Inspiration
Due to the pandemic, we've seen rapid growth steering towards the online market, especially within the fashion industry. More and more people choose to make the switch towards ecommerce for its convenience and relative safety, thus bringing the technologies of chrome extensions to light. Seeing the success and appeal of extensions like honey during this time, we were inspired to adapt a multifaceted extension that aids in promoting safe online consumption. We wanted to do more than only a coupon extension or a sustainability tracker extension to truly make a change on the current market. Thus, enomi came to be with its multi featured extension application.
What it does
Enomi is a browser extension that focuses on helping consumers in tracking their product sustainability while shopping. The extension provides a reliable rating based on 5 main factors: materials, packaging, worker conditions, physical waste generated and CO2 emissions. After consulting various databases, the extension determines an overall rating that displays the general degree to which the product is sustainable. If the returned rating is below 50%, more sustainable alternatives based on similar styles and preferences are provided. In addition to those alternatives, coupons will be provided to ease the costs. The final feature further incentivizes the product by displaying the direct environmental and social impacts as the user chooses the alternatives. The user is also able to communicate closely with other like-minded eco-conscious consumers through rewarded NFTs.
How we built it
The product was made using simple chrome extension javascript, html and css code. The implementation itself utilizes chrome's extension tools to include a popup, activation buttons, and web trackers. The main content and background javascript codes communicate to track the webpage along with the specific products highlighted to provide an accurate response within the tracker. Once activated, the popup function will present a set of details based on the product and the display will provide different options to proceed. The alternative tracker itself is still within development. It focuses on the application of an AI that implements neural networks within its search to find the closest match.
Challenges we ran into
Due to the extensive adaptation of our product, with its multitude of features, it was definitely difficult to fully organize and implement all the envisioned applications of enomi within the time frame. To be able to actively change the market to promote positive, eco-friendly and safe consumption, takes a lot of time, thus we needed to focus on specific features to demonstrate within our prototypes. It was also a notable challenge to implement and develop a true innovative solution with so many different aspects to consider. We focused on tackling fast fashion as it represents a major factor in general consumption. The solution would ideally address many of the current standing issues, however, since there are so many factors to consider, it is very difficult to encompass all within one application. Thus our team could have better distributed the time to fit the situation.
Accomplishments that we're proud of
Through the many challenges we've faced throughout the planning and development processes, we were able to come out with a rather interesting solution. Our main accomplishment through Hack Your Tomorrow was to be able to have created a valuable application with some working models as well as to have developed a notable plan for the future. If fully implemented, enomi does have potential to impact the current social and ecological environments greatly. Thus, to have been able to create something that is able to address an important SDG as well serves as a great achievement for enomi's team.
What we learned
The main learning point was acknowledging the time it takes to develop and implement something that could make an impact. Adding several complex features within an extension seems to be ideal, though in reality there's many different factors that apply in the background. Being able to realize the effort and creativity required to face these global issues and solutions (SDG) is a valuable point to keep into the future. Anything, including enomi's developments, will take time and will require much more work, and so in light of our learning, we'll decide to take a more patient approach to implementation.
What's next for Enomi
In terms of the future for Enomi, there is hope to apply all the intially envisioned features into the extension for the full implemented experience. If successful in its use within the chrome browser for various types of clothes shopping, we hope to adapt a mobile application version that allows users to access the tracker at any point. Partnering with similar businesses that have already established standings for certain aspects, like the coupon searching for example, could provide a great support in development as well. With time, the prospects of success for enomi will be revealed.
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