Zero Waste Design: New Curriculum Of Vanguard Fashion Institute (Map)

Compared with many places, America's zero waste voice is relatively small.

The pioneers of zero waste design come from other countries, including Mark Liu, Julian Roberts and Zandra Rhodes in the United Kingdom, Susan Dimasi and Chantal Kirby in Australia, McQuillan in New Zealand, and in New York, but born in Malaysia.

Finland designer Rissanen teaches at Parsons and teaches zero waste courses.

The new course teacher also has Scott Mackinlay Hahn, who is the founder of Loomstate, an organic fashion brand.

The goal of the course is to create zero waste jeans as much as possible and keep them beautiful at the same time.

This job is not easy.

Rissanen is a Ph.D. from Sydney Technical University. Before that, he had his own menswear brand Usvsu.

"Basically, I had to learn the design again," he said.

The first year and a half were basically repeated experiments.

There are many mistakes, but this is the process of learning.

One way to reduce wastage is to create patterns of clothing, just like jigsaw puzzle.

These designers have their own tailoring techniques.

Another way is to cut the fabric directly instead of sewing it directly on the model.

However, these technologies are not suitable for mass production.

This is partly due to cost and equipment.

For example, a commercial line requires a denim width of 60 inches.

To change this dimension, we must redesign the production line.

The original design of environmental protection is to save costs, so that it will cost a lot.

Although fashion schools like Parsons tell students that sustainability is the core of the creative process, brands and retailers are unable to change the production line.

Only WAL-MART lock shops like WAL-MART can do that.

They told suppliers that they only need energy saving lights (75% of electricity compared to incandescent lamps).

In addition, they are concerned about laundry detergent (which can save 50% of water).

In 2008, they formulated a long-term zero waste target.

But achieving this goal is a long way to go.

"Jeans are the most wasteful and most polluted clothing," says Collins of Parsons.

It includes not only the last useless fabric, but also dyeing, washing, pportation, packaging, and water for consumers to wash pants.

Because almost everyone has a pair of jeans in the wardrobe.

Students are going to study how to change jeans production methods and ways, including finding fiber without chemical fertilizers and pesticide pollution, including understanding the frequency of consumers washing jeans.

The best design will be sold in New York next spring in Barneys.

What they want to prove to big companies is that they can make money without waste.

Rissanen made an experiment in Parsons to reassemble the classic five Pocket Jeans to see how to save fabric -- or to reduce pockets, or to add details to the side seam.

Another way is to decorate the clothes with cloth heads and make them look like flowers.

The extra fabric can also make something new.

For example, American Apparel, using extra fabric to make accessories and underwear.

But Rissanen says the challenge of zero waste is to design from a functional perspective.

On the other hand, zero waste is nothing new.

Historically, consumers have done something similar.

For example, women in wartime will turn their old clothes into new ones.

Knitting and sewing quilts can also be regarded as a waste of effort.

As part of the course, Parsons students may also advocate that consumers use less detergent powder and wash them in cold water.

Collins said, "we believe in great design.

But we don't believe in waste. "