The future is trashion

The unlikely blend of trash and fashion has been gaining traction of late, as the world becomes more environmentally conscious

The clientele is now giving priority to responsible buying. They are looking for products which are reusable. Sustainability is a factor that they

Dutch fashion house

Viktor & Rolf Snoeren repurposed their leftover clothing and materials into new

pieces based on their older designs

The fashion industry is among the most environmentally damaging. Every year, millions of tonnes of clothing end up in the bin. But some designers have been working to ensure that the damage is minimised. There is a growing band of visionaries — young designers — who turn this waste into brilliant fashion by finding ingenious ways to give discarded items a second life.

PATCHING UP

“Trashion is a fashion philosophy that combines environmentalism with innovation,” says designer Kunal Rawal. “Our consumers and the industry are shifting focus to sustainability, conscious consumption, and most of all, hand-made, local, and oneof-a-kind of pieces. We have incorporated a zerowaste pattern cutting process to minimise wastage and we use the surplus bits for patchwork,” he explains.

Some

— VARUN CHAKKILAM,

fashion designer

are upcycling their garments with patchwork. Dutch fashion house Viktor & Rolf has used fabrics leftover from past seasons to create haute-couture garments. They have also turned the sample swatches sent to them by suppliers over the years to good use as patchwork components.

RE-DESIGN AND RE-USE

Fashion as we know it is changing. Consumers are becoming more aware of the negative implications of the industry and brands are facing increasing scrutiny over their environmental impact. “There is a lot of awareness about the need to upcycle and reuse. As industries improve and science takes over, recyclable clothes will become mainstream,” feels designer Pallavi Singhee, founder of Verb. Designer Jayati Goenka is of the opinion that, for the trashion trend to really make an impact, the wider fashion market needs to participate in the initiative. “The textiles we wear are made from precious natural resources which makes a massive environmental impact. The majority of our clothes are made of plastic-based materials, which shed microfibres into waterways and endanger human health and the ecosystems,” Jayati notes.

“We have been working on upcycling the rejects and the leftovers by repairing the flaws in the garments or fabrics and enhancing them with various traditional

handwork techniques like Japanese sashiko and Bagru block-printing. The aim is to redefine and re-design,” Jayati adds.

There is a lot of awareness about the need to upcycle and reuse. As industries improve and science takes over, recyclable clothes will become mainstream labels

Even before hitting the store shelves, the waste begins — about 20 to 30% of fabrics are discarded in the piece cutting process. Even the most efficient garment factories, which feature automated processes, can’t lose less than 10%. The fashion industry, and its waste, are a problem that must be addressed

A creation from sustainable fashionhouse Phirki —Pallavi Singhee, designer and founder of Verb

— EVELYN SHARMA, founder, Seams For Dreams, which is working globally to create awareness about the harmful effects of our fashion hoarding behaviour

Meghan Markle in one of her recent outings wore shoes made out of plastic bottles

are now looking into