Zero Waste Patterns: 20 Projects to Sew Your Own Wardrobe

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Helen : Yeah, so many medieval European garments, including cotes, shirts, chemises and kirtles, were more zero waste in design. The South Asian sari is a modern-day zero waste garment with roots that go centuries into history. The Japanese kimono is a traditional garment that uses every bit of precious fabric. We want to note here that it’s so important to avoid appropriating the kimono and the sari. We mention them because they’re great examples of how different cultures have been doing zero waste for centuries uninterrupted. In the sewing community, we’ve had a history of appropriation in our language and in our design, you know, myself included. At Helen’s Closet, I have done this and since apologized for this, and it really needs to change. So we’d like to honor the fact that zero waste design has been a part of many cultures’ clothing design and construction for centuries without advocating that people from outside of those cultures appropriate those garments and those words. The resulting garments are versatile items of clothing that flatter a multitude of body shapes without generating any textile wastage. At the end of the day a lot of the zero waste patterns give you a very modular design of garment once sewn, but with minimal waste or no waste of fabric whatsoever. Do zero-waste patterns use more fabric than regular patterns? This is something often heard, and fabric yield is a subject that’s been discussed at length. Should we be trying to use less fabric? Certainly, historic zero-waste patterns (for example, kimonos, caftans, the main part of saris, etc.) aren’t necessarily economical on fabric; many are voluminous and showcase fabulous textiles, displaying the skill of the weaver. With modern zero-waste patterns, the results vary. My own experience reveals that most are very economical on fabric, some with significant savings of up to 25 percent or more, giving a very compelling reason for pursuing zero waste in the fashion industry.

All clothing is made in Tunisia by Yousstex International, an ethical manufacturer that uses innovative eco-friendly production methods. Between XS-XXL sizes, garments designed for all bodies and all gender identities, and a diverse range of models, zero waste daniel may be zero waste, but the brand is ALL inclusive.The zero waste fashion brand works with several small manufacturing partners, most of which are located in Downtown Los Angeles. I blush when I think about how much waste I’ve created in my career. Typically, there’s 15 percent fabric waste in clothing manufacturing, but sometimes there’s more. Designs with fewer large pattern pieces tend to create more waste because there are fewer little pieces to fill in the gaps. Larger sizes also create more waste for the same reason. The responsibility to dispose of the fabric scraps belongs to the factory, not the brand they’re making for. Most fabric waste ends up in landfills, some are burned, and a little is recycled. Worldwide, there are millions of square meters of fabric being wasted daily. Additionally, it’s estimated that 60 percent of the waste is synthetic (that is, forms of plastic). Patternmaking Considerations The perfect small challenge’ ... Made My Wardrobe’s Lydia Higginson says a callout for face masks last year inspired many dormant sewists. Photograph: Dan Higginson

Helen : Yes, that’s true. I thought of something else that I think might come up when you’re working with zero waste patterns is that sometimes they may require more yardage than a regular pattern does, like, especially, you know, for, like, a full jumpsuit or a dress or something. Maybe the yardage requirement is, you know, five or six meters versus like three meters might be what you’re used to making a dress pattern, you know, from an indie pattern designer or something like that. So it’s not a bad thing, obviously, you know, you’re using every inch of that fabric. So it’s all being very well used, but you could use three meters instead and then use the scraps to make masks or kids’ clothes or other scrap busting projects. So if that’s more your style, there can be benefits to that as well. Helen : Yeah, Danielle Elsiner has a free pattern for zero waste scrubs that is graded from an XS-2X. That’s awesome. All fabrics bear OEKO-TEX certification and feature bluesign® approved dyes—not to mention we’ve tested them and find them suuuuper comfy! Zero waste fashion should be accessible and available to everyone. Whilst there’s still room for improvement, an increasing number of brands are offering more inclusive sizing. Zero waste stops fabric entering landfill, but as Helen has said in the comments it’s all going end up in landfill eventually whether its as scraps or worn-out garment.Malaika works with Kopenhag Studio in Izmir, Turkey, where a sustainable production process and a safe and healthy work environment are top priorities. 100% of textile waste is reused or recycled. After scrutinizing probable factors contributing to wastage of fabric during the construction of fashion garments, it came to the forefront that fabric waste is contemplated only at the marker planning and making stage in the manufacturing process. At this stage, the garment design is already unalterable; it cannot be modified. If the objective is to eliminate wa As before, this isn’t a simple question to answer. The reality is that many clothing factories are already producing “regular” patterns in a minimal waste manner as it reduces overheads, so you could be wearing a minimal waste garment from the high street already. Berlin-based Anekdot turns high-quality waste fabrics into beautiful lingerie, loungewear, and swimwear. Helen : Yeah, I think this is super important to note. I mean, it reminds me of, like, when you shop for ready to wear, and sometimes things are “one size fits all.” And I just always laugh when I see that tag. I mean, even on things, like, as simple as a hat, “one size fits all” is certainly not gonna fit everybody, right? But I do think that there are ways to get around this, especially if you’re interested in designing your own zero waste patterns because the principles are the same. You just need to apply them to make sure that the garment is fitting your specific body. Or maybe you can tweak a zero waste pattern that’s out there already and piece things together to make some adjustments to make it work for you. Obviously, it’s not ideal, and hopefully, we’ll see more zero waste sewing pattern designers coming out with patterns with more groups of sizing so that more people can be included.