Enhancing Sustainability through Data Visualization: Clothes Waste Management in Malaysia

Excessive purchases of clothing or textiles, notwithstanding their continued usability, resulted in overconsumption and a subsequent accumulation of waste. Due to lack of awareness on sustainable usage and disposal practices, the improper disposal of clothing has emerged as a major issue globally. The accumulation of discarded clothing has been steadily increasing, with the majority of it being deposited in landfills. Furthermore, a notable concern was the absence of data visualization pertaining to the management of clothing waste in Malaysia. Thus, this study aims to develop a dashboard that utilizes data visualization to enhance people's understanding of clothing waste management in Malaysia. By employing data analytics to provide visual representations, users of the dashboard may enhance their awareness of clothing waste and make more informed choices regarding its management. The dynamic filtering features of the dashboard enabled users to explore the data in greater depth, leading to enhanced insights. In addition, the dashboard also offers educational information on clothing waste, thereby increasing awareness and understanding of the problem. Usability testing has verified that KeepCloth is a dashboard that is easy for users to navigate and utilize. A recommendation was given to enhance the accuracy of data insights and reduce bias by acquiring primary information or datasets on clothing waste in Malaysia. The dashboard's potential was recognized, along with a recommendation for improving it.