Uni-Fit

swap sustainably - Home page
Most recent update of gallery (actual website)
Clothing Listing (actual website)
Cart (figma prototype)
Messaging feature (figma prototype)
Messaging Feature (figma prototype)

Inspiration

Our project, Uni-Fit, was inspired by the need for a sustainable and economical solution for student fashion. We noticed the environmental impact and the financial burden of constantly buying new clothes, especially for one-time events like proms or formal gatherings and events for students. The idea was to create a platform where students could easily sell, rent, or swap clothes within their specific school community, promoting sustainability, and reducing waste.

What it does

Uni-Fit is a web application designed for students to connect within their school or across nearby schools for the purpose of selling, renting, or swapping clothes. It encourages a sustainable approach to fashion, allowing users to find outfits for any occasion without the need to purchase new items. The app features school-specific galleries, communication channels for transactions, and filters for easy navigation and search.

How we built it

Our team, comprised of beginners in web development, built Uni-Fit using React for the frontend and Node.js for the backend. We used Figma for designing the app’s layout and interface, ensuring a user-friendly and appealing experience. The project development was coordinated through GitHub, allowing us to collaborate effectively and manage our codebase.

Challenges we ran into

As beginners, we faced several challenges throughout the development process. Learning to use GitHub was our first hurdle, especially understanding the concepts of committing, merging, and rebasing. We also struggled with implementing routing in React, which was crucial for navigating between different pages of the app. Another significant challenge was figuring out how to hide the login bar post-authentication and ensuring a seamless user experience. Being our first hackathon and project of this scale, these challenges were daunting but invaluable learning experiences.

Accomplishments that we're proud of

Despite the hurdles, we are incredibly proud of what we achieved with Uni-Fit. Not only did we develop a web application from scratch, but we also managed to incorporate all the intended features, such as school-specific galleries and a profile page. Successfully collaborating as a team and overcoming the steep learning curve of the technologies we used are accomplishments that bolster our confidence in tackling future projects.

What we learned

This project was a significant learning journey for us. We gained hands-on experience with React, Node.js, and Figma, understanding the intricacies of web development. The challenges of using GitHub for collaboration taught us important lessons in version control and team workflow. Additionally, we learned about the importance of user experience design and how to implement effective routing within a web application.

What's next for Uni-Fit

Looking ahead, we plan to refine Uni-Fit by incorporating feedback and employing a fully functional backend. We aim to expand our reach to more schools and introduce advanced features like AI-based recommendations and a more robust communication system for transactions. Our goal is to make Uni-Fit a go-to platform for sustainable fashion among students, further reducing the environmental impact of clothing consumption.