Sustainability Statement

This capstone project will be on free-flowing, value-orientated designs with a focus on sustainability. Aims for this idea is to address the waste in the industry, especially on one-off garments as well as reflecting on the values incorporated to the products in relation to the environment, people and connection. This will be emphasising the strive for sustainability in the fashion industry and the weight on value to mitigate the current overproduction and overconsumption behaviour. 

The project name is Clowwd and this is inspired by the organic shapes and formations of nature’s clouds. My designs will reflect the transient nature of this phenomenon with garments all one-of-a-kind, celebrating each one’s organic perfect imperfections. All the materials will be natural either from responsible yarn mills or reclaimed natural fibres from second hand garments. The collection will be focused on knitwear and crochet with designs that reinforce the beauty of being temporary. The ethereal nature of the designs and fragility of the materials will support this concept of having a built-in expiry date, putting emphasis on the personal and environmental values to each garment to create a deeper connection between the owner and the piece itself.

A zero-waste model is what the project is built upon. Since the pieces are knitted without excess off-cuts, there is little waste within the production of the garments. The fabrics are knitted to patterns leaving no waste besides from excess thread for sewing the pieces together. In terms of the loose ends and left over yarn, they will be used to create little keychain accessories to go with the garments. It will use the technique of crochet and the stuffing will be from the excess yarn threads. 

There are always more opportunities to progress towards a more sustainable and ethical fashion practice. Currently, the sourcing of natural virgin yarn materials are limited to transparency and price point. Some yarn mills such as the Bendigo Woollen Mill are a great source of local Australian yarn, however in some areas of the production process they ship their materials to China for processing. This increases the carbon footprint of the materials that are used and does not align with sustainable values. Price point has been a difficult aspect as well since sustainable and ethical products come at a cost, however, I try to find alternatives that align most with my values. At the end of the day it is about being aware of aspects that need improvement and being responsible throughout the supply-chain.