Zero Waste Fashion Design

Approximately 15 per cent of the fabric used to make the average garment does not end up in the garment. Instead, it is left behind as off-cut waste. In light of the billions of garments globally produced each year, this amounts to a considerable mountain of textile waste. Zero waste fashion design is an approach that eliminates this waste before it is created, by incorporating pattern cutting into the design process.

Zero Waste Fashion Design features examples of historical and contemporary garments that have been created through zero waste fashion design. Where applicable, connections are made between historical and contemporary garments to show that while styles may change over time, design strategies do not date. Both authors present their individual design processes in detail, bringing the processes to life through extensive colour visuals. Together, they make the point that there is no one 'correct' or fixed approach to zero waste fashion design. Rather, fashion designers are encouraged to discover their own techniques that make the most of their own strengths. Nonetheless, successful design strategies employed by both authors are shared, as there is evidence that such strategies can be adopted and modified by other designers. Zero Waste FashionDesign makes it clear that, through practice over time, anybody can excel at zero waste fashion design.

Timo Rissanen is Assistant Professor of Fashion Design and Sustainability at Parsons The New School for Design, NY, USA.

Holly McQuillan is a Senior Lecturer in Design at the College of Creative Arts at Massey University, New Zealand.