, this DfE-oriented designer explicitly noted the need to obtain specific product and process information and knowledge prior to initiating projects:
I researched substrates [printing materials] that I wanted to use and researched [textile] printers who were sensitive to what I need and [were willing to] learn about sustainability and work with products they may have not worked with before (Participant 1).
This quote also implies the importance of partnering with textile printers (and other suppliers) who appreciate and understand the specific goals of a DfE project and are willing to obtain new knowledge in order to assist in achieving these goals. All five designers from DfE-oriented companies expressed the importance of being knowledgeable about advances in textiles as well as environmental standards and practices when making decisions about product materials. During another conversation on the subject of prior knowledge, one participant spoke specifically to the need to obtain information about sustainability and industry standards:
I do know a lot about standards, the Organic Trade Association [GOTS] has a set of standards and there are certain dyes to use…the way the plant is grown whether it is organic cotton or organic hemp…a list of things that you have to know (Participant 5).
Further, this statement demonstrates the need to possess knowledge beyond the realm of design, such as, how organic fibers are produced as well as industry standards related to DfE approaches to textile design. This information appeared to be particularly important to DfE-oriented designers who follow the Global Organic Trade Association’s (GOTS) and other industry standards to make informed decisions relative to fabric selection and finishing processes.
Consumer need and trend identification
The second theme related to the design of interior textile products was the identification of consumers’ needs and product trends. Interviews revealed that the act of choosing a design direction for a textile project required identification of a specific target market as well as understanding of consumer needs and knowledge of product trends. Although both conventional and DfE-oriented designers considered consumer needs, designer’s narratives suggested that environmental considerations were central to consumer needs and market trends of DfE-oriented textile products. When describing the initiation of a project, one participant identified the role of textile designers as ‘problem-solvers’ for the target market: “We’re kind of solution finders and each product should be answering a market question, or need or problem that’s in the market” (Participant 12). Similarly, another participant stated that, “We assign different product end uses based on how we see the needs in the market…so we definitely look into the market and the needs and our weaknesses to assign what we launch or introduce” (Participant 5). Collectively, these statements convey the idea that textile design is driven by market needs or demands, rather than by a designer’s personal sense of aesthetic quality or creativity, and that the product’s end use will provide a solution to a consumer problem. Another strategy employed to develop direction for a project was to identify popular trends in areas other than textiles. For example, one company held an annual forecasting meeting at which the design team and other employees discussed trends in a predevelopment phase:
Everyone in the creative team, all the designers and marketing people discuss trends, social trends, technological trends, color trends, and materials (Participant 6).
The implication here is that all trends, even those outside of the interior textile industry, were appreciated as valuable for informing product development.
The narratives by DfE-oriented designers suggested that environmental consideration was important to their consumer needs and drove particular trends. For example, there was a perceived rise in consumer demand or need for DfE-oriented interior textile products even though the market for these products remains relatively small:
There’s more organic cotton, more choices in construction of weaves, because customers are asking for it, even interior designers ask for it. I’m amazed that they say “I’m coming in because you’re offering an eco fabric and I can’t find it around here” (Participant 5).
This quote suggests that the trend toward DfE-oriented products is supported by the growing availability of DfE-oriented raw materials and fabric construction methods as well as by an increased awareness of DfE-oriented textile products among consumers. It also implies that the limited availability of such products creates a market opportunity for DfE-oriented companies. Although participants acknowledged an increase in the popularity of DfE-oriented products, one participant also spoke to inconsistencies in consumer demand for other DfE-oriented approaches, such as locally made products and hand stitched textiles:
We have customers that want a handmade product and that’s part of the allure, but when they get it, if there’s a slight imperfection because somebody has stitched or cut this by hand [they are disappointed]. People want to say they have a handmade product, but [they] want machine made consistency (Participant 10).
This quote addresses the challenge of meeting consumer demands or tastes for artisan textile products and simultaneously meeting consumer expectations for product quality that may be influenced by their experience with mass production methods or standards, such as with the noted example of regularity in stitching.
Inspiration
Participants explained that once the parameters of a project were set, inspiration was isolated as the starting point from which to engage in actual design work. All designers referenced the importance of inspiration in the design process and there was little difference among conventional and DfE-oriented designers with respect to their sources of inspiration. As evidenced by the following quote, participants referenced varied sources of inspiration including art, fashion, furniture, historic textiles, nature, and raw or intermediary materials:
Inspiration is where I start, and that comes from all different types of ideas whether historical as in archives, I do a lot of research from books, fashion is a big influence for me, when I travel, colors…the overall state of the world (Participant 4).
This statement presents inspiration as a reflection of the designer’s interests and experience. In addition to tangible sources of inspiration, such as textile archives and color, inspiration also came from intangible sources such as global issues. Although participants frequently identified a broad range of inspiration sources, they also identified common inspiration sources. For example, three participants identified fashion (i.e., apparel) as a source of inspiration for their design choices. Another three participants referenced a specific artist or artistic style as a source of inspiration. Because the designers were often working within styles associated with the company’s brand identity and existing collections, inspiration sometimes came from within the company’s own collection of textile patterns: “We don’t just design it as a pattern, we design it as a collection but the catch for me is that a product has to stand alone and speak on its own but work with existing ideas” (Participant 4). The challenge here is to create a cohesive collection, and at the same time design an individual product that exhibits unique characteristics. Two participants who employed a DfE-oriented approach to design stated that the act of being in nature and/or natural forms served as their primary source of inspiration: “I go on what I call ‘trend hiking’ because I really like to be out in nature so now I go out at least two times a week with my camera and look for inspiration” (Participant 3).
Creative exploration
After identifying the project direction and inspiration, designers engaged in creative exploration, supporting Margolin’s (2007) claim that the work of designers is to partake in imaginative exploration that fosters solutions to present and future societal needs. For all participants, creative exploration involved putting design ideas to paper, either through hand drawing or a computer program, and then experimenting with design options. Considerations exhibited by DfE-oriented designers during the creative exploration stage were similar to those expressed by conventional designers’, however, DfE-oriented designers based many of their creative decisions upon the impact of materials and production methods on human health and the environment, which, in turn, defined their scope of exploration.
Creative exploration frequently involved experimenting with color, pattern, repeat, and fabric choice. As expressed by one designer, computer programs are often used to efficiently explore and experiment with different colors and repeats in order to create patterns: “I ultimately go to the computer, even if it’s something that’s hand done, and then manipulate it to put it into repeat and try different colors” (Participant 12). Participants also noted that the use of computer programs provided a more accurate representation (as compared to a hand drawing) of how the pattern would look when printed on fabric and allowed designers to easily view patterns in a variety of colorways prior to textile sample manufacturing. Almost all participants utilized technological tools and services during the design process, including the computer software Photoshop for pattern rending and Pantone, the color trend forecasting service for color selection.
The type of printing process utilized also, in part, influenced creative exploration with respect to the textile pattern. The following statements elucidate one designer’s perspective on the distinction between the two printing processes, screen and digital printing:
With (rotary) screen printing you send the artwork to the mill, your finished repeated artwork, and they create a film from your artwork, so there’s another layer that happens. It’s someone else’s hand that creates this film and then that’s transferred to a screen that’s stretched on a frame so the end product I happen to really, really love (Participant 5).
The interpretation here is that screen-printing results in a more individualized product, thus evoking a more traditional or simple approach to craftsmanship, whereas digital printing may be more demanding on the designer because it reflects the ideal associated with modern technology, or the belief that the artwork has to be exact, as illustrated in the following quote:
The digital world is a whole different animal because the artwork has to be really perfect because that digital file is what’s going to happen on the fabric and if it’s not drawn properly and the repeat’s off that’s what you’re going to have on your fabric, it goes right from your file on the computer to the cloth, so I really spend more time on the artwork for the digital printing (Participant 5).
Although creating the artwork for digital printing may be more demanding—requiring more time and precision—than for screen-printing, the advantages are flexibility in fabric color and yardage minimums. For these reasons, two designers expressed the opinion that digital printing was at the forefront of positive DfE technological advances in the industry. However, owing to the demanding nature of the digital printing process, three participants expressed the belief that the quality of digital prints was inferior to what could be achieved with woven or screen-printed textiles.
Another aspect of creative exploration for multiple participants was the examination and selection of fabrics. Designers explained how fabric constructions (e.g., weave structures) were chosen based upon the type of pattern, printing process, color, price, and the intended end use of the finished product. Further, content analysis of interview data revealed that designers’ considerations relative to fabric construction also were influenced by aesthetic qualities, including understanding of the relationship between fabric selection and the printing process:
You have to know that every pattern is not going to translate to every base cloth. You’re going to get a very different look printing on a jersey as you would on a linen and you have to be aware of that and you have to know the printing process and if what you’re imagining is even going to translate (Participant 10).
The ability to visualize how a pattern may render on different types of fabric will influence fabric selection, which will impact the appearance and quality of the design in its finished form.
As previously stated, DfE-oriented designers based their decisions upon the impact of materials and production methods on human health and the environment. For example, one designer only sourced organic Belgian linen that could be air freighted to avoid the potential formaldehyde contamination in shipping containers. Another DfE-oriented company was GOTS (Global Organic Textile Standard) certified, which limited both the fabric and manufacturing options for the designer. DfE-oriented designers also noted that environmental impact was of primary importance in fabric selection:
I found a completely recycled fabric…50% organic cotton, 30% organic hemp and some recycled polyester. There are a lot of folks who feel differently about polyester…but I knew having some polyester in the fabric was going to help as far as draping…So I folded it and tested it and looked at how it would drape (Participant 1).
This quote demonstrates the value of recycled fabrics with respect to meeting environmental criteria and conveys the importance of aesthetic qualities when choosing fabrics. Implicit here is that fabric selection may involve some compromise; for this designer, recycled polyester was an acceptable choice for what constitutes an environmentally sustainable material.
Product samples
The fifth theme identified relates to the acquisition or manufacturing of textile product samples. Upon approval of the design, more than half the participants reported that they engage in the production of textile product samples and that they relied on experts at the textile mills to provide assistance in the product sampling process including, but not limited to, fiber sourcing, fabric weaving, and textile printing. Prior to product manufacturing, textile product samples are inspected for appearance, tested for performance and quality (e.g., abrasion resistance, washability, shrinkage), and sometimes revised to modify visual elements such as color and/or pattern. Although the development of product samples was common among both conventional and DfE-oriented designers, for the DfE-oriented designers from small companies, the development of samples was directly related to their prevailing choice to use natural fibers, which are less consistent in hand and color quality. The value of a product sample for assessing the aesthetic quality of a finished product relative to desired outcomes is expressed in the following quote:
We see a sample…or a strike off of our design and there’s tweaks that go on…we may loop back and reconstruct a bit or adjust the design once we see it in a big piece or try it in a few colorways to make sure it colors in a way we are looking [for] (Participant 4).
Similarly, participants noted that product samples are valuable for assessing performance quality (i.e., for material testing purposes). Designers from the four companies that sell contract textiles explained that comprehensive material testing was necessary to meet the established regulations for commercial textiles, and that testing was conducted by both internal units and external organizations to ensure that the products meet standards for performance and safety:
We have trials and we have to test yardage…we analyze for different quality, go through a battery of tests because it’s a commercial end use we have to meet tons of requirement and standards, flame redundancy and abrasion, performance (Participant 6).
Explicit in this quote is the importance of quality assurance and assessment in the development of commercial textiles, including the need to meet industry established standards of quality, performance, and safety for fabrics, based upon product end use. Also implied here is the need on the part of the designers to be knowledgeable about industry standards as well as the specific types of testing methods used to assess quality, performance, and safety.
As previously stated, designers from smaller DfE-oriented companies expressed the need for color and print sampling owing to inconsistencies with DfE fabric choices and printing processes. For example, a DfE-oriented designer, who uses hemp fabrics only, noted a potential for color inconsistencies when using natural fibers: “Color specifically is the biggest issue…since this is all natural fibers, any number of things can happen, it can come back from the mill sometimes a different color because it’s hemp” (Participant 5). Similarly, another designer stressed the importance of testing prints every time fabric is sourced owing to the potential for color variation in DfE fabrics:
Because of the recycled content in combination of the natural content you get a lot of variation in the color of the fibers, and you also get a lot of little slugs in the fibers and because it’s only surface printing, if there is a little slug that’s raised, there’s no printing there…so I order a minimum that my printer needs and do some testing (Participant 1).
As such, for DfE designers choosing to work with natural fibers, inconsistencies in the fabric surface resulted in the need for additional sampling and quality control.
Design completion
The final theme related to the design of interior textile products is the completion of the process culminating in the initiation of product marketing. All Participants viewed the design process as finished when products were introduced into the marketplace or delivered to a client. Although all designers referenced their contribution to marketing and selling products, one distinction among conventional and DfE-oriented designers at this stage of the process was in reference to the type of information provided in marketing materials. DfE-oriented designers specifically spoke to consumer demand for information about the finished product, specifically in regard to the potential human health and environmental impacts of the textile manufacturing processes:
The textile supply chain is a fairly deep and long one and accessing data from far upstream has become more important to our end customers, there’s a lot of demand for transparency whether that be around issues of…how employees are treated…chemical inputs and their potential health hazards (Participant 11).
Thus, DfE-oriented designers must possess holistic understanding and knowledge of the textile supply chain, especially in regard to socially responsible and sustainable practices, in order to provide customers with complete confidence in their purchase decisions.
DfE-oriented designers also expressed a lack of consumer knowledge in regard to human health and environmental impact of the textile industry, and the need to educate consumers:
You have to create a product people want regardless of the sustainability profile…then you have the whole process of educating people about…bringing materials into [their] home that may be off-gassing and how much time they spend inside around these materials (Participant 1).
Explicit here is the need to educate consumers about the issue of off-gassing and poor indoor air quality, which can occur in the home environment through the use of glues and stain resistant finishes on carpeting, upholstered furniture, and other textile products. The challenge is how to educate consumers so that they may make fully informed choices relative to the selection of environmentally friendly or sustainable interior textile products.