Topic 1.

1 - New and Emerging Technologies

Industry
Specification Notes
The impact of new and emerging technologies on
the design and organisation of the workplace
including automation and the use of robotics
The impact of new and emerging technologies on
buildings and the place of work
The impact of new and emerging technologies on
tools and equipment

Enterprise
Specification Notes
Enterprise based on the development of an
effective business innovation - crowd funding
Enterprise based on the development of an
effective business innovation - virtual marketing
and retail
Enterprise based on the development of an
effective business innovation - co-operatives
Enterprise based on the development of an
effective business innovation - fair trade

Sustainability
Specification Notes
The impact of resource consumption on the
planet - finite
The impact of resource consumption on the
planet - non-finite
The impact of resource consumption on the
planet - disposal of waste

People
Specification Notes
How technology push/market pull affects choice
Changing job roles due to the emergence of new
ways of working driven by technological change

Culture
Specification Notes
Changes in fashion and trends in relation to new
and emergent technologies
Respecting people of different faiths and beliefs

Society
Specification Notes

Environment
Specification Notes

Production Techniques and Systems

Specification Notes

How the critical evaluation of new and emerging technologies informs design
decisions
Specification Notes

Topic 2.1 - Selection of Materials and Components

Specification Notes
Function: application of use, easy of working  The functionality of a product is where it is
suited to serve the purpose it was designed
for, e.g., a chair that is too small to sit
comfortably on.
 Functionality includes:
 Strength: a product needs to be strong.
They need to be able to be worn often
and washed a lot. They also need to be
durable when subjected to friction
through movement.
 Absorbent: the absorbency of fabric will
also affect the comfort of some
garments, and some products need to be
absorbent if they are to do their job, e.g.,
bath towels.
 Warmth: keeping warm may be an
important factor to consider when
choosing fabric for a garment. To keep
warm, a fabric must be able to insulate.
Trapped air is an insulator as it does not
conduct heat. Fibres, yarns, or the way
the fabric is constructed can trap air to
insulate a person, e.g., wool is a good
insulator as its crimp allows air to be held
between the fibres.
 Flammability: how easily a fabric catches
on fire or burns is important to consider
when choosing them. Fibres such as
cotton catch fire easily, whereas synthetic
fibres are difficult to set alight.
 Chemical and Biological Aspects: fabrics
need to be able to resist chemical and
biological aspects. Chemicals such as
laundry detergents are strong alkalis and
can damage fabrics such as wool and
silks. Biological from things like moths
can also spoil fabrics. Moths lay eggs in
wool fabrics and when they hatch, the
larvae eat fibres, leaving holes in fabrics.
Aesthetics: surface finish, texture and colour  The aesthetics of a product is how it looks
and feels
 Fabrics such as satin has a very smooth
surface, so that they reflect a lot of light, and
appear shiny
 Fabrics can be given texture in many ways
depending on the fibre and yarn used and the
way the fabric is constructed
 The five senses, sight, smell, sound, taste and
 touch, are all important elements that
contribute to making a design look
aesthetically pleasing
 Aesthetics is about personal taste and what
one person finds aesthetically pleasing may
be attractive to another
Environmental factors: recyclable or reused  All products will affect the environment to
materials some degree to factors such as pollution,
depletion of scare resources, energy
consumption, and disposability of the
product
 Careful consideration of materials may result
in less landfill waste and a lesser impact on
the environment as a result
 Similarly, materials that can be recycled or
are biodegradable will reduce the
environmental impact compared to materials
that break down in landfills
 Less energy is usually needed to recycle
materials rather than making new ones, thus
helping the environment
 There are many further ways textiles
production can impact the environment:
 Chemicals and non-renewable resources
 Utilising land to grow cotton plants
 Deforestation
 Dyeing fabric
 Disposing of chemicals in rivers
 Making buttons and zips use energy
which will be released into the
environment
Availability: ease of sourcing and purchase  Availability is how easy something is to get
hold of
 Some materials are easier to get hold of than
other materials because they are mass
produced or produced locally
 Some materials are only available in limited
quantities because they are hard to make, or
they take a long time to grow naturally
 The availability of many textile materials is
governed by trends and fashions, especially
colours and patterns on fabrics, so what is
freely available one season may be difficult to
find in another
Cost: bulk buying  The selling cost of a product will include the
To be able to calculate total material costs cost of raw materials, manufacturing costs,
packaging and distribution and sellers costs
 with a percentage added for profit
 Factors that affect cost:
 Type of material (e.g., silk and wool cost
more than cotton)
 Manufacturing processes (complex
special finishes, knitting and weaving
processes cost more
 Choice of component (a zip may be
cheaper than buttons)
 Quantity of the product
 Manufacturers will often use spreadsheets to
show all the likely costs involved in the design
and making oof a product when working out
the cost of making each unit
 Scale of production will generally affect the
cost, as the greater number of products
made results in a cheaper cost for each unit
(bulk buying)
 The style/colour of various textiles products
are influenced by changes in fashion.
Therefore, buying fabrics using a JIT system
can save money due to less material being
wasted
Social factors: social responsibility  Religion, family, gender and wealth, among
other things, are considered social factors as
they affect our lifestyle
 Considering this, designers must account for
these factors to ensure they are meeting the
needs of the customer
 The source of some raw materials can heavily
impact nearly communities
 Deforestation is considered to greatly
contribute to global warming, which results
in flooding and subsequent devastation of
local communities
 Clothing is often used to reflect people's
values and make a statement about them
 Some societies have traditions to reuse and
rework existing products to make new ones
 How and where a textiles product is made
will have an impact on society due to related
employment opportunities and
environmental impacts of manufacturing
activists
Cultural factors: sensitive to cultural influences  The values of an individual or specific
community that govern how they behave can
be influenced by cultural factors
 These factors influence products due to
 varying acceptances between cultures
 e.g., colours represent different symbolism
across cultures (red considered good luck in
China but represents mourning in South
Africa)
 The culture an individual belongs to can
affect their clothing in ways such as:
 Music taste
 Peer pressure
 Celebrity influence
 Cultural groups
Ethical factors: purchased from ethical sources  These factors concern things that are seen as
such as FSC either the right thing to do or morally correct
To be able to select and use materials considering  In some case, pesticides and fertilisers on
end of life disposal cotton crops can have cause health
conditions for workers, and therefore it is
ethically better to use substitute fabrics like
Tencel and Modal
 Individuals concerned with animal welfare
may refuse to wear garments made from fur
and leather, using synthetic fabrics as
substitute would be an ethical alternative
 Manufacturing processes for products have
an impact on the wellbeing, safety and
comfort of those affected by the product
 The world’s natural resources are in decline
and designs have a responsibility using these
resources carefully and make use of recycles
materials
 Manufacturers should be aware of where
materials come from and strive to obtain
them from ethical sources (e.g., FSE
approved)
 Utilising Fair Trade manufacturing methods
ensures the prevention of worker
exploitation and provides decent working
conditions
 Manufacturers should be cautious using the
land to source resources as this will reduce
the opportunity to grow crops in under-
developed communities
 Furthermore, manufacturing activists cause
pollution which directly affects the health and
wellbeing of the community