Rubbish-duty vest
Yulia Taylor
Gisborne Girls' High School
Year 13 Technology, half-year duration
Teacher: Heather MacIntyre
In response to the issue of waste management, which the school had written as a strategic management goal for 2007, Yulia decided to focus on the school litter problem, and thought about how students could be persuaded to dispose of their rubbish properly. She eventually decided that an especially themed vest, worn by a duty teacher or prefect, would help get students' attention and convey the waste management message.
When designing the garment she took into account that it needed to:
- suit various shapes and sizes
- be worn over multiple layers of clothing
- be suitable for all seasons
- suit either gender and a wide range of ages
- stand out in a crowd
- give a clear message
- have a modern look so that duty people would be happy to wear it
Yulia realised how important it was to come up with a phrase that would be effective in both capturing attention, and encouraging people to put their rubbish into the bins. She came up with 'Caution: Litter free the way to be', which she screen printed within a 'warning sign' diamond on yellow material and sewed on to the back of the vest.
With a large group of stakeholders Yulia was able to get helpful feedback on what students and teachers considered important in the vest, and what she might be able to improve on.
Yulia says that solving a problem, while also enjoying her work, made the project very worthwhile, and that she is now confident about sewing for the needs of clients and she is able to tackle independent work. "This project made me more aware of the whole process of designing an object for mass production. I really like the idea that my work will be used for a useful purpose."
Teacher comment
Yulia spent a lot of time getting input from staff and students, particularly around what the message on the vest should say. This ensured her final outcome was something that was fit for purpose within a wider community.
Overall, Yulia's success in Technology is attributed to her ability to plan what needs to be done and the resources she needs, and then get on with achieving her milestones.
Yulia started a Bachelor of Design at Massey University in 2008.
