Though that may be the most commonly asked question in relation to the clothes we wear, I believe another question is far more important. If one wishes to understand the broader impact of what we wear, ask this question: How many hands were active in processing the fiber, weaving or knitting the cloth, sewing the garment? At each stage of production, the care and use of the garment carries the potential risk to people and planet. Figure 1 shows a circular model of the fashion system.

The circular economy focuses on how to maximize the processes collectively, decoupling economic activity from the growth mindset ( earth logic) and consumption of finite resources, and secure as low environmental impact as possible. It implies intentionally designed systems where products are linked to materials cycles and designed for disassembly and re-purposing (EMF, 2017). The circular model of fashion includes a vision of a new textiles economy is, in principle,restorative and regenerative by design.

This leads me to a third guiding question: What's Next? This questioned posed by William Mcdonough in his book The Upcycle pivots our though about fashion and apparel from frivolous and linear to perennial cycles of nutrient and to the aspiration that like, in nature, there is no waste.

My ongoing research exploring methods for re-establishing the integral relationship between natural processes and human activity certainly coincides with circularity's general premise. I am sharing some examples below.

Resources:

Ellen MacArthur Foundation, (2017). A new textiles economy: Redesigning fashion’s future,

http://www.ellenmacarthurfoundation.org/publications)

Fletcher,K., Tham, M. (2017) Earth Logic. http://earthlogic.info/

The W=FT initiative is an design collaboration aimed at determining post-market manufacturing opportunities that re-define the textile waste stream (i.e. deadstock textile and post-consumer garments) as a value stream. The research/discovery team specifically focused on fast-fashion “fancy” polyester crepe blend, while designed with “luxe” appeal, this blended textile is extremely problematic and difficult to recycle. This fabric holds little value in secondary markets in its current iteration, and is, according to prior research, the primary material surrendered to thrift stores (Clarke-Sather, 2016). McDonough and Braungart (2000) propose the cradle to cradle concept, suggesting that one organism's waste is food for another cycle. Nutrients and energy flow perpetually in closed-loop cycles of growth, decay and rebirth. The W=FT (waste = food) Initiative is an ongoing partnership between an academic design researcher and a small textile company. The small enterprise functions as a B2C e-commerce market. The company is unique in that it primarily functions as direct to consumer via Instagram, with over 17,000 followers. The design challenge for W=FT # 001: Tufted was to (1) develop systems of processing W=FT materials, retrofit or re-develop machinery that can develop W=FT product and post-market (2) W=FT textile yardage (3) textile product artifact with a focus on redefining waste as value.

You can find the case study here.

Cobb K. & Eads T., (2019) “W=FT # 001: Tufted. Discovery Research and Development of Post-market Textile Products”, International Textile and Apparel Association Annual Conference Proceedings 76(1). doi: https://doi.org/10.31274/itaa.8793

References

Clarke-Sather, A., (2016) Community Engagement in Two Fashion Merchandising and Apparel Design Curriculum Courses to Motivate Students to Learn about Sustainability Concepts.

International Textile and Apparel Association (ITAA) Annual Conference Proceedings. 20.

McDonough, W., & Braungart, M. (2002). Cradle to cradle: Remaking the way we make things. New York: North Point Press.

McDonough, W., & Braungart, M. (2013). The upcycle.