3. Circular Open Source Fashion

Research & Ideation

Circular fashion focuses on designing out waste and pollution, keeping products in use, and regenerating natural systems.

The core idea is to extend the life cycle of garments through repair, reuse, and recycling, reducing the need for new resources.

With fast fashion driving high consumption rates, circular fashion aims to counteract this unsustainable model by prioritizing longevity, versatility, and environmentally friendly practices.

What is the origin of the term 'Circular Fashion'?

The term 'Circular Fashion' was introduced by Dr. Anna Brismar, founder of Green Strategy, in June 2014. She defines it as clothing, shoes, or accessories that are designed, produced, and circulated with the goal of being used responsibly for as long as possible in their most valuable form. Once they are no longer usable by humans, they should be safely returned to the environment.

Circular Fashion Strategies

Circular fashion strategies aim to extend the life cycle of garments, reduce environmental impact, and create a sustainable fashion system. Here’s a detailed explanation of key strategies:

1. Design for Longevity

This involves:

• High-Quality Materials: Using durable, sustainable fabrics that withstand wear and tear.
• Timeless Designs: Creating classic, versatile styles that don’t follow fleeting trends, encouraging long-term use.
• Modular Construction: Designing clothes that can be easily repaired, resized, or restyled, allowing consumers to adapt the garments over time.

2. Repair and Maintenance

The first step in circular fashion is designing clothing that lasts. This involves:A critical part of circular fashion is empowering consumers to take care of their clothing. Brands can offer:

• Repair Kits: Providing customers with tools and instructions to repair minor damages at home.
• Repair Services: Partnering with local tailors or in-house repair services to fix garments instead of replacing them.
• Maintenance Guidelines: Offering care tips that promote proper washing, storage, and maintenance, prolonging the life of the garment.

3. Resale and Upcycling

Resale and upcycling keep garments in circulation for longer periods, minimizing waste:

• Second-Hand Markets: Brands can facilitate resale by creating platforms for customers to sell used items, encouraging a circular exchange of products.
• Upcycling Programs: Offering services or workshops where old garments are transformed into new designs, giving them a second life.

4. Material Innovation

Sourcing materials that are sustainable, biodegradable, or recyclable is essential in circular fashion:

• Recycled Materials: Utilizing post-consumer waste (like recycled polyester) or industrial scraps to create new fabrics.
• Biodegradable Fibers: Developing clothing from natural fibers like organic cotton, hemp, or linen, which decompose without harming the environment.
• Closed-loop Systems: Some brands explore materials that can be recycled endlessly, maintaining their quality over time.

5. Closed-Loop Recycling

Closed-loop recycling aims to ensure that materials can be used over and over without being discarded:

• Take-Back Programs: Brands collect old garments from customers to recycle them into new products.
• Fiber-to-Fiber Recycling: Technologies that break down old fibers and remake them into new ones, ensuring that no raw materials are wasted.
• Chemical Recycling: Some fabrics, like polyester, can be chemically broken down and re-spun into new fibers, making them usable in a continuous cycle.

References & Inspiration

Inspiration can be drawn from innovative brands and movements already adopting circular fashion:

• Stella McCartney has been a leading example in sustainable and circular fashion, using recyclable materials, promoting longevity, and advocating for responsible consumer behavior.
• Eileen Fisher's Renew Program allows customers to return old garments for resale or recycling, showcasing how brands can maintain product value over time.
• Patagonia’s Worn Wear Program encourages consumers to repair old clothing instead of buying new, reinforcing the idea of extending the life cycle of garments.

Books like "Cradle to Cradle: Remaking the Way We Make Things" by Michael Braungart and William McDonough serve as foundational references, advocating for the complete redesign of products to avoid waste and promote circular economies.

Modular Construction in Textiles:

"This week's assignment focuses on Modular Construction in Textiles, which is a unique approach within the broader context of circular fashion. Unlike other methods that promote sustainability through material recycling or upcycling, modular construction emphasizes creating garments that can be easily assembled, disassembled, and reconfigured, extending their lifecycle and versatility."

Inspirational Designer

• Galya Rosenfeld is an Israeli designer renowned for her innovative approach to modular construction in textiles. She creates garments and accessories using small, interconnected fabric modules that form larger, flexible surfaces. Her designs emphasize sustainability, as they often involve reusing materials and minimizing waste.

Rosenfeld’s work blurs the line between fashion and architecture, focusing on how individual pieces can come together to form a cohesive, functional whole. This approach to modular construction has inspired designers like you, particularly in the context of circular fashion and textile design.

Inspiration from Ancient Persian Art:

The relief of Faravahar that I shared is found in Persepolis, the ceremonial capital of the Achaemenid Empire in ancient Persia (modern-day Iran). Persepolis was constructed during the reign of Darius the Great and his successors, primarily between 518 BCE and 330 BCE.

"I drew inspiration from the feathered wings of the ancient Persian Faravahar symbol for my modular construction. The Faravahar is one of the most recognizable symbols of Zoroastrianism, an ancient Persian religion, and it is believed to represent the divine spirit and the eternal struggle between good and evil. The symbol is often interpreted as a guide for living a balanced, moral life, with its various elements symbolizing aspects of wisdom, progress, and the journey of the soul.

The Faravahar's wings not only symbolize personal growth but also reflect a harmonious balance between individual parts and a greater purpose. In my design, each module interlocks with others, creating a flexible and scalable system. Just as the wings contribute to the flight and progress of the Faravahar, these modular components support and enhance the overall structure, reflecting both the symbolism of the ancient Persian culture and the principles of modern modular construction."

But the magic didn’t stop there. When my teammates and I visited the incredible museum of Dilijan, something remarkable caught my eye on the lower floor, beneath the semi-circular arches. It was an ancient object, which also served as the inspiration for the museum’s logo.

This object featured an infinity symbol within its repetitive pattern, symbolizing endless possibilities. Inspired by this, I realized that my options for combining the fringes were limitless. I incorporated this design, laser cutting it, and created a blend of two ancient civilizations, merging them together in a tribute to their beauty and grandeur.

Process and workflow

Step 1: Drawing the Design

• Inspiration: Start by looking closely at the wings of the Faravahar symbol. Focus on the individual feathers, curves, and their arrangement.

• Sketching: On paper, draw my interpretation of the Faravahar wings. Pay attention to symmetrical details and decide which parts will form the modular elements. These elements will later be assembled to create a fabric-like texture.

Step 2: Cutting the Paper Model by Hand

After finalizing my sketch, I transferred the design onto paper and used scissors and a precision knife to cut out the individual modules. This manual cutting process gave me a hands-on feel for the modularity of the design. As I cut, I ensured the modules fit together seamlessly. This helped me visualize how they would later interact in fabric form.

Step 3: Digitalizing the Design

• Scanning: Once I was happy with the paper version, I scanned the design using a high-resolution scanner. This allowed me to convert the physical sketch into a digital file.

• Vectorizing: I then imported the scanned image into vector-based software like Adobe Illustrator. Using the vector tools, I traced over the scanned image to create clean, scalable digital outlines of the wings, making sure each feather was a separate modular shape.

• Nesting the Design for Efficient Cutting To maximize material usage and minimize waste, I applied a nesting process using Corel DRAW. The goal was to arrange the modular shapes in a way that used the least amount of fabric possible. To avoid duplicate cutting lines, which would increase the cutting time, I exploded the lines in my pattern and manually removed any overlapping horizontal lines. I replaced them with a single, continuous line, simplifying the design and optimizing the cutting process. After final adjustments, I rejoined the lines, and the design was ready for cutting.

• Refining the Digital File: I adjust any rough edges or uneven lines in the software to clean up the design and ensure that each feather or module is a separate shape, ready for laser cutting.

Step 4: Laser Cutting the Paper Model

• Exporting: After refining the digital file, I exported it in a format ready for laser cutting (like DXF or SVG).

• Setting Up the Laser Cutter: With the digital file ready, I set up the laser cutter. I first ran a test on paper, adjusting the speed and power of the laser to ensure the cuts were precise.

• Cutting on Paper: After running the test, I began the laser cutting process on laser-friendly cardstock. This allowed me to see how the digital file translated into a physical form and gave me the chance to make any necessary adjustments before moving on to textiles.

Step 5: Cutting on Textile Materials

• Selecting Textiles: Once the paper test was successful, I selected the textile materials I wanted to use, such as felt, synthetic fabrics, denim and canvas. I loaded the fabric into the laser cutter and adjusted the settings accordingly.

• Laser Settings: I adjust the settings for textile cutting, which may differ from paper cutting in terms of power and speed. Conduct a test on scrap material to fine-tune these settings.

• Cutting the Design on Fabric: After testing on a small piece of fabric to make sure the laser wouldn’t damage it, I began cutting my Faravahar-inspired modular design. The laser cut the textile pieces with precision, and I was able to move on to assembling the modular pieces.

Step 6: Assembling the Modular Pieces

After all the pieces were cut, I manually assembled them by connecting the modules, just as I had envisioned in my initial paper prototype. The textile version of the design came together beautifully, and I felt a deep sense of accomplishment seeing my Faravahar-inspired wings transformed into a fabric-based modular construction.

One Module, Infinite Possibilities

Discussion

There is a meaningful relationship between size, shape, mechanical properties, moisture regain and cutting direction in textiles. Let’s break it down:

1. Size and Shape vs. Mechanical Properties

• Tensile Strength & Shape: The shape of textile units or fibers can influence tensile strength (resistance to stretching or pulling). For example, fibers with circular cross-sections distribute stress evenly, whereas irregular shapes might concentrate stress at specific points, reducing strength. Similarly, the modular construction's shape can impact the mechanical strength, with certain designs providing better load distribution.
  

• Size: The size of the modules or the textile’s overall dimensions can affect mechanical properties. Larger modules or textiles might have more areas where stress accumulates, such as seams or connections between modules, which could reduce tensile strength or elasticity. Smaller, closely connected modules might distribute force more evenly.
  

• Elasticity & Flexibility: Smaller, more flexible shapes (e.g., triangular or hexagonal modules) allow greater flexibility and range of movement, enhancing the elasticity of the material. Larger shapes or rigid modules may reduce flexibility, making the textile stiffer.
  

• Durability: Larger or irregular-shaped modules might be prone to faster wear and tear, particularly at joints or seams, impacting the durability of the fabric. Smaller, geometrically consistent shapes could lead to more even wear and potentially greater durability.

2. Size and Shape vs. Moisture Regain

• Shape: The surface area exposed to the environment impacts moisture regain. More irregular or porous shapes increase the surface area, allowing the textile to absorb more moisture. For example, a crimped or irregular shape in wool fibers traps more air and moisture, increasing regain. In modular construction, designs with more surface exposure (e.g., open-weave or mesh-like shapes) absorb moisture faster than dense, compact shapes.
  

• Size: Larger fibers or modules typically have less surface area relative to their volume, meaning they may absorb moisture slower than smaller, finer fibers. In textiles, this is why finer fibers (e.g., in synthetic microfibers) tend to have better moisture wicking and regain properties compared to larger fibers.
  

3. Mechanical Properties vs. Moisture Regain

• Tensile Strength & Moisture: Moisture regain can impact the tensile strength of fibers. For example, natural fibers like cotton and wool typically lose strength when wet, while some synthetic fibers retain their strength. In modular textiles, this relationship is significant—wet conditions might weaken the points where modules are connected or alter their flexibility, affecting overall mechanical performance.

• Flexibility & Humidity: Moisture can alter the flexibility of fibers. For instance, wool becomes more elastic when it absorbs moisture, while cotton becomes less flexible. The design of modular structures may need to account for how humidity and moisture affect the flexibility of the entire structure, especially at joints or connectors.
  

4. Impact on Performance in Modular Textiles

• Interdependence: The size and shape of the modules in a textile, as well as the choice of materials, can create a balance or trade-off between mechanical performance (strength, flexibility, elasticity) and moisture management (regain, breathability). For example, a textile designed with smaller, flexible modules might have excellent moisture-wicking properties and flexibility, but less tensile strength compared to a structure made from larger, more rigid modules.

In essence, the relationship between size, shape, mechanical properties, and moisture regain is interconnected. Designers must carefully consider how each factor influences the others to create textiles with the desired performance characteristics.

The direction in which fabric is cut, whether in line with the thread (warp or weft) or at an angle (bias), significantly affects the properties of the fabric and the garment or product made from it. Here are the effects of cutting fabric in different directions:

5. Cutting Direction

A. Cutting in Line with the Thread (Warp or Weft)

• Stability and Structure:
  . Cutting along the warp (the lengthwise grain) or weft (crosswise grain) keeps the fabric stable. The warp threads usually run parallel to the selvage (fabric edge) and provide greater strength, while the weft threads run perpendicular to the warp.

  . Fabrics cut on the straight grain (either warp or weft) retain their inherent strength and structure, resulting in garments that hold their shape well without much stretch.

• Less Stretch:
  . Cutting along the warp or weft offers minimal stretch, especially in non-stretch fabrics. This is ideal for structured garments where you want to maintain a defined shape, such as tailored jackets or skirts.

• Ease of Sewing:
  . Fabrics cut in line with the thread are easier to sew because they are less likely to shift or distort during the cutting and sewing process. This ensures that seams are stable and don't warp with wear.

  

  This sample was cut along the warp, resulting in greater stability and smoother, cleaner edges. However, this alignment with the warp also reduces the fabric's flexibility. By cutting along the grain, the fibers retain their structural integrity, making the fabric more rigid and resistant to deformation, but limiting its ability to bend or stretch. This method is ideal when stability and clean edges are prioritized over flexibility.

B. Cutting Not in Line with the Thread (Bias Cut)

• Stretch and Flexibility:
  . Cutting fabric on the bias (typically at a 45-degree angle to the warp and weft threads) introduces more stretch and flexibility, even in fabrics that are naturally non-stretch. This is due to the way fibers behave when tension is applied diagonally, allowing the fabric to stretch and contour to the body more easily.

• Drape:
  . Bias cuts result in garments that drape and flow more naturally. The diagonal stretch allows for a smoother, more fluid fit, making it ideal for soft, body-hugging silhouettes like bias-cut dresses, skirts, and gowns. Bias-cut fabric tends to fall and cling to the body's curves.

• Distortion Risk:
  . While bias cutting can give beautiful results in terms of drape, it also makes the fabric more prone to distortion. The fabric may stretch unevenly, especially during sewing, which can lead to warping, uneven seams, or misshaped garments.

• Complexity in Sewing:
  . Sewing on the bias requires more skill and care. The fabric is more likely to shift or "grow" during sewing, meaning it can stretch out unintentionally, especially along seams or hems, if not handled carefully.

  

  For instance, when cutting canvas fabric, which typically lacks elasticity, at a 45-degree angle, the material gains more flexibility, and the edges of the cut naturally curl inward. This subtle transformation can be observed practically, as the fabric takes on a more voluminous appearance. This method is particularly useful in areas where added volume is desired.

C. Impact on Garment or Product Durability

• Durability:
  . Cutting on the grain (warp or weft) results in stronger, more durable fabric. Garments or products made with grain cuts are less likely to stretch out of shape over time.

  . Bias-cut fabrics may stretch or distort more easily, particularly in high-stress areas such as seams, but they offer better movement and flexibility.

D. Aesthetic Differences

• Straight Grain:
  . Garments cut along the straight grain tend to look more structured and sharp, with less natural flow or movement. It is often used for tailored or formal garments where a crisp shape is desired.

• Bias Grain:
  . Bias-cut garments have a more flowing, elegant look. The stretch and drape created by the diagonal cut create a more relaxed, figure-hugging aesthetic.

Summary

• Cutting along the grain (warp or weft) gives the fabric more stretch, flexibility, and fluid drape, making it ideal for softer, more flowing garments but requiring more attention during sewing to avoid distortion.

The decision on how to cut fabric depends on the desired outcome—whether you want structure and durability or flexibility and drape.

Fabrication files

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1. File: Modules ↩

2. File: Laser cut sheets ↩