Blog 1/3 : Building bridges through ENGAGE

Hello,

I am currently doing my field study within the ENGAGE project, where I am working and thinking like a project leader who is responsible to build the foundation for the project that build a bridge between different stakeholders.

At first, I thought of ENGAGE mainly as a project that should focus on improving contact between students and companies. But the more I work and think strategically about it, the more I understand that ENGAGE can create meaningful connections between students, teachers, alumni, and external partners in a way that supports long-term career development.

So far, my work has mainly been exploratory. I have been involved in reviewing literature that supports such initiatives, discussing the direction of the initiative with my teammate and Digital Business Lab, and helping develop preliminary interview questions for students, program leaders, teachers, alumni, and companies who are divided into primary and secondary stakeholders. This has shown me the importance of first understanding people’s actual needs before trying to design or strategize solutions.

One insight that I have reflected on a lot so far is that professional development is not only about what happens in the classroom. Along with the study material access to networks, real industry contact, and the opportunity to understand professional expectations can also shape a student’s future in a constructive way. Even something as simple as a conversation with the right person can create confidence, direction, and opportunity.

One, out of many things, that I find especially valuable in this project is that it encourages me to see from the perspective as a student and as a researcher. It is making me reflect not only on what kind of support students need, but also on how a university can build stronger and more deeper relationships with the world outside of the designated curriculum. 

For me, working in this project is giving me a better insight of how to go through networking much more effectively that focuses on creating solutions. As the pilot questions being ready me and my teammate is slowly moving towards interviews, which I will talk more about on my next blog post. For now, this is the first of the three blog post that gives an overview of the field study I am doing.

Internship at Revolution Race Blog 2/3

It has been a couple of weeks since my last blog entry, and quite a lot has happened since then. My time at Revolution Race continues to be a really rewarding experience, and with each week that passes, I find myself gaining a deeper understanding of how a modern outdoor apparel brand operates behind the scenes.

One of the highlights recently has been the chance to step outside my own department and spend some time with the social media team. This gave me a fascinating look into the more creative side of the business, specifically, how visual content is produced and edited for use in marketing campaigns. I got to learn and practice various photo editing techniques across industry-standard platforms, including Adobe and Lightroom, developing a better understanding of how imagery is carefully refined to align with a brand's identity and seasonal direction. The photos I worked with are destined for Revolution Race's upcoming summer campaigns, which gave the whole experience a real sense of purpose. It was refreshing to engage with a different team and pick up new skills outside of my usual day-to-day.

Back in my own department, Marketplace, things have picked up considerably as summer approaches. My main focus has been contributing to the build of the summer website, which includes updating campaigns, aligning product listings, and shaping the overall feel of the site to reflect the season. Alongside this, I have also been involved in planning push notifications sent out to customers around summer sales, which has been a good exercise in thinking about different communication strategies such as considering timing, tone, and what will actually resonate with the audience.

What I continue to enjoy most is how much I am learning about the relationship between markets, products, and customers. Every task feeds into a bigger picture of how a brand positions itself, and there is real satisfaction in seeing how individual contributions connect to the wider strategy.

Looking ahead, I will be finishing up the summer website in the coming weeks, and I am also really looking forward to visiting the production team to see firsthand how Revolution Race's products are made, from initial concept all the way through to the finished garment. I think it will give me a much more complete picture of the brand and how it operates. 

Consulting Field Study 2/3

My progression with the field study is going well and moving in the right direction, even though I wish I were a quicker writer and did not get stuck in my own reflections. I often end up searching for more information and falling into rabbit holes that may not be particularly relevant to the final results. However, I feel that I am learning and am driven by my own curiosity and desire to understand. 

During the past few weeks, I have made valuable contacts that have led to even more, resulting in access to useful information, seminars, discussions, and meetings. One of the seminars was held by the magazine Environment & Development (“Miljö & Utveckling”), which invited speakers from RISE and the fashion brand Lindex. The theme of the seminar was “How can companies prepare for the DPP?”, which provided valuable insights into how companies such as Lindex have been working with the Digital Product Passport on a pilot level, including their challenges, opportunities, and recommendations.

Furthermore, I had a productive meeting with Evidi, a leading Scandinavian company that offers technical and digital solutions based on Microsoft platforms to improve data flow and IT infrastructure within companies across different industries. They have developed their own Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) system, called PISA, with a focus on the textile and apparel industry. During the meeting, I received an introduction to the system and gained a clearer understanding of several of my questions.

Last week, we had our mid-term presentation at the Digital Business Lab with our mentor Marianne and my fellow peers. I greatly appreciated the session, along with our regular Monday meetings, because they provide an important opportunity to step outside of one’s own thoughts and research and gain insight into the work and progress of others. It is valuable to hear different perspectives, thoughts, and ideas and to support each other throughout the process. I was particularly intrigued by participating in two eye-tracking tests and interviews.

The Hidden Life of Textile Waste in Bangladesh’s Garment Industry

When we consider the garment industry, we often think about finished clothes: shirts, trousers, dresses, and jackets that travel from factories to shops around the world. However, my IFS has made me look at a different part of the fashion system, the materials that are left behind before clothes even reach consumers.

My study focuses on informal waste management in Bangladesh's garment industry. More specifically, I am conducting a systematic literature review on how post-industrial textile waste is managed, what role informal actors play, and what the outcome means for sustainability and global textile value chains. 

Post-industrial or pre-consumer textile waste includes fabric scraps, cutting waste, rejected materials, leftover textiles, and other residues created during garment production. These materials seem useless at the first glance, but the literature shows that they often continue to have value. They can be collected, sorted, sold, reused, recycled, or downcycled. This means that textile waste does not simply disappear after production. Instead, it enters another system, one that is often informal, less visible, and not fully reorganized in official sustainability discussions. 

One important part of my study is understanding the role of informal actors. These may include waste collectors, local traders, sorters, small recyclers, and other workers who handle textile waste outside formal company systems. Their work may not always be documented or protected. But it contributes to keeping materials in use. In this sense, we can already see informal waste management as a form of circularity. 

So far, I have gained one of the most interesting insights from my reading. The circular economy is often discussed as something modern, technical, and policy-driven. It is connected to recycling technology, traceability systems, brand responsibility and sustainability, and sustainability goals. However, in Bangladesh, informal actors have already been practicing certain forms of circularity by recovering and redistributing textile waste. Their work shows that circular practices do not only arise from formal innovation. They can also come from everyday survival, local knowledge, and informal economic networks.

At the same time, informal waste management systems face many challenges. Workers and small traders may have limited bargaining power, limited income, unsafe working conditions, and little formal recognition. Waste flows may also be difficult to trace, which creates challenges for global brands and sustainability standards. As textile recycling becomes more valuable, there is also a risk that formal recycling companies and global supply chain actors may take greater control over waste streams while informal ones are pushed aside. 

This creates an important question for my study: when textile waste becomes valuable, who gets to benefit from it?

In global textile value chains, companies create value not only by producing and selling garments. You can also create value from waste. Fabric scraps and leftovers can support recycling businesses, help factories reduce waste, allow brands to make sustainability claims, and provide income for informal workers. However, benefits have not always been shared equally. This is why governance is important. Governance refers to the rules, standards, policies, and power relations that decide how textile waste is managed and who is included in the process.

My research questions focus on three areas. First, I want to understand what roles the informal sector plays in managing post-industrial textile waste in Bangladesh. Second, I want to identify the main challenges faced by informal waste management systems. Third, I want to examine what these practices mean for sustainability and governance in the global textile value chains.

Since my field study is a systematic literature review, my area of focus is the existing research. I am studying academic articles from databases like Web of Science and Scopus. Through this process, I am learning how different researchers are describing textile waste, informal recycling, circular economy, and global value chains. Some studies focus directly on Bangladesh, while others provide comparisons from other countries or broader theoretical perspectives.

Overall, this topic has changed how I understand waste. Waste is not only an environmental problem. It is also connected to work, income, inequality, responsibility, and global trade. The fabric pieces left behind in garment factories may seem small, but they reveal bigger questions about sustainability and justice in the fashion industry.

For me, the most important lesson so far is that a sustainable textile system should not only focus on recycling materials. It should also recognize the people and networks that already manage those materials. If informal actors are ignored, circular economy strategies may become incomplete. A fairer approach would include them in future discussions about textile waste, recycling, and global value chain governance.

 

2/3 Creative Content Intern

Hi, count this as my second check in regarding my internship as Creative Content Intern. 

After completing just over a month of internship, I have not only become more settled and confident in my daily tasks and responsibilities but have also started to see clear patterns in regards to my report topic of the integration of AI into creative workflows. 

As I close every week with writing reflective diary entries on the main tasks, the specific usage of AI and the effects on factors such as speed, quality and creativity, I have been able to observe how AI usage is not a fixed task but more of an evolving process which I am learning through. This includes observing how differently I have been using it. From the idea generation to optimization or the analysis of KPIs to reflecting on my personal views and emotions that come with "outsourcing" certain tasks to AI. 

While this past month has definitly made me more curious for all the different usages and endless of AI in creative marketing I am also keeping critical distance at the same time. I also keep questioning what it changes in the creative process. Where does authorship sit? What happens to authenticity when AI is involved? For the second part of the internship I am eager to try and figure out those questions above as I know they are not just something that is interesting for me striving for a career in creative positions but for the industry itself.  

So far, I have been enjoying this internship, the contributions I have been able to make to the company, and the curiousness to new processes supported by my managers. 

Thank you for reading,

Nora 

 

 

 Blog #1 : Individual Field Study 2026 - Influence of secondhand fashion on sustainable consumption in the Asian subcontinent: Exploring consumer and retailer perspectives

Hi Everyone,

Hope everyone is having a nice weekend. This is my first blog post. As a part of the field study course, I am doing a systematic literature review on the “Influence of secondhand fashion on sustainable consumption in the Asian subcontinent: Exploring consumer and retailer perspectives." In the first debrief seminar, our course coordinator Jenny Balkow briefed us on how to proceed with individual field study, and later on, Olga Chaknikova guided us on the progress of the literature review. 

I have selected this topic in order to study how secondhand fashion is seen in the Asian subcontinent, focusing on consumers and retailers and what the motivations and barriers are to introducing this niche in that region. Since it is a growing market, the expansion occurs for various factors such as consumer motivations, market conditions, and sustainability awareness. However, the growth comes up with unique sustainability challenges such as environmental impact, social and cultural barriers, etc. This study will address the impact, possibilities, and challenges of secondhand fashion, answering the research questions and providing a constructive outcome on how to address these issues for fostering a sustainable secondhand market in that region.

In the last few weeks, I have worked on the keywords, literature, building up the research question, and structuring the report. Starting with the keywords, I have created a search string and used it to find relevant articles that are coherent with my topic, which helped me to finalize 25 peer-reviewed articles for my topic. These articles were selected through continuous screening after exporting the articles into an Excel file. Based on this, I have submitted the first draft, completing the introduction and methodology, and am currently working to create another search string in order to get more relevant articles using Scopus and Web of Science to support the literature review and complete the rest of the sections. So far, it has been a good learning experience for me, enabling me to build my strength in research. 

• Mahir Musleh Rafi

 Post 1

My IFS topic is Post-consumer Textile Waste Management: A Systematic Literature Review of Challenges and Opportunities for Circularity. Here is my search string:

( "post-consumer textile waste" OR "post-consumer clothing" OR "post-textile waste" OR "used clothing" OR "second hand clothing")

AND

("waste management" OR recycl* OR "circular economy" OR upcycl* OR reuse OR "resource recovery")

AND

(challenge* OR barrier* OR opportunit* OR solution* OR strateg*)

 

Blog post 3/3

 

Who Decides What Gets Sold?

 

During my internship at Erikshjälpen, I began to realize that the sorting process is not simply about organizing clothes, but about making decisions. At first, it appeared that garments were only being grouped into categories. However, over time, it became clear that each step in the sorting process involves structured decisions that determine the outcome of every item.

 

As garments move through light and heavy sorting, they are assessed based on criteria such as brand, condition, and garment type. These factors influence whether an item is sent for sale, export, repair, or removal. What is important is that these outcomes are not random, but follow a consistent system guided by internal rules and standards.

 

One observation that stood out to me is that decisions are not always based on appearance. Some garments that look new and in good condition are still redirected or removed, while others continue through the process. This shows that sorting goes beyond visible qualities and reflects deeper considerations such as quality, usability, and organizational guidelines.

 

At the same time, I began to realize that sorting is only one part of a larger system. While staff make decisions during sorting, the types of garments that enter the system in the first place are influenced by consumers. What people choose to buy, use, and donate shapes what arrives at second-hand stores. If many low quality or fast fashion garments are donated, this affects the availability of items that can successfully pass through the sorting process and be resold.

 

This creates an important connection between consumers and secondhand retail. On one hand, sorting determines what reaches the shop floor. On the other hand, consumers indirectly influence what is available by shaping the input of the system. In this sense, both sorting practices and consumer behavior play a role in deciding what ultimately gets sold.

 

This experience has changed the way I view secondhand stores. What is available for purchase is not simply a reflection of donations, but the result of both structured decisions and consumer patterns. It highlights that secondhand retail is not only about reuse, but also about selection and control.

 

Overall, sorting functions as a decision-making system that filters garments, while consumers influence what enters that system in the first place. Together, these processes shape what is visible, what is reusable, and what is ultimately given a second life in the market.

 

Therefore, the question of who decides what gets sold cannot be answered by looking only at secondhand organizations. Sorting staff make decisions about what continues through the system, but consumers also influence these outcomes through the types of garments they buy, use, and donate. In this sense, what gets sold is shaped both by organizational sorting practices and by consumer behavior.

-Suror-

CFS on Sustainability Communication with Värnamo of Sweden 2/3

In the consultancy field study with Värnamo of Sweden and business lab, I focus on how SMEs can develop sustainability communication. This has been an interesting learning process, as many SMEs face limited resources when trying to keep up with the latest sustainability trends.

To better understand sustainability communication in practice, I started learning website design using Figma. It was my first time using this software, and I encountered several challenges, such as layout adjustments, loading performance, and animation settings. However, it has also been a valuable experience, and I would like to explore it further in the future. During the design process, I also reviewed some papers on UI/UX design and found that user behaviour plays an important role in shaping effective design outcomes. This reminded me of the concept of design thinking. With a user-centred approach, later design prototypes can better align with users’ contexts and habits, making the communication more effective. Although it is a complex process, I believe it should be more emphasis.

In the past two weeks, I have also started conducting my experiment using eye-tracking and questionnaires. I look forward to gaining deeper insights when I analyse the data later.

Internship at an online fashion store, 2/3

During the last couple of weeks of my internship I’ve got the opportunity to participate in the company’s customer event at their showroom. What became clear for me was how significant the relationship with the customer is, and how events and personal meetings are used to create both engagement and sales.

The company has both smaller events during the evenings, but also larger ones a few times a year. Leading up to the large one, there’s a lot of preparations, such as styling and doing visual merchandising in their showroom, contacting sponsors and preparing goodiebags, and inviting brands to show their clothes. It was a fun week of preparations before the event and many things I haven’t thought about that need to be prepared before an event. 

During the event I observed that there were a lot of returning customers that already had a relationship with the company and employees. Several customers tried on clothes, asked for styling help and interacted with the employees. I also experienced that the event was not only about selling, but also creating an experience and strengthening the relationship with the customer. By assisting in styling, personal conversation and an inspiring environment I think it created a more exclusive and personal feeling around the company and the products. 

Another thing I observed was how products were placed strategically in order to promote specific brands and garments. Products that the company wanted to sell more of were placed more visible and were recommended more often to the customer. It made me more aware of how customer meetings and marketing in fashion retail is not only about inspiration and service, but also impacting customers' attention and purchase decisions.

After participating and working these events I think I have gotten a deeper understanding of how customer relationships and events works in premium fashion retail. It has also made me reflect more on how closely connected customer experience, marketing and sales are in practice.