NUTHREADS
NuThreads is a sustainable, environmentally conscious clothing swap app that empowers users to trade fashion items fairly and effortlessly. Designed around a tiered value system and intuitive user experience, NuThreads promotes circular fashion and reduces textile waste making swapping as fun as shopping, with a lighter footprint.
Giving back to the community, while also getting back.
In today’s world of rising costs, fast fashion burnout, and environmental urgency, people are looking for ways to shop more consciously—without losing the joy of style. NuThreads taps into that need by offering a way to give back to your community while getting something valuable in return. It’s not just about swapping clothes; it’s about creating local connections, reducing waste, and making mindful fashion feel easy, social, and rewarding.
Why Trade Clothes?
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ENVIORNMENT
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COMMUNITY
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COST SAVINGS
The Problem We’re Solving.
NuThreads helps people refresh their wardrobe without spending money by swapping instead of shopping. It makes it easy to clear out clothes you no longer wear, while picking up pieces you’ll actually use.
By cutting down on waste, shipping, and fast fashion habits, it offers a more sustainable way to update your closet, especially in smaller communities where swap options can be limited.
The Research Goal .
To understand what drives people to :
Use clothing swap apps,
What challenges they face when shopping secondhand online, and
What features or exchange methods they prefer.
**This research helped shape a user-friendly, trustworthy platform that supports sustainable and social fashion choices.
Competitive Analysis
Key Observations
While many clothing resale platforms (ex. Depop, Poshmark, Vinted) offer broad reach and trendy interfaces, they often fall short in three key areas:
Fair Exchange Models: Most platforms rely on direct buying/selling, which can create friction around pricing and perceived value. Users frequently struggle to feel like they’re getting a fair deal, especially when trading is involved.
User Trust & Quality Assurance: Without standardized condition ratings or community verification, users are hesitant to commit to swaps due to concerns about fit, wear, and authenticity.
Sustainability Claims vs. Actual Impact: Although these platforms market themselves as eco-conscious, many still rely heavily on individual shipping, packaging waste, and encourage high-volume reselling that mirrors fast fashion behavior.
Platforms like Bonnee and SwapCo represent a growing shift toward community-based, sustainable fashion through clothing swaps rather than resale. While they align more closely with NuThreads’ mission, key limitations persist:
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“Users expressed enjoying the idea of clothing swaps and also wanted the sense of community”
User Research
Partipants
I interviewed 6 Participants :
Ages: 24 to 36
Locations: Primarily urban (Austin, TX)
Backgrounds: Environmentally conscious, budget-focused, enjoy fashion experimentation
Objectives
Identify usability friction in early designs
Gather feedback on responses to credit or direct swap methods
Key insights:
Strong Interest in Secondhand Fashion, but Barriers Exist
Participants are motivated by affordability, sustainability, and the ability to experiment with style. However, finding the right size and coordinating swaps (especially in-person) are ongoing challenges.Trust is a Critical Factor
Concerns about item condition, prior hygiene, and fair value exchange make trust features essential. Verified profiles, user reviews, and detailed item descriptions will build confidence.Flexibility is Valued
Users want multiple ways to swap—both direct item-for-item trades and flexible point/credit systems to avoid pressure for perfect matches.Community and Local Connection Matter
Participants like the community-sharing aspect of swaps and want tools that help them connect locally (neighborhood-level visibility) to reduce travel time and increase convenience.Donation Should be Seamless
Many participants regularly donate unwanted items, so integrating easy donation options (like partnering with nonprofits) adds value and reinforces sustainability.
Communication Needs to be Easy and Safe
In-app messaging is preferred over exchanging personal contact details. Users want a simple, organized way to negotiate and finalize swaps within the app itself.
Size Inclusivity is a Priority
Participants highlighted difficulty finding secondhand clothing in their sizes—an app that helps filter by size and promotes size diversity would be highly valued.User Experience Should Reduce Friction
Cluttered thrift stores and crowded swap events overwhelm participants. A well-designed app should focus on clean navigation, clear filtering, and intuitive workflows.Sustainability Messaging Resonates
Environmental impact is a strong motivator for secondhand shopping and swapping, so messaging around reducing waste and supporting circular fashion aligns well with user values.Large, Active User Base is Critical for Success
Users are concerned that a new app may not have enough inventory variety or active users. marketing efforts should focus on building a vibrant community early.
Defining the interviews
Key Findings & Challenges
In person thrifting: Difficult to find right size
Values sharing with community but also would need enough users to find value in app
Users expressed enjoying being apart of community
Participants are worried about conditions of clothing and concerned about receiving a piece they would be disappointed about.
Participants expressed being interested in both credit system & direct swaps. users also interested in easier donation options to non- profits
Potential Solutions
Personalized set filters for users profile (ex: size, style, brands)
In app Messaging to communicate swap locations
User reviews to trust swapping
Create credit system and “perfect swap” option.
Create list of easy non profit drop off locations
Create “style based “ categories
community based clothing swaps , hosted by company or verified users.
Brainstorming
Must Have Features
Real-time Messaging: Secure, private chat system for users to negotiate swaps
Advanced Filtering & Search: Enable a multi-faceted search by size, decade, condition, and style.
Trust & Verification System: Implement a reputation-based system for reliability (user ratings, transaction history).
Flexible Swap Mechanism: Enable both direct swaps and credit-based transactions with secure escrow-style credit holding.
Wallet/Credit System: Enable users to earn and redeem credits for future swaps.
Subscription Tiers & Seller Promotions: Offer premium features like boosted listings, style curation, or AI-powered recommendations.
Interactive Map Feature for Clothing Swaps: User Location Display that shows a general area ( ex. Facebook marker place but not exact addresses or neighborhood.) & filter by distance. Where users can adjust search radius to find swaps within 5, 10, or 50 miles.
User Personas
Imagine it
Site Map
I created the site map by first identifying the core user tasks—browsing items, requesting swaps, managing profiles, and communicating with other users. From there, I organized the structure around simplicity and intuitive flow, ensuring key features like swap methods, filters, and messaging were easily accessible. The goal was to support both new and returning users with a clear, user-centered navigation experience.
User Flows
I mapped out user flows based on key actions like browsing, initiating swaps, and managing requests. Each flow was designed to be simple, intuitive, and aligned with user goals, ensuring a smooth experience from first tap to final trade.
Low Fidelity Mobile Wireframes
I created the low-fidelity wireframes to visualize how a swap or credit request might function, focusing on the simplest and most intuitive way for users to initiate the process.
Mood Board .
COLOR & TYPOGRAPHY
**I designed this color palette and project to explore bold, bright colors in a more intentional way. The tones are slightly muted to maintain a gender-neutral feel. While the platform may initially be marketed toward women, it’s designed to be inclusive, with a dedicated category for men’s clothing as well.
High Fidelity Prototype
Usability testing .
From the user testing I conducted, it’s clear that people resonate with the idea behind NewThreads and found the app easy to navigate overall.
Users especially liked the clean design and browsing experience.
However, the consistent confusion around swap type, particularly credits vs direct swaps, and that some UI elements (like radio buttons) weren’t always intuitive.
Tooltips also felt too wordy for many.
**I plan to simplify key instructions, improve selection cues, and add a brief onboarding or overlay to clarify actions. These updates should help users feel more confident and make the swap process even smoother.
