Sustainability and Social Responsibility

Sustainable Bridal & Beyond – Using Design to Extend Garment Life & Eliminate Waste

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Abstract

Fast fashion has become the norm for most trend-focused consumers in North America, Western Europe and beyond. The rate at which these garments are disposed – after only ten uses (Ghemawat & Nueno 13; Morgan & Birtwistle, 191) – is information that is not readily shared with the public. According to the International Fair Claims Guide for Consumer Textiles Products, the average life span of daywear garments (not including underwear, accessories, or outerwear) is 2.93 years (“International Fair Claims” 24). While a bridal gown is not typically considered fast fashion, it is arguably the ultimate disposable garment on the market; a gown has “substantially fulfilled its intended purpose after the wedding,” that is, after only one use (“International Fair Claims” 24).

Keywords: sustainability, conceptual design, modular design, split cloth technique, zero waste

How to Cite:

Schaefer, K. & Navarro, H., (2013) “Sustainable Bridal & Beyond – Using Design to Extend Garment Life & Eliminate Waste”, International Textile and Apparel Association Annual Conference Proceedings 70(1).