Thesis Question: How might we redesign the shoe development process to reduce material waste, particularly during the prototyping phase?
Designer Bio:
Hi, I’m Marcela Santamaria! I’m a designer from San Juan, Puerto Rico, driven by curiosity and a love for creating meaningful, impactful products. Growing up surrounded by vibrant culture and natural beauty, I’ve developed a passion for blending creativity, research and functionality in my work. I aim to design thoughtful and innovative solutions that inspire and connect with people.
Project Description:
For my thesis, I am exploring the shoe development process, focusing on the significant material waste generated during prototyping. During my internships, I saw the excessive number of samples created for a single shoe style, which led me to question the necessity of producing multiple prototypes to showcase minor design changes, like color or accessories. This sparked a deeper inquiry: is this waste due to challenges in visualization and perception?
Designers often visualize products easily in digital formats, but others may struggle to fully grasp concepts without physical prototypes. A discussion with Pete Lankford, a sustainability expert and shoe designer, introduced me to flat samples, which layer fabric patterns with precise dimensions to conceptualize designs like a “potato-head” game. This approach reduces the need for physical prototypes, cutting costs and waste.
While fit testing requires physical samples, I believe technology could reduce sample fabrication in the ideation phase. Shoe designer Miroslav Milanov highlighted that many prototypes are made to assess aesthetic appeal, which inspired me to explore tools that replicate the tactile and visual satisfaction of physical samples.
Milanov also explained Minimum Order Quantity (MOQ) regulations, which set the minimum amount of material brands must buy from suppliers. This can lead to waste if not all the material is used. Zerow Lab in Italy works to repurpose surplus high-quality fabrics and leathers from luxury manufacturers to address this issue. To gain deeper insight, I am also contacting material suppliers to learn more about these regulations and how they influence production practices.
Additionally, I’m examining how trends drive overproduction and waste. Trends often lead to excessive sample sales and discounts, revealing the scale of overproduction. Conversations with Gianfranco Zaccai further encouraged me to investigate how trends perpetuate wasteful practices.
Moving forward, I plan to broaden my research by collaborating with engineers, experimenting with 3D modeling tools, visiting apparel factories to analyze scrap materials, and studying MOQ regulations further. My goal is to propose solutions that reduce material waste and reimagine the prototyping phase of shoe design.
