Mass consumption is a contemporary phenomenon that causes huge impact on both people’s life and the environment. More than 80 per cent of the goods we consume end up in the bin almost immediately. Dealing with waste responsibly emerged as a major issue with the rising of Industrial Revolution and it is becoming an even bigger problem with the inappropriate materials which manufacturing use for production.The whole scheme of the industry goes in the wrong direction and instead of improving our lifestyle, we slowly but surely approach self-destruction.
PackYourself is a design concept that tries to improve the processes of design development, sourcing and manufacturing altogether within the field of fashion. Following the ‘cradle-to-cradle’ framework, it gives a proposal that covers few important steps leading to an eco-effective production line:
Materials:
_Biodegradable – locally produced, natural and organic including few alternative sources (e.g. corn starch, milk protein, paper textile, etc.);
_Recyclable – considering the textile waste that already exists; A precise selection of yarns which the ‘reinforcement’ process chosen reduces the harmful impact on the environment (e.g. producing polyester without the use of antimony);
Garment:
_Main inspiration is the packaging – a metaphor of our ignorant consumerism; the idea was to create simple, yet functional garment with minimalistic appearance. The shape and the silhouette are transformable which makes it universal and unisex piece of clothing. The pattern is a starting point of developing a whole range of products;
Manufacture:
_Fabric and garment production is local and it depends on the flora and fauna of a certain region as well as the country’s economy. This is also reflected in the colour palette, texture and appearance in general. The garment is designed to have no waste fabric at all – it consists of three square pieces that fit standard fabric dimensions;
Consumer:
_Plays important part of the cycle. When the garment is worn out, one needs to disassemble it and toss the pieces into specially designed bins. The biodegradable materials go straight to the field where the plants are cultivated for enriching the soil and the recyclable ones take part of the reinforcement process;
Benefits:
_Eliminating pre- and post-consumer waste;
_Reducing the impact on the environment;
_Reducing the economical dependence in terms of sourcing raw materials and consumer goods;
_Reducing transport expenses;
Prototype made of corn starch polyester and 100% cotton
