What are some examples of sustainable design solutions for the fashion industry?

Circularity or the concept of circular economy applies here. There is a need to evaluate where waste is created all across the fashion value chain even from the early stages of design as this would save up a lot issues thinking about what to do with all the leftover fabric. Even better still, design with recycled fabrics in mind. In Malaysia, we have ran a Sustainable Fashion fellowship (under MyFCA) to embed such concepts into the design. Happy to connect and share some of the lessons there! #sustainablefashion

There are multiple challenges to applying zero waste patterns especially when making garments from woven fabrics. 1. Hiding excess fabrics in seams can make the overall garment bulkier. It will take up more space and energy to transport. 2. Tailored and formfitting looks are hard to achieve. 3. The width of the fabric dictates design of the garment and patterns. Zero waste patterns on flat knits are much more achievable.

Throughout the complex textile process, different wastes are produced, ranging from fibers, yarns, pieces of cuttings from the manufacturing process or leftovers from printing pastes, which have a high concentration of dyes, thickeners and other auxiliaries. At all stages, processes and even machinery are being designed to minimize these wastes. A very interesting example, as it is very complete, is the software that, in addition to the perfect calculation of consumption, even allows the visualization of the garments in 3D, avoiding physical samples, reducing material and shipping from one place to another. Even favoring the use of these images on a website to encourage on-demand production.

Design for circularity includes a systems-thinking approach where every aspect of the apparel design including the supply chain includes resource efficiency. Pre and post-consumer wastage prevention requires innovation in various processes including material selection, mood boards, dyes, patterns, swatches, etc

An example of how our team approaches zero-waste or low-waste design is by designing in such a way that fabric scraps are minimal. Of course, depending on the brand and the end use of the garment, this isn’t always achievable. In cases where there will be waste, designers can use the leftover fabric from one style as a trim component on another style. Not only does this help reduce waste, but it can also be a powerful design decision to ensure that the assortment looks cohesive and that customers can easily create head to toe outfits that look intentionally designed to coordinate.

We have an absolute glut of wool on the market such that it is worth almost nothing. Why aren't we revelling in that? It has amazing properties, is completely natural and a waste by-product of what we already use. That's how we develop circularity- take waste & turn it into something valuable that can then be used to create anew when that initial product's lifespan has run its course. It's the same with leather. It's incredibly durable and given we eat meat, it is a by-product. If the cow is properly raised and grazed, then the cow can live a happy life and will actually improve soil, increase fertility and biodiversity, and provide milk & meat its whole life. This should be seen as really good - unless you have invested in Beyond Meat.

Be careful with the use of terms like "natural", "organic" or "biodegradable". Firstly, these terms can be banned under specific regulations, as they can be too vague or need specific certifications so you can use them. For example, in California, you cannot claim Biodegradable packaging. This term can encourage littering and it requires precise conditions and timeframe. Secondly, a better material's origin or feedstock does not necessarily mean better end-of-life or closed-loop circularity options.

It is important to remember that what started out as natural or organic may have been treated with chemicals to make it more durable and these may be more harmful than you think. Beyond the basic material choices, it is important to consider dyes, processing and finishing chemistries.

Eric Henry @ TS Designs in #NorthCarolina creates clothing from #organic #cotton using walnuts and other #natural materials as dyes. All locally grown! ?? Select clothes, mattresses and bedding featuring the Global Organic Textile Standard gGmbH (GOTS) #certification (Lori Wyman) Our organic latex bed and cotton sheets have it. ?? Try sustainably and responsibly sourced #wool clothing from Ibex Outdoor Clothing. It’s hip! Wool has come a long way: itchy no more. Phenomenally versatile. Warming/cooling as need be. Water repellent, moisture wicking, antimicrobial and flame resistant. All Naturally! No toxic #PFAS. Maintains its quality and appearance over time.

Strategies may include using organic and recycled materials, reducing water and energy consumption, implementing ethical production practices, and promoting circular fashion by encouraging recycling and upcycling of clothing items. Brands can also focus on creating timeless designs to reduce the demand for fast fashion and emphasize durability and quality.

Upcycling and recycling are key components for end of use/life of textles but remember that the waste heirarchy applies here. Start by reducing the use of materials, then reuse and, only at the end, recycle.

One of the key pillars we established in our Circularity Gap Report 2023 is the idea of reusing products and materials. Reusing materials at their highest value maximises the volume of secondary materials re-entering the economy, ultimately minimising the need for virgin material input. But at its core, the fashion industry has to focus on design for durability and repairability, extending the lifespan of materials, components and products.

Upcycling is an opportunity to re-imagine the design journey, from a sustainability perspective. It is different from it's companion, recycling as it offers the opportunity to re-work aspects of products and designs into a new collection. Recycling takes the materials deeper into the waste journey, by extracting them out of their current state in the lifecycle, to potentially re-use the materials in an alternative form or supply chain process. Both upcycling and recycling are best practiced from a low impact perspective when they are input into the initial design process, at the concept point, as they are more difficult to action following the development of a product.

Closed-loop recycling is the target. For example, a plastic bottle is recycled into another plastic bottle. Recycling PET bottles into Polyester yarn is not closed-loop recycling. Doing so breaks the loop, which is called downcycling (as opposed to upcycling). Today, most recycling processes are downcycling, meaning you don't recycle one item into the same item. In the fashion industry, for example, most recycled clothes don't become new clothes but are most likely insulation material.

At Morph, we work to upcycle materials that would otherwise become waste from manufacturing. Our aim is to have as large of an impact as we can directly, via the resources we reclaim. We're also working to raise awareness, educate, and advocate for beneficial change beyond our work, in looking to compound the effects of our work. We should all look to reduce the generation of waste wherever we can. By transforming waste into something useful, we can reduce the need for products made from virgin resources.

Ethical practices go beyond fair trade. Businesses should work with True Pricing and integrate it into their business model. This could be one element of limiting overconsumption as product prices will go up. It starts with identifying the full value chain, not only direct suppliers.

Since Ancient Roman times mortar with added fibers helped to achieve stronger, more durable, structure. Grinded glass, plastic, steel, rubber can act as a fiber in the cement paste. Fibers can also help towards utilizing innovative fiber reinforcement (FRP) rods. Non-corrosive rods are not widely used in construction due to their low Young’s modulus compared to steel. Recycled fibers like a family can support FRP in structural elements. Someone’s waste in this case can strengthen and prolong the lifetime of the building. Upcycling and recycling not only extend lifetime, but also opens an opportunity for creativity and research. New styles of fashion emerge and research in the field of recycled materials continue growing.

Supply chain transparency is pivotal in eco-ethics for several reasons: Consumers are becoming more aware of the ecological implications of their purchases. They seek insights into the origins of products and the eco-friendliness of processes involved. Supply chain transparency meets this demand, empowering consumers to make informed choices. Many jurisdictions have implemented regulations that mandate businesses to disclose supply chain practices. Transparency serves as a means of complying with regulations, aiding businesses in avoiding penalties and upholding their reputations. Transparent supply chains can equip businesses with the ability to pinpoint and rectify inefficiencies, reduce wastage, and improve their environmental impact.

Social responsibility is increasingly a factor when designing collections that are not simply beautiful, on trend, or even better for the environment, but also have the value of being made by people who are earning a fair wage, in conditions that consumers can feel good about. Organizations like BSR's Her Project, Textile Exchange, the Sustainable Apparel Coalition and many others work to monitor these conditions to ensure that human and labor rights are being upheld in factory settings. They also work with brands to understand how to promote more ethical practices across their supply chains. Designing a collection that has been created with ethical and fair trade practices is powerful to support overall ESG across the business of fashion.

DEI and Human rights are core components of the value chain when ESG is considered in the sustainability strategy. The social component in the corporate responsibility must be addressed as a critical element in the sustainable fashion design. While progress has been made, there is not enough transparency when disclosing labour conditions, modern slavery and fair wages. More transparency and accountability is needed.

The shared economy doesn't make sense for fast fashion. The durability is just not there. However, this does make sense for luxury items which tend to be made with higher quality and are often not used or worn as much. Think: wedding dresses, high-end accessories like handbags, and designer jewellery. Here, the shared economy may look like rental models where consumers can use these items for special events and send back to be reused.

The element of circularity should be the norm in the green fashion design. Circularity is the most efficient way to prevent over exploitation, waste and pollution. However, we understand the implications of circularity in the business model and profitability. A holistic approach is needed, and private-public partnerships if we want to address this issue.

A circular economy in the fashion industry hinges on high-quality, long-lasting clothing. This relies on consumers making the commitment to purchase well-made clothing from the start. Changing the value base of a generation that has grown up on fast-fashion and ever-changing trends may be challenging but critical to enhancing the circular and shared economy in fashion.

Embracing hand-me-down clothing is a choice that can significantly benefit the environment. By wearing secondhand clothes, you are not contributing to the demand for new clothing production. Choosing hand-me-downs reduces the need for new clothing, thereby decreasing the environmental impact associated with the production process. Extending the life of clothing items by passing them on to others reduces the consumption of raw materials. This conservation of resources helps to minimize the environmental strain caused by resource extraction and manufacturing.

Quality needs to be the starting point. Over the past decades, materials, stitching and a focus on longevity of garments has gone drastically downhill. Consumers should be incentivised to shift thinking from short-term trends to long-term style. Pieces that are versatile, timeless and high quality should be the norm. Buy less, wear more and purchase natural fibres that don't harm the planet as much compared to fossil-fuel derived fibres. These pieces also make for a far healthier after-sale ecosystem, where now fast fashion is outsizing vintage that used to truly last.

Sustainable solutions for the fashion industry - 1. Refuse fast fashion - org need to let go of multiple clothing seasons (52) while designing for longterm usage 2. Rethink textile and fabric production processes for resource efficiency, ethical working and fair trade 3. Reduce usage of synthetic materials including downcycling types of Plastic into yarn and making hybrid materials. Apart from fabric, even embellishments, buttons, accessories need to be of regenerative materials. Also design garments to reduce production wastage 4. Design for Reuse, Repair & Refurbishing of garments 5. Establish reverse logistics to repurpose & recycle pre & post consumer wastage. 6. Recover post-consumer waste for downcycling & alternative fibre use.

Sustainable design solutions, leveraging only natural or waste-derived inputs, can have a greater impact when combined with an integrated manufacturing strategy. Digital/on-demand manufacturing methods like 3D knitting, weaving, dyeing, and printing platforms can eradicate the need for excessive inventory while reducing production waste and overall resource consumption. Coupled with digital fashion tools, these processes can empower end-users to co-create distinct designs, ensuring superior fit and outcomes and sometimes even bypassing physical production altogether. Such an automated, localized, thoughtful approach can enhance customer experiences and foster long-lasting relationships with products, all while celebrating individual styles.

All solutions need to embed a Digital Product Passport world’s first washable RFiD THREADS? to continuously add new data + unique QR Codes CIRCAA app is a bridge to Supply Chain Management systems, then switched off to be open source for resource recovery providers. Uses commercial UHF scanner; affordable hand-held readers, fixed systems, IoT, robotics to read + add new data. Designed for Product Stewardship Scheme to enable interconnected efficient circular B2B partnerships. Empowers brands to connect to the “R” sector to provide circular solutions, collect LCA data & deliver real-time reporting. Unprecedented lifecycle metrics to isolate supply chain hot-spots, enable changes that result in verifiable environmental impact & compliance

The inputs that have been hightlighted refer to the way we produce (where does it come from, how we do produce), we consume it and we should add to this value chain new intangible elements that are playing today a big role. WHY we do consume and WHEN and for WHICH REASON. In current times, as everything evolves so fast, we are stuck in old models and indicators meanwhile young generations speak, eat and consume differently. EDUCATION is a critical role that ANY brand should play. Young generations have their own parameters and quickly detect if a brand really talks for profit purpose or for "acting for good".

I’m a huge advocate of circularity and designing in ways that ensure garments can be reused, recycled or repaired. But just as important is minimising how much you’re making in the first place. Employing manufacturing models like ‘made to order’ or ‘print on demand’ drastically reduces the risk of waste stock because you’re only making what your consumers have committed to buy.