Local nonprofits Goodwill and ABVI are facing an ecological and economic issue that could be turned into a profitable opportunity for them, along with the Rochester community. Every year, nearly 400 million pounds of fabric products are thrown away by the companies due to wear, damage or a lack of need. The goal is to develop a product to be made from this surplus of clothing that Goodwill receives, along with supplying more jobs to the visually impaired of Rochester. This business plan is to eventually extend to all other Goodwill stores across the country.

The main purpose of this project is to come up with a product that will turn a profit from the excess clothing of Goodwill, adds value to the Goodwill brand, and brings new job opportunities to the community.

For an updated project description, click on the following link for the Project Readiness Package.

Project Name

ABVI Upcycling: Synthetic Fibers

Project Number

P17702

Project Family

Sustainable Textile Industry

Start Term

Fall 2016

End Term

Spring 2017

Faculty Guide

Sarah Brownell

Primary Customer

Joe Kells

Sponsor (financial support)

Autodesk/ABVI, contact

Norms and Values

Planning & Execution

Project Photos and Videos

Imagine RIT

Problem Definition

Systems Design

Preliminary Detailed Design

Detailed Design

Build & Test Prep

Subsystem Build & Test

Integrated System Build & Test

Integrated System Build & Test with Customer Demo

Customer Handoff & Final Project Documentation