Zero-waste fashion

Zero-waste fashion strategies can be categorized under two general approaches: pre-consumer zero-waste fashion, which eliminates waste during manufacture, and post-consumer zero-waste fashion, which generates clothing from existing materials such as second-hand clothing and elements or textiles made from other discarded consumer products. Historically, zero-waste designs have been utilised in folk clothing, including the kimono, sari, and chiton, among others.

Pre-consumer zero-waste fashion

Pre-consumer waste is created primarily by the fashion industry during the fibre, yarn, fabric, and garment manufacturing processes and includes unsuitable fibres, remnants, trimmings, cutoffs, and scraps of unsuitable quality. This waste consists of fibres, chemicals, dyes, and finishes that are ideal for recycling. Secondary pre-consumer waste consists of unsold finished stock of garments and other fabric items like curtains and bedding.

Zero-waste pattern design

In zero-waste pattern design, the designer creates a garment through the pattern-cutting process, working only within the space allotted by the fabric width. This approach directly influences the design of the final garment, as the pattern-cutting process is a primary design step. Alternatively, zero-waste manufacturing is an approach that aims to eliminate textile waste without modifying garment patterns. This approach allows garments and fabric to be fully used with no fabric wasted.

Gradable zero-waste apparel design

The Carrico Zero-waste Banded Grading technique is one proposed solution that utilises bands to cut patterns without wasting textiles. In this technique, carefully planned seam placements grow or shrink, allowing sizing of the clothing item up or down to create three different sizes of a garment. After conducting the study, they found that the technique was successful at creating one-piece or two-piece items. Some issues with this practice include the proportion of the differently sized garments and inconsistencies in seam allowances.

Differences from standard fashion production

A standard garment production process may begin with a drawing of the desired garment. A pattern is then generated to achieve this design, a marker is made to most efficiently use the fabric, and the pattern pieces are then cut from the cloth, sewn, packed, and distributed to retailers. Standard garment production generates an average of 15% textile waste.

Slow Fashion

Fast fashion is a system of seasons and microseasons, created by and at the retail stage, where certain clothes, designs and materials are advertised as being desirable for a short amount of time, at the end of which consumers are encouraged to abandon these and move on to buy other, more suitable clothes.

Slow fashion is seen as an antidote to fast fashion, and part of the larger slow movement culture, advocating for thoughtful manufacturing which is respectful of people, animals and the environment. Slow fashion encourages consumers to look at purchasing timeless garments and styles, believing that such items can last for years, rather than weeks, as well as only buying items which are needed. This reduction in demand can also lead to a reduction in transport costs, both financial and environmental.