FAQ

This project was created for the Mozilla Foundation 2024 call for proposals surrounding AI and Environmental Justice. The idea originated from one of the co-founders of Altkey, Emory University's sustainable fashion movement. After engaging with many Altkey thrifters at pop-up shops as well as local sustainable fashion leaders in the Atlanta area, the need for clarity on what sustainable fashion is in an affordable sense quickly arose and became the vision for this project. We believe that being fabric focused and as circular as possible through a borrowing model is the future of affordable sustainable fashion and are requesting $50,000 for the launch of this project through the foundation.

Reinstyle, an open-source project, has three primary goals: to enhance transparency by providing fabric data, to promote sustainable consumer behavior, and to introduce equity into the sustainable fashion industry. These goals will be realized in two ways. The first way is our own product on the app store that incorporates these elements. This app will act as a trailblazer in the industry and an example for the applications to follow. The second way is a website and github repository with our open sourced code where budding entrepreneurs and business owners can use to incorporate sustainable practices in their own products and systems. The website will act as a collaboration hub, increasing the technology infusion needed to truly democratize sustainable fashion.

Key Deliverables: 1. Fabric Transparency Model: We aim to create and refine a robust AI-driven model that consistently generates sustainability scores based on detailed fiber information, regardless of brand. This model will be a fundamental tool in combating greenwashing and providing consumers with accurate and transparent information about the fabrics used in clothing. 2. Behavioral Science Integration: We plan to integrate behavioral science interventions, including endowed progress and nudging techniques, into our platform. This will allow us to encourage sustainable consumer behavior by reminding users of their sustainability scores, helping them set sustainability goals, and providing personalized style recommendations that align with their budgets and eco-conscious preferences. 3. Sustainable Style Recommendations: Reinstyle will develop an AI-driven recommendation system that leverages data from the fabric model. This system will help users curate stylish, budget-friendly, and eco-conscious wardrobes, thereby reducing clothing waste and promoting responsible consumption. 4. Equity Initiatives: Reinstyle's equity-focused initiatives involve incorporating estimated clothing prices into the fabric model to expose the actual supply cost to consumers. Additionally, we will work on extending the application of Generative AI to thrift shops and small business owners in the fashion industry, facilitating the repurposing of clothing waste and making sustainability more accessible to a broader audience. Core Milestones: - Milestone 1: Develop and optimize the Fabric Transparency Model, ensuring it provides accurate sustainability scores for a wide range of fabrics. - Milestone 2: Integrate behavioral science interventions into the platform, enabling users to set sustainability goals and receive personalized style recommendations. - Milestone 3: Implement the Sustainable Style Recommendations system, leveraging AI and fabric data to curate eco-conscious wardrobes. - Milestone 4: Enhance equity initiatives by incorporating estimated clothing prices into the model and extending the application of Generative AI to thrift shops and small businesses. These core milestones are essential steps toward achieving our deliverables and fulfilling Reinstyle's mission of improving transparency, fostering sustainable consumer behavior, and promoting equity within the sustainable fashion industry. The funding request will enable us to allocate resources and expertise to these milestones, ensuring the successful development and deployment of our open-source project.

1. Users: - Users will benefit from increased transparency in the fashion industry, enabling them to make more informed and sustainable purchasing decisions. - The integration of behavioral science interventions will help users adopt and maintain sustainable consumer behavior, reducing their environmental footprint and promoting responsible consumption. - Sustainable style recommendations will assist users in curating stylish, budget-friendly, and eco-conscious wardrobes, reducing clothing waste and saving money. 2. Contributors: - Contributors to Reinstyle will play a crucial role in developing and refining the fabric transparency model, behavioral science integration, and style recommendation system. - Their contributions will directly contribute to combating greenwashing, promoting sustainability, and advancing equity in the fashion industry. 3. Community Members: - The Reinstyle community will benefit from the open-source nature of the project, allowing for collaboration, knowledge sharing, and the collective pursuit of sustainability goals. - Community members will have access to innovative tools and technologies to promote sustainable living and ethical fashion choices. 4. Fashion Industry Stakeholders: - The project's impact will extend beyond its immediate users and contributors to influence the fashion industry as a whole. - By promoting transparency and sustainability, Reinstyle may encourage fashion brands to adopt more eco-friendly practices and pricing transparency. Measurement of Impact: The impact of Reinstyle will be measured through a combination of quantitative and qualitative metrics, including: - User Adoption: Tracking the number of users and their engagement with the platform. - Sustainability Metrics: Measuring the reduction in clothing waste, carbon footprint, and increased sustainable purchasing behaviors among users. - Community Growth: Monitoring the growth of the Reinstyle community, including the number of contributors and community engagement. - Feedback and Testimonials: Gathering feedback and testimonials from users and contributors to assess the project's effectiveness in achieving its goals. - Fashion Industry Influence: Assessing any positive changes in the fashion industry related to transparency, sustainability, and pricing practices.

1. Cella Siegelman: As a Designer & Illustrator, Cella plays a pivotal role in ensuring the user interface and visual design of the app are engaging and user-friendly. Her expertise in graphic design and small business management is essential for branding and marketing the app effectively. She has a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Graphic Design from Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD) and actively holds membership in American Institute of Graphic Arts (AIGA). 2. Blake Castleman: Serving as an AI Educator, Research Scientist, and Mechanical Engineer, Blake contributes his multifaceted skills to the project. His background in AI and mechanical engineering is crucial for the development of the generative AI styling algorithm and sustainability metrics. Blake holds a degree in Computer Science from Georgia Tech and is pursuing his masters at Columbia University. Blake has achieved awards such as the prestigious Richard K. Whitehead Memorial Award and Tau Beta Pi Cup Finalist– proving his excellence in engineering. He also serves as an AI safety fellow focusing on generative AI research. 3. Yifei Gao: Yifei acts as the Behavioral Strategist, Data Analyst, and Innovator, bringing a diverse skill set and strategic vision to the project. Her experience in data analytics, research, and leadership in various organizations– BBDO and Oglivy– is vital for shaping the project's direction. Her past work in the sustainable fashion space with connections to various factories in Taiwan, past collaboration with the Atlanta Sustainable Fashion Show, and experience founding and running the most expansive college sustainable fashion organization in the south allows her to gather all resources needed for the application to build community.

Contributors to the Reinstyle project include coders, data scientists, AI enthusiasts, fashion experts, and sustainability advocates from the open-source community. They collaborate on various aspects of the app, from refining the generative AI styling algorithm to expanding the inventory of thrown away clothing. Additionally, contributors can work on improving sustainability metrics and exploring augmented reality features, among other innovations. The main goal is to push forwards AI and fashion innovation that is not brand centric but user centric. Reinstyle is important to the larger open-source ecosystem in several ways. Firstly, it pioneers the integration of AI, sustainability, and fashion, setting a precedent for similar projects that seek to align technology with environmental and ethical concerns starting at the fabric level. Secondly, by providing an open-source platform for fashion innovation, Reinstyle encourages collaboration and knowledge sharing among developers and researchers. This contributes to the broader open-source community's growth and learning. Finally, Reinstyle's commitment to sustainability aligns with the global push for eco-conscious solutions, making it a valuable asset within the larger ecosystem of sustainable technology and open-source projects.