INTRODUCTION It is estimated that 350,000 tonnes of textiles goes to landfill in the UK every year at a staggering value of 140 million. Valuing Our Clothes, WRAP
CIRCULAR ECONOMY WARDROBE The main destination for used textiles collected in the UK for re-use and recycling is overseas markets. According to the Valuing Our Clothes report published in 2014 by WRAP, it is estimated that 30 billion of clothing is hanging in our wardrobes unused. The UK is exploring recycling systems that enable textiles to be captured and reprocessed back to raw materials or oil and made back into clothes keeping resources in use for longer. 4 FIBRE REPROCCESSING TECHNOLOGY 1 DESIGN LEARNING FROM JAPAN 3 RETAIL This is a set of resource cards for textile and fashion students and designers to be used as inspiration for embedding sustainable practices in their own design work or identifying their own research topic. Here is a diagram of the topics following a closed loop process. 2 MANUFACTURING ABOUT LYNN WILSON Lynn Wilson is a Winston Churchill Memorial Trust fellow. Lynn spent a month in Japan in 2015 researching technology, design, retail and heritage trends that could contribute towards a sustainable, circular economy fashion industry. I always say, I am the consumer I am trying to change. I have not always understood the negative impact of my own passion for fashion consumption although I make, buy well and love a designer charity shop find. Read the full report: www.wcmt.org.uk/ users/lynnwilson2015 CIRCULAR ECONOMY WARDROBE TASK Each card has a CEW Task. These tasks aim to help you explore your wardrobe and consumer habits, discuss with your friends what you learned and how it might change your ideas about fashion, design and consumption.
TECHNOLOGY In 2002, Teijin Limited along with apparel and sportswear manufacturers that shared a commitment to enabling a circular economy started a closed-loop recycling system named Eco Circle based on our one-of-a-kind chemical recycling technology. Teijin Limited
TECHNOLOGY FOR A CIRCULAR ECONOMY FASHION INDUSTRY Teijin along with other Japanese companies such as Toray Industries Inc. and Jeplan Limited are global leaders in closed loop systems and technologies for material processing. Polyester used to make clothing is called polyethylene terephthalate (PET) which is also used in the manufacture of plastic bottles. New chemical technology can process used plastic bottles into uniforms, sportswear and fashion. 4 MANUFACTURER makes new clothing from the recycled yarn 1 SCHOOL UNIFORMS schools collect uniforms 3 TEIJIN TECHNOLOGY New chemical technologies can process used polyester clothing and plastic bottles into yarn for new uniforms, sportswear and fashion. 2 TEIJIN collect uniforms from schools THE TEIJIN ECO-CIRCLE Teijin Limited has been working with schools in Japan since 2010 on return systems for polyester school uniforms that can be recycled and made into new products. The technology can also be used in fast fashion and sportswear such as football strips called Eco-Circle. CEW TASK Read the clothing labels in your wardrobe. How many clothes in your wardrobe are made from polyester or are mixed fibres? Count how many different fibres your clothes are made from. Do you know which ones are natural and which are synthetic?
DESIGN 80% of a product s environmental impact can be determined at the design stage. ellenmcarthurfoundation.org
ZE RO WA STE D E S I G N JAPANESE DESIGN What can Japanese traditional design methods teach us? mon The ki o is a perfec te te ro was e of ze l p m a x design The kimono has long since been considered a zero waste garment due to its design and construction methods. It is traditionally constructed from woven silk strips that are hand sewn to be easily disassembled for laundering and repair. Ma de wi th na tu ra l f ibr es CEW TASK F u ll y r e c y c le a Examine some of the garments in your wardrobe. Can you tell how they have been constructed? 'Have they been machine or hand sewn/knitted? b le Can you think of any design/material or care choices that will improve the longevity of the garment? Ha nd se wn econ Easy d Da ma ge d pa ne ls ca n be de r laun ing fo struct ring re pla ce d rat he r th an wh ole ga rm en t If you have any vintage garments (50 years+) what design elements of the garment have meant that they have lasted this long?
RETAIL We believe that the concept of fashion does not only refer to clothing but also encompasses a comprehensive set of values that form our overall lifestyle culture including such aspects as food, housing and services. japanfashion.or.jp /english/
RETAIL TRENDS CONTRIBUTING TOWARDS A CIRCULAR ECONOMY Lice Fashion Rental Harajuku, Tokyo. Clothes can be rented as a one off or monthly through a membership scheme. SUSTAINABLE FASHION Branded shopping areas within fashionable shopping districts NEW RETAIL MODELS FASHION LEASING By post www.air-closet.com RETAIL TRENDS There is an estimated 30 billion of unworn clothing in the UK wardrobe. Traditional dress hire, such as kilts and special occasion wear, is a common service in the UK. In Japan it is a weekend pastime to hire kimonos and dress up with friends, celebrating national culture and accessing clothing that isn t worn every day. Weight loss/gain and fast fashion are often attributed to clothes being left unworn in the UK. Japanese retailers and businesses are developing new models of fashion consumption that could be copied or developed in the UK. CEW TASK Do a wardrobe audit. What percentage of your wardrobe have you worn less than 5 times? Worn more than 30 times? MUJI Redyeing and selling returned clothing to reduce waste FASHION RENTAL Rent one-off or monthly Consider and write a list of what items you feel you need to own and what items you might want to rent in the future.
HERITAGE The drying area for the cloth used to be a closed, top secret area so that people could not see what patterns were in season. Now it is important to show the public the process and encourage everyone to support the company. OKUJUN Company Limited
TRADITIONAL MANUFACTURING The Japanese fabric Yuuki-Tsumugi is a woven length of silk cloth which has been the preferred fabric of choice for the finest kimono producers for 2,000 years. It has Unesco Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity status. THE YUUKI - TSUMUGI STORY Sort silk cocoons Boil in a vat THE VALUE OF HERITAGE The heritage and origin of a product is considered to be its provenance. Transparency in how and where a textile or garment is designed and made can be an excellent way to engage consumers in what they are wearing and help them make considered choices that mean they don t discard clothing so quickly. Soften and mold in to a sack Spin the thread without twisting, this can take 2-3 months Wrap the thread on the board Tie the threads to prevent the dye sticking Dry in the shade Set the pattern Dye and beat Use the diligently spun thread for horizontal and vertical way CEW TASK Take a garment from your own wardrobe and explore its origin and provenance. How easy is it to find out exactly who and where your garment was made? What sustainable initiatives are your favourite fashion brands committed to or members of? How do they demonstrate their commitment on your clothing labels or their website? Weaving loom MADE IN JAPAN
ORIGAMI GUIDE Circular Economy Wardrobe is all about zero waste. Why don't you make some zero waste kimonos out of these cards? Lynn Wilson
FOLDING INSTRUCTIONS FOR A ZERO WASTE KIMONO STAGE 1 A - Cut along the dotted lines B - Fold the card in half STAGE 2 A - Fold the front outside panels towards the centre fold B - Fold the back outside panels in and up STAGE 3 A - Wrap the flaps to the back B - Fold down the collar B A B B A A Fold Line Cut Line