There is plenty of support available for newbie sewists, too. The Fashion District festival, a five-day celebration of sustainable fashion that took place last week in Stratford, east London, dedicated a third of this year’s programme to maker workshops, including a tutorial on upcycling scarves into kimonos, hosted by the community interest company Trashion Factory. “There’s a huge appetite for people to be involved in their own fashion,” says Helen Lax, the festival’s founder. “This is a different incarnation of the good life. Rather than just following a pattern, the maker community is going off-grid and having a go. It’s about being able to take control of your style.” Whether you're staying home or traveling, there's a way to bring along a product you made that allows you to use it again anytime. All you need to do is clean these things after using and they're like brand new! Images that give a sense of the size of the product ("This refrigerator is actually 6' tall", "A cellphone the size of a credit card")

If the pattern is going to be in multiple sizes, these have to be organised within the layout while it’s being made. The process for making a zero-waste pattern is different from how we normally design and make patterns. Normally, a garment starts with a designer’s sketch, description, or photo. That sketch is then interpreted into a pattern, all the sizes are made, then a cutting layout is developed. With zero waste patterns, all these things happen at the same time. No one knows exactly what the design will be until the pattern is finished. Sometimes the style will vary slightly between sizes. This is one of the things that makes zero waste so exciting. With zero waste, patternmaking is used as the design tool. While not always included in "zero waste fashion", a large part of having a low carbon footprint in your closet is appreciating second hand or thrifted clothing. Working this way will help you to start building a toolbox of skills, and you will learn an alternative method of self drafting your own sewing patterns, which are super easy for beginners to understand. A zero waste pattern uses 100% of the fabric, with no scraps or waste. The pattern pieces fit together like a giant jigsaw puzzle within the width of the fabric.As I was researching more zero waste patterns to add to this post – I also found this brilliant resource. A full library of free, public source and paid for zero waste patterns. Find it here. By using every inch of fabric, you can not only save money in the long run but by reducing fabric waste, you are helping to reduce the environmental impact of the fashion industry. This is a great way to contribute to a more sustainable future. From my own zero waste experiments, I’ve been pleasantly surprised at just how economical zero waste patterns can be. I’ve found they all use less fabric, often significantly less. When we use don’t waste any fabric, we get the full use of what we do have. Sizing: XS – 6XL (approx. UK 6 – 30/32, based on our standardised size chart). Available in the shop: Yes, PDF.

No Obligation. Although we have the right to include your Materials in the Service or in any Media, we do not have the obligation to do so. We may, in our sole discretion and for any reason, refuse the Materials or remove them from our Service at any time. In the fourth episode of The Great British Sewing Bee series 9, nine contestants are challenged with making a zero waste pair of trousers, transform tote bags into a garment and sew a made-to-measure out for a model sing second-hand crochet blankets. For episode four we have put our detective hats on to discover the sewing patterns from independent designers and commercial pattern houses used in Sewing Bee TV show. The patterns below are all matches or inspired by the designs used in the fourth episode of the Great British Sewing bee series 9. If you haven’t already seen our ultimate guide to the Sewing Bee do take a look. Reducing “fashion miles” – the distance a garment and its component parts travel through the supply chain – is also on the sewists’ agenda. The starting point for the newly opened Mend Assembly in Totnes, Devon – a two‑storey centre offering a makers’ space, dressmaking workshops, repairs and upcycling – was “clothing localism”, says its co-founder, Joss Whipple.So in this post, let's talk through what zero waste fashion is along with the many different ways you can engage with it. What is zero waste fashion? So what is zero waste pattern cutting? Well, it’s a bit like a puzzle that strategically plans your pattern pieces, so every bit of fabric is used. You draw your pattern pieces directly onto your fabric, following a cutting plan and templates instead of using printed pattern pieces, resulting in less fabric and paper waste. It’s great for anyone who feels frustrated with the build-up of inevitable fabric scraps and is ideal if you have a stunning length of fabric you want to make the most of. There are relatively few modern zero-waste sewing patterns available; I estimate there are somewhere between 100 and 200, but likely closer to 100. As patternmakers get used to this way of making patterns and get better and better at it, we will see more patterns and interesting garments.

Sizing: Size One and Size Two (approx. UK 12 – 32) BROWSE MORE BIRGITTA HELMERSSON ZERO WASTE SEWING PATTERNSBut remember - zero waste is never zero - so any "zero waste fashion" option is creating some sort of waste or environmental impact. Imperfect system, imperfect answers. Still, there are definitely ways to drastically reduce the impact fast fashion and excessive consumption has on the planet. Many pattern designers – myself included – are influenced by design philiosophies and styles. Zero waste is no different, really. Zero waste pattern cutting is a bit like a puzzle. It is a method of pattern drafting where you utilise a length of fabric end to end by strategically planning your pattern pieces so that everything is used. This pattern is ‘PAPERLESS’ meaning that no printing of large pattern pieces is required. Instead of using full scale paper patterns, you draw your pattern pieces directly onto your fabric with the aid of a cutting plan and small templates. We love working with this method for 3 reasons: Sewing machine, iron, chalk or dissolvable pen, scissors, large right angle ruler and/or long straight ruler. Techniques Used By upcycling or reusing old fabric it reduces our carbon footprint and is so much more cost-effective. However, were you to be making garments from new fabric there are some more sustainable fabric choices for zero waste sewing: eco-friendly textiles that are suitable for zero-waste projects include organic cotton, linen and hemp.