An Interdisciplinary Design Process – Lowering Barriers to an Active Outdoor Life Identifying stakeholders’ functional and emotional needs in concept development for outdoor textile products

Abstract

The European Green Deal sets the direction towards climate neutrality by 2050, with the textile industry identified as one of the sectors with the highest environmental impact. The transition towards a more sustainable society requires both environmentally responsible product development and increased opportunities for individuals to engage in healthy and meaningful lifestyles. The outdoor industry faces increasing pressure to align product development with circular economy principles and emerging European Union sustainability regulations. Outdoor recreation contributes positively to physical health, mental well-being, and social community. However, outdoor participation is often hindered by practical, emotional and psychological related barriers. A qualitative research approach was employed, combining stakeholder interviews, field observations, literature studies, and concept development design methods. Stakeholder needs, motivations, capabilities and opportunities were analyzed and synthesized to identify key barriers and opportunities related to outdoor cooking experiences. This thesis explores how an interdisciplinary design process can identify stakeholders' functional and emotional needs to propose design criteria for outdoor textile product development in accordance with the EU's Strategy for Sustainable and Circular Textiles, with the goal of lowering barriers to an active outdoor life. The study focuses on outdoor cooking as an entry point and draws on human-centered design, stakeholder theory, behavioral design, and life cycle thinking. The findings indicate that barriers to outdoor participation are influenced not only by functional and physical challenges, but also by emotional factors including uncertainty and perceived accessibility and complexity. The interdisciplinary design process enabled the integration of diverse stakeholder perspectives and sustainability considerations, resulting in a concept that simplifies outdoor cooking experiences for beginners while supporting circular design principles. The study is limited to early-stage concept development and does not include prototype testing or commercial implementation.