Paws Crew streetweard con propósito

Abstract

This thesis presents the development of the business model for Paws Crew, streetwear with purpose, which is aligned with the research line of the Faculty of Design at Universidad Santo Tomás, under the theme of Design, Identity, and Culture. It is an initiative approached from a strategic, creative, and social perspective that seeks to combine design with social responsibility, aiming to raise awareness, communicate, and encourage transformations in the realities of companion animals whose quality of life has been compromised Rooted in personal and emotional experiences with animals, the project members developed a shared sensitivity that motivated them to act on an issue that deeply concerns them: the abandonment and abuse of animals in Colombia. In their families, the adoption of dogs has been a common practice, leading to meaningful emotional bonds. These experiences inspired the creation of Paws Crew, a productive project conceived from the perspective of social responsibility in graphic design and visual communication. During their studies at Universidad Santo Tomás, the creators recognized the transformative potential of design. In courses such as Design and Society, Ecodesign, Visual Identity, and in the research-creation group Tramaje – Laboratory of Research and Creation in Fashion, they began to question the designer’s role in relation to social and environmental issues. As a result, they decided to create a brand that transcends commercial design: a visual proposal with ethical and cultural meaning. Paws Crew brings together graphic design, activism, and social entrepreneurship through products such as illustrated t-shirts, posters, stickers, bandanas, and other graphic objects that promote animal welfare, encourage responsible adoption, and foster empathy toward animals in vulnerable situations. Keywords: Animal welfare, animal abuse, entrepreneurship, design, social responsibility, fashion, activism.