The Pattern Pages

Look no waste!

WHAT IS ZERO WASTE SEWING?

Zero waste design is the process of making a garment without wasting fabric. The pattern is a series of pieces that fit together in a modular way (much like a jigsaw) to eliminate any spaces between them to minimise fabric being leftover. Shapely seams are replaced with straighter seams that allow pieces to lie next to one another. The challenge is to find new ways to add shape, ease, volume and fit!

WHY TRY TO DO IT?

Around 400 billion metres of fabric is made every year, and it’s reported that that about 15% is wasted in the cutting process, which adds up to 60 billion square metres. That’s a sobering thought isn’t it? This is just one of the many ways that the fashion industry negatively impacts the environment. To counter-balance these wasteful practices, a new movement known as zero-waste fashion has emerged to produce garments that produce little or no textile waste. Zero waste sewing

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