Divergent Futures

Forking Paths Diagram

System Structure & Intervention Points

This diagram maps the fashion industry ecosystem and identifies where our intervention sits within everyday practices. Click on any node to learn more about that element.

The highlighted path (grey nodes) shows our focus area through the system.

DOMAINS
FASHION
INDUSTRY

Fashion Industry

The entire ecosystem of textile production, manufacturing, distribution, and consumption patterns.

SUB DOMAIN
TEXTILE
PRODUCTION

Textile Production

Raw material sourcing and fabric creation—the foundational stage of the fashion supply chain.

MANUFACTURING

Manufacturing

Where textiles become garments through cutting, sewing, and assembly processes.

DISTRIBUTION

Distribution

Transportation and retail networks that move products from factories to consumers.

SUB DOMAIN
LABOR

Labor

The human workforce throughout the supply chain, often facing poor working conditions.

OVERPRODUCTION

Overproduction

52 micro-collections per year create excess inventory. 40% of new clothes never sell; 30% are never worn.

SUPPLY CHAIN

Supply Chain

Complex global networks connecting raw materials to finished products and consumers.

EVERYDAY
PRACTICES
REPAIR/
MEND

Repair/Mend

Extending garment life through fixing and alterations rather than discarding.

CONSCIOUS
PURCHASING

Conscious Purchasing

Our intervention point: the critical moment between desire and decision where reflection can create mindful choice.

CARE/
WASHING

Care/Washing

How garments are maintained affects their longevity and environmental impact.

RESELLING

Reselling

Secondary markets extend product life and reduce waste through resale and donation.

LENSES
GAMIFICATION

Gamification

Using game mechanics like points and achievements to drive behavioral change.

REFLECTION

Reflection

Our primary lens: asking users to pause and consider what they already own before purchasing.

RECOGNITION

Recognition

Helping users recognize and appreciate the value of their existing wardrobe.

BRIDGING

Bridging

Connecting awareness to action through integrated interventions.

INCENTIVES
TANGIBLE
REWARDS

Tangible Rewards

External incentives like discounts or points that may not create lasting behavior change.

SOCIAL
PRESSURE

Social Pressure

Influence from peers and community norms around sustainable consumption.

INTRINSIC
MOTIVATION

Intrinsic Motivation

Internal satisfaction from making conscious choices and valuing what you already own.

CITY-WIDE
GRANTS

City-Wide Grants

Large-scale policy and funding interventions at the municipal or government level.

Understanding the System

Click each card to explore how different elements connect in our intervention strategy

📍
The Highlighted Path
Traces from the fashion industry through manufacturing and overproduction to conscious purchasing—where our "speed bump" intervention operates.
🔍
Our Intervention Lenses
Reflection and recognition—asking users to reflect on what they own and recognize their existing wardrobe value.
💡
Behavioral Incentives
We activate intrinsic motivation (satisfaction with what you have) and social pressure, rather than external rewards.

Key Insight

While the fashion industry creates overproduction at the supply level, our intervention addresses it at the demand level—the moment of conscious purchasing. By introducing reflection at this critical point, we activate intrinsic motivation rather than relying on external incentives that may not scale or sustain behavior change.