Production

New technologies are developing rapidly. Who knows, some of them might replace or complement your traditional production processes, thereby reducing your ecological footprint.

After all, new technologies might need less energy, water or chemicals, or allow you to skip certain harmful steps altogether (like transportation). They may facilitate local production, or enable smaller editions. Perhaps it’s even possible to work on demand, which is the golden rule to avoid surplus.

Some techniques that are already quite common:

• Digital printing/finishing 
  While conventional printing techniques involve large quantities of chemicals and dyes, digital printing can do without those. What’s more, traditional industrial rotation techniques require test print sheets to get everything right, and these imperfect pre-printings can get up to twenty meters. So what’s to gain from digital printing? A few crystal-clear facts:
  • energy use: - 60%
  • water use: - 80%
  • ink use: - 90%
  • color use: - 90%
     
• Laser cutting 
  Laser cutting is exactly what it says, namely using a laser rather than a blade to cut into a surface. The benefits include a cleaner, more accurate cut, as well as a higher quality finish.
   
• Digital 3D samples
  Designers, pattern designers and manufacturers can use 3D virtual prototyping to reduce the number of physical samples. This has its advantages in terms of speed (you can make on-the-spot decisions and instant changes) and it helps reduce waste. Hugo Boss and Tommy Hilfiger already use 3D sampling.
   
• Artificial intelligence (AI)
  More and more companies use AI to enhance the customer experience. They analyze the enormous amounts of data that can be gathered from social media, e-commerce and smartphone feeds to anticipate purchasing decisions. This allows them to avoid overproduction. The smart mirror and virtual dressing room are other interesting new technologies that could help reduce your fashion footprint.
   
• Blockchain
  Increasing transparency is key in a more sustainable fashion industry, and blockchain can help to make that happen – from fabric choice to end product. The Belgian company quiFACTum is on a mission to make fashion chains more transparent through blockchain.

Would you like to stay up to date on technological developments? Make sure to join the ‘FashionTech works’ Facebook group. You will find like-minded souls there, as well as interesting cases from Belgium and the rest of the world.

Finally, the book ‘Technology-Driven Sustainability: Innovation in the Fashion Supply Chain’ was inspired by the Close the Loop framework. Head to Google Books to read a part of the chapter ‘Opening New Opportunities to Close the Loop: How Technology Influences the Circular Economy’, written by Nina Bürklin and Jasmien Wynants.

Which is the most sustainable option? An Asian factory whose employees cycle to work and whose machinery is solar-powered? Or a European factory that needs air conditioning and that makes no use of renewable energy sources?

Questions like these show that black-and-white thinking gets us nowhere in the whole sustainability debate. A European manufacturer is not necessarily better than an Asian one, for instance. ‘Local production’ only means ‘European production’ for Europeans. It’s about creating as many short chains as possible. For an Indian designer, then, a manufacturer in or close to India will be the best option.

Bringing production and consumption closer together has several advantages:

• logistically (shorter distances)
• communication-wise (efficiency and fewer misunderstandings)
• in terms of closing the loop (e.g. reusing clothes will be easier if they can find their way back into production in the same country)

Moreover, keep in mind that local production has a direct and tangible result: the consumer pays for the impact of his or her shopping behavior.

THE BENEFITS OF LOCAL VERSUS OFFSHORE PRODUCTION 

Clothing is often produced in faraway destinations like India or China. This does not necessarily make for better products; the cost of labor is just much lower in these countries. Moreover, their (environmental) legislation is often weak or even next to nonexistent.

The other side of the coin (which is often ignored) is that the logistics of the entire system depend on the supply of fossil fuels. Local production would save a lot of oil due to shorter transportation distances.

In addition, local production would make us better suited to cope with possible interruptions in the global distribution chain (be it due to war, economic sanctions, political troubles, a pandemic or other difficulties).
Next to environmental considerations, there are also economic factors at stake: local production generates jobs. Moreover, this means that it would be much harder to turn a blind eye on possible social and economic wrongs in the production process.

PRICE TAG

The obvious downside is that products that are made here often come with a hefty price tag. Minimum wages in Belgium are fifty times higher than in, say, Bangladesh.

At the moment it’s impossible for local (mass) production to economically compete with the global production system, which can always deliver cheaper, despite greater distances.

For smaller collections, however, the benefits of local production can outweigh the risks and costs of worldwide transportation and the accompanying difficulties in communication.

GET INSPIRED BY THESE INITIATIVES 

• Fibershed is a beautiful example of a community-supported production project. Founder Rebecca Burgess established this textile community in 2010, when she took up the year-long challenge to wear only clothing produced within 240 kilometers from where she was based.
• Makers Row, in turn, helps designers to connect with local manufacturers.

Zero-waste production, of which zero-waste design is part and parcel, is a holistic approach aimed at avoiding textile waste throughout the production process.

All through production, waste comes in two shapes:

• waste of resources, water, energy and an excessive use of chemicals
• waste of efficiency: a loss margin of up to 20% is not exactly peanuts.

To bypass these negative effects, you can put the cut-offs to good use, but top of the list is of course avoiding waste in the first place.

SO MANY ZEROES

ZERO-WASTE PATTERN CUTTING 

After a pattern has been cut, the fabric that is left over is often mercilessly discarded. Thus, on average 10 to 20% of the fabric ends up in the waste bin. This scenario can be avoided by working with a zero-waste design that translates into a zero-waste pattern. Holly McQuillan is an important source of inspiration in this regard. Her platform offers information on zero-waste design.

ZERO-WASTE PROTOTYPING

Designers, pattern designers and manufacturers can use 3D virtual prototyping to show their collection, rather than working with the usual physical samples. This has its advantages in terms of speed (you can make on-the-spot decisions and instant changes), efficiency (100% instead of 20% go-to-market) as well as leading to less waste.

ZERO-WASTE KNITTING AND WEAVING 

Knitting and weaving are techniques that produce less waste because there is no pattern cutting involved. The best-known examples of these zero-waste techniques are undoubtedly the Adidas PRIMEKNIT sneakers and Nike’s FlyKnit. Rather than being made from pieces of fabric that are put together, these shoes are woven in one go. Less waste? Check! This technique is sometimes even used to make entire pieces of clothing.

The process of knitting or weaving is often preceded by a digital design. This means the pattern is computer-designed and then digitally transferred to the loom or sewing machine.

The process of knitting or weaving is often preceded by a digital design. This means the pattern is computer-designed and then digitally transferred to the loom or sewing machine.

(ALMOST) ZERO ...

A producer or manufacturer can organize the system or process in such a way that his waste is efficiently collected. This not only results in a clean workspace; it also creates opportunities for upcycling surplus materials.

A small manufacturer could for instance accomplish a whole lot thanks to these simple interventions:

• use waste buckets to collect waste
• transfer waste immediate from the sewing machines to the buckets
• sort your waste (don’t just throw it all together!)

Want more? Read all about upcycling and the use of leftovers here.

Clothes are often not worn or worn only once before ending up on the waste pile. This means that all the resources, water, energy and chemicals that were used during their production are lost very shortly after. What a waste. We now know that avoiding waste is one of the pillars of circular fashion, which is why focusing on long life is the key.

Food for thought:
Global production of clothing has doubled in the last fifteen years. The average life expectancy of a piece of clothing is about three years. For fast fashion this is even shorter. Some clothes are discarded after one wear or are not even worn at all. (Source: Awearness Fashion)

Clothes are discarded when they are no longer satisfactory. This can mean that they are torn or no longer have the right fit, but also that the consumer is not interested anymore – he or she has grown tired of them. The first reason has to do with the quality of the clothes, the second with our emotional attachment to them.

BOUND BY QUALITY 

(Source: Anuschka Rees)

Quality can mean a lot of things. Do the clothes last? Preferably longer than one season. Should we worry about seams ripping or buttons tumbling to the floor at the slightest movement? A piece of clothing should keep its shape – it shouldn’t shrink or stretch. It should retain its fit and not hinder the wearer.

Steer clear of fabrics that give off lint or that fade after a few spins in the washer. Clothes should also have the right feel to them. In addition, items should breathe quality.

In Close The Loop's Guide ‘Clothing Design for Longevity’, you get concrete recommendations to extend the lifespan of new collections. Per clothing type, you will find minimum values, target values as well as technical guidelines to avoid common defects or wear and tear.

The website of Anuschka Rees also contains a useful guide: ‘How to assess the quality of garments: A Beginner’s Guide.’ It helps you determine the quality of a piece of clothing. We’ve summarized some tips here, but the cheat sheet is very useful as well.

First and foremost, it is important to look at the characteristics of the fabric: what are its strengths and weaknesses – and will they fit the designer’s purpose? Next, the seams, the fit and other details like buttons, zippers, pockets and labels should be checked.

BOUND BY EMOTION

Clothing should be designed to look good and to be comfortable for as long as possible. Though this actual, measurable quality of a garment is crucial, there is often also a less tangible element at play when consumers decide whether or not to throw clothes away. They are often led by their emotions and their attachment to things. As a designer, you can work with this: think of the experience you want to create for your customer. The strategies ‘Design to reduce the need for overconsumption’ and ‘Design to last’ address useful aspects such as long-lasting essentials, made-to-measure and the addition of an experience.