KIM FRASER

Kim FraserSenior Lecturer, School of Art & Design,

Faculty of Design & Creative Technologies

Auckland University of Technology

E kim.fraser@aut.ac.nz W aut.ac.nz

ReDress: The value of

in Aotearoa

diverting textile from landfill

KIM FRASER

Clothing/textiles in household bin

The CONSUMING of textiles “...has the potential to greatly

increase the volume of textiles in the waste stream if all

the new textiles were discarded to waste." (Oakdene

Hollins, 2006).

Textiles 4%

KIM FRASER

Devaluation has permeated all textile product…

http://www.stuff.co.nz/auckland/68918246/inorganic-rubbish-collections-kicked-off-aucklands-kerbs

Clothing items:

Dresses

Hats

Jackets

Nightwear

Promotional wear

Scarves

Shirts

Shoes

Shorts

Sweatshirts

T-shirts

Trousers

Uniforms

Bags

Bedding

Carpet

Car seats

Curtains

Cushions

Mattresses

Rugs

Shade sails

Towels

Umbrellas

Upholstered furniture

Vehicle covers

Weed matting

Windbreak

KIM FRASER

Retail Product

ProductAssembly

Production

Consumer

‘USE’

Raw Materials

Textile

INPUTS

GA

RM

EN

TS

TO

CK

a few wears...

Disposal

Fibre

Yarn

Consumer

‘USE’

K. Fraser 2015. Adapted Lifecycle Garment Supply Chain

Garment

Supply Chain

KIM FRASER

Disposal

Reuse

Retail Product

ProductAssembly

Production

Raw Materials

‘USE’

‘Component Reuse’

Yarn

Textile

Garment

K. Fraser 2015. Adapted Lifecycle Garment Reuse Intervention

‘Fibre Reuse’

Consumer

Refashion

Fibre

INPUTS

ReFashion:

Component ReUse

Garment

Supply Chain

KIM FRASER

2. Disassembly Prep

3. Mark & Cut

4. Bundle with Trims

5. Sew garment

6. Press

1. Bulk Raw materials

© Fraser 2009

ReDress: ReFashion as a solution for clothing (un) sustainability

���� Reclaims discarded items

���� Reduces textile waste in Landfill

���� Remakes new clothing for FASHION stream

� Resource conservation

� New loop

� Sustainable textile solution

ReFashion:

KIM FRASER

• Perceived quality of textile (colour & textile structure)

• Semi-standard shape (‘panels’ are similar shape and 2D size)

• Similar construction across brands (generally men’s trousers have similar details)

• Potential to re-use labour intensive details (pockets, fly & waistband)

• Apparent availability as a ‘bulk’ stock

ReDress: Considered Men’s Trouser to be appropriate input stock

KIM FRASER

KIM FRASER

Aotearoa research practitioners connecting with industry

• Holly McQuillan’s zero waste research and practice

has led to developing open-source, user-modifiable,

zero waste designs – targeting clothing waste at the

cutting stage.

• Jennifer Whitty’s social enterprise: Space Between,

promotes an upcycled clothing line (Earthlink Apparel)

that manufactures using pre and post-consumer waste

– closing the loop on clothing waste.

• Donna Cleveland’s work develops and implements

customised textile waste recycling and design

processes as models for NZ based apparel companies.

KIM FRASER

Consumers are unable to comprehend the value of clothing/textiles

KIM FRASER

• 1055* items documented

• 85% womenswear

• 86% small to medium sizes

• Country of origin:– 47% China– 13% New Zealand– 27% not labeled

• 63% fair to poor condition

• Fibre content:– 46% cotton & blends– 24% Polyester & blends– 14% not mixed with cotton or

polyester

*Further 500 items donated on day of event remained undocumented

DIFFERENCES

CLOTHES SWAP – RCA, UK

•Involved 4 local universities

•All profits went to Water Aid

•Very high quality donations

•Remaining clothing was

remodelled by fashion students.

Balance to rag merchants.

CLOTHES SWAP – AUT, NZ

•Involved 2 local universities

•All profits went to the mission, and

the Cancer Society

•FEW high quality donations

•90 items of reasonable quality

donated to Dress for Success.

Remaining clothing was

donated to the homeless.

KIM FRASER

• REUSE is the best option

• Donations are anonymous, meaning

clothes can be dropped through the slot

with minimal preparation required.

• This may lead to uncaring or indifference

‘out of sight - out of mind’ and dumping…

New Zealand has a long history of valuing

textiles, including a high proportionate use

of clothing bins (MFE, 2008) for unwanted

clothing, which in terms of sustainability is

an internationally desired habit.

KIM FRASER

Reclaims discarded clothing ����

Conserves quality textile����

Reduces waste ����

Remakes “new” items ����

New Loop ����

Sustainable textile solution ����

�

�

����

�

����

���

������������

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��

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© Fraser 2009

Throwaway fashion: The real cost of cheap fashion for New Zealand

Kim Fraser - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CBLaqnXFTts

KIM FRASER

Quality Control

– Fast production techniques

– Low cost textile

Product development

– Style: Obsolete

– Fit problems

– Low grade textile

http://coloringtextiles.org/category/finishing/

The quality of textile is dependent on a number of known variables which includes the type and quality of the fibre, the spinning process of the yarn, and the structure of the textile and thread count or density of the textile.

Brands cut costs along the supply chain to meet pricepoint

KIM FRASER

KIM FRASER

Suit Seconds ProjectKim Fraser 2015

Reclaiming Pre-consumer textile waste

A socially connected project that explores New Zealanders attitude to textile waste and catalyzes industry and welfare partners towards a social and mutually beneficial solution that aids in reducing textile waste

199 tailored items of finely woven merino wool were discarded…

• Quality Control demands overruns to allow for errors

• Trend of overproduction = large quantity of ‘seconds’

Rags?Landfill?

KIM FRASER

ReDress: Reducing Textile waste through Component Reuse

KIM FRASER

http://www.sustainabilitycoalition.org/author/timothyjacobs/

Silverstream Landfill

http://www.ico-spirit.com/en/ico-city-san-francisco/

In Aotearoa can we encourage a policy of:

NO textiles in the household bin…

Perhaps a pictorial campaign?

KIM FRASER

ReDress: The value of diverting textile from landfill in Aotearoa

All fibre is usable and reusable:

• Condition and quality of the textile determines the next

‘lifecycle’

• Out-dated styles: can be upcycled (‘Refashion-ability’ depends

on grade of textile)

• Damaged textile can be downcycled into fibre that can be re-

spun into yarn...

• Textile quality is determined by the Producer

• Producer Take-back legislation: improved custodial relationship

• Clothing bins and household rubbish bags are anonymous: can

lead to indifference…

• BAN textiles from household rubbish…

• Pictorial campaign to encourage best practice

KIM FRASER

References:Barnes, Liz, and Gaynor Lea-Greenwood. 2006. "Fast Fashioning the Supply Chain: Shaping the Research Agenda." Journal of Fashion Marketing and Management

103:259-71. Accessed July 5, 2010. doi:10.1108/13612020610679259

Birtwistle, Grete and Christopher M. Moore. 2007. "Fashion Clothing - Where does it all end up?" International Journal of Retail & Distribution Management 353:210-16.

Farrer, Joan, and Kim Fraser. 2011. "Sustainable 'V' unSustainable: Articulating Division in the Fashion Textiles Industry." Anti-po-des Design Research Journal 11:1-12. Accessed November 2, 2011. http://www.anti-po-des-designjournal.org.nz/archive/volume-1-2011/abstracts-and-papers/farrer-rca-fraser/

Finn, Angie, and Kim Fraser. 2013. "Design for Redesign: Can Old Fashioned Strategies provide new opportunities for Sustainable Fashion?" Paper presented at Fashion and Social Responsibility Conference, Minnesota, April 19-21.

Fletcher, Kate. 2008. Sustainable fashion and textile: design journeys. London: Earthscan.

Fraser, K. (2015). ReDress: Reducing textile waste through component reuse. In proceedings UnMaking Waste Conference, 21 -24 May 2015, in Adelaide, South Australia. http://unmakingwaste2015.org/conference-proceedings/

Fraser, Kim. 2013. "Throwaway Fashion: The Real Cost of Cheap Fashion for New Zealand." Paper presented at OnSustainability 2013 Conference, Japan, January 23-25.

Fraser, Kim. 2011. "ReFashioning New Zealand: A Practitioner's Reflection on Fast Fashion Implication." International Journal of Environmental, Cultural, Economic & Social Sustainability 73:275-88.

Fraser, Kim. 2009. "ReDress: Refashion as a Solution for Clothing (un) Sustainability." Master's Thesis, AUT University, Auckland. Accessed November 2, 2010. http://aut.researchgateway.ac.nz/handle/10292/817

Oakdene Hollins Ltd., Salvation Army Trading Company Ltd., & Nonwovens Innovation and Research Institute Ltd. 2006. "Recycling of low grade clothing waste." AccessedApril 27, 2009. http://www.oakdenehollins.co.uk/pdf/Recycle-Low-Grade-Clothing.pdf

(SATCol) Salvation Army Trading Co. Ltd. 2007. "Memorandum by Salvation Army Trading Co Ltd (SATCol) and the Nonwovens Innovation and Research Institute (NIRI) based at University of Leeds". Accessed October 21, 2010 from Department of the Environment Food and Rural Affairs website: http://ww2.defra.gov.uk

WasteOnline. 2004. "Waste guide – Textiles." Accessed July 7, 2007. www.wasteonline.org.u