A zero-waste garment construction approach using an indigenous textile weaving craft

Abstract

With fast-growing fashion consumption, fabric waste created in the production processes is creating adverse impacts on the environment. At the same time, due to the fast fashion cycle, age-old crafts which have passed down through generations, sustaining artisans for centuries, are declining rapidly. The lack of knowledge in artisans to address the competitive market conditions and lack of design knowledge to address the customer need to get the right value can be identified as the major issue leading to the declining of crafts. This research scholarship document is an involvement of a fashion designer, tackling above issues through a unique zero-waste fashion design approach developed with a traditional indigenous handloom textile weaving craft named Dumbara Textile Weaving in Sri Lanka. The process eliminates fabric waste, promoting responsible fashion practices. It is also an attempt by the designer to show artisans new feasible opportunities involving the integration of craft and design.