This app idea will save you up to 100% of your shopping cart

Unfold: A Pause Before You Buy

 

Do you currently have a perfectly curated online shopping cart just waiting to be checked out? What if I told you I could save you 100% of your cart total?

That is the promise of Unfold, my latest project from my sustainability in fashion class I took this summer. Unfold is a digital intervention that interrupts the moment of shopping and asks you to pause. Instead of diving straight into checkout, the goal is to redirect attention away from consumption and toward the creative act of wearing, mending, and restyling what you already have.

We live in a culture where buying more is the default. No matter how much we acquire, it never feels like enough. I ran a survey to better understand why people shop online and most admitted they do it when bored, uninspired, or procrastinating. Very few were actually shopping with intention.

Survey of 35 individuals.

At the same time, people told me they often feel intimidated by upcycling or mending. They assume they don’t have the time, the knowledge, or the materials to try. So we end up stuck in a loop of passive scrolling and clicking, while the creative potential of our closets is left untouched.

Unfold is a small obstacle placed in front of a bad habit. Just like app limits on Instagram or TikTok, it creates friction. In this case, a pause before buying something new. Even one minute of reflection can change the outcome. A moment to ask yourself why you are there. Stressed? Bored? Procrastinating?

Unfold is a Chrome extension that pops up when you land on a fashion e-commerce site. Instead of immediately letting you browse, it guides you through a short reflection. Depending on your answers, it offers alternatives like:

  • Restyling prompts using your own wardrobe

  • Tutorials on mending and repair

  • Creative exercises such as garment meditation or empathetic joy

  • Guides on caring for the clothes you already own

The goal is not to shame consumption but to make space for creativity.

To test the idea, I challenged myself to make a garment using only upcycled skirts. I printed and taped together a pattern, then cut the fabric around existing seams, zippers, and buttons. It forced me to be strategic with every piece.

I spent a hot afternoon at my friend’s apartment sewing, pressing each seam, and hunching over the machine. It was physically demanding, but also satisfying. The finished piece turned out better than expected. It felt like proof that making something new from old materials isn’t impossible. It just takes patience and encouragement.

Unfold is about more than a single purchase. It’s about supporting a degrowth mindset that challenges the idea of endless expansion in a world with finite resources. Instead of asking “How can brands sell more?” the question becomes “How can we help people use what they already have?” I imagine Unfold eventually partnering with brands willing to embrace this. Just as online stores already use pop-ups to encourage us to buy more, they could just as easily offer repair guides, styling ideas, and garment care tips. It would slow down the cycle while also building trust with customers.

Unfold is still a concept, but one I believe has the power to shift habits. A digital pause might seem small, but it creates space for people to make more intentional choices.

I’d love to hear your thoughts. Which brands do you think should be bold enough to try something like this?

Works Cited

Clear, James. Atomic Habits: An Easy & Proven Way to Build Good Habits & Break Bad Ones. Avery, 2018.

de Castro, Orsola. “Introduction and Chapter 1: Mending Is a State of Mind.” Loved Clothes Last: How the Joy of Rewearing and Repairing Your Clothes Can Be a Revolutionary Act, Penguin Life, 2021, pp. 1–25.

Ehrenfeld, John. “Consumption – A Symptom of Addiction.” Sustainable by Design: A Subversive Strategy for Transforming Our Consumer Culture, Yale University Press, 2008, pp. 29–43.

Hickel, Jason. “Degrowth.” The Climate Book, created by Greta Thunberg, Penguin Random House, 2022, pp. 426–432.

Press, Clare. “Three Ways to Be an Activist.” Rise & Resist: How to Change the World, Melbourne University Press, 2018, pp. 183–196.

Thackara, John. “A Whole New Cloth: Politics and the Fashion System.” Routledge Handbook of Sustainability and Fashion, edited by Kate Fletcher and Mathilda Tham, Routledge, 2015, pp. 15–23.

A creative mind and design professional, Julia is an Art Director & Graphic Designer pursuing a Master's in Global Communications. This blog is an extension of her multi-faceted journey, offering a space to explore the intersections of design, beauty, culture, and lifestyle

 
Julia Morgan