The Three R’s of Fashion: Reduce, Reuse & Recycle

As we become more aware of the environmental impact of the fashion industry, more of us are looking for ways to make a difference. And while brands work on their part, consumers can also take action to help.

Reduce

The act of reducing goes beyond just decluttering your clothes and requires you to examine other areas of your life and how much new stuff you buy.

Asking yourself when you last used something can help you decide whether to keep or get rid of it, and if it should be donated to be reused rather than thrown away.

Reuse

The negative impact of fashion on the environment is a major concern, with the waste it produces being a major contributor to pollution. To reduce our fashion footprint, we should normalise re-wearing clothes. Investing in high-quality, long-lasting clothing and adopting a slow fashion approach can help reduce the environmental impact caused by fast fashion.

Recycle

Many of us desire to start over and organise our closets with the new year. What, though, should you do with that worn-out dress? It will wind-up in a landfill if you dump it in the garbage, so don't do that! Why not reuse your old clothing?

If your garment is beyond repair, you can donate it to a business that will recycle it for you. For example, Nike Grind repurposes athletic shoes through its Reuse-A-Shoe initiative. Developed by Nike, Nike Grind is a collection of recycled materials made out of pre-consumer production waste, recycled post-consumer shoes from the Reuse-A-Shoe programme, and unsaleable footwear. Or you may find uses for these once-cherished goods, like turning cotton t-shirts into grocery bags, headbands, cushion covers, or makeup removal pads.

The concept of 3 R's is motivating brands to adopt sustainable methods.
Here are a few Indian brands that are trying out ways to reuse
pre-consumer waste.

Doodlage

Doodlage, an Indian fashion brand, creates clothing from discarded textiles, leftover fabrics, and factory waste. This reduces waste and allows for unique and sustainable designs. Garments are produced in small batches, promoting ethical practices.

Ka-sha

An Indian fashion brand that prioritizes sustainability and ethical production methods. They use recycled fabrics and traditional hand embroidery techniques to create unique and eco-friendly designs. Their clothes are made in small quantities, ensuring that each piece is distinctive and reduces waste.

I Was A Sari

I Waw A Sari is a brand located in Mumbai that produces clothing using old saris. They collaborate with women from impoverished communities to design sustainable and socially responsible pieces. The use of discarded saris helps reduce waste and promote ethical production methods, while also providing employment opportunities for women with limited job prospects.

IN CONVERSATION: RAFFUGHAR

A brand embracing local craftsmen and the notion of conscious fashion. Wajahat Hussain Rather, the founder gave his insights on sustainability and the importance of conscious fashion.

Q. What led you to build a brand around sustainability?

In 2018, we expanded our product line to include garments, in addition to rugs and pashmina stoles which we started selling in 2016. Sustainability has been an important consideration for our business, and my personal interest in crafts, particularly working with the crafts people of Kashmir, has influenced this. During my graduation project, I had the opportunity to interact with the Darners, who are known for mending fabric and preserving clothing instead of throwing it away. This inspired me to dedicate my label to the Darners and their art. Additionally, my education at National Institute of Design (NID) and seeing more people wearing hand-woven clothes has reinforced my commitment to preserving traditional artisanal practices and reducing waste in the fashion industry, which is a major polluter.

Q. When making clothes, some material is inevitably left over and thrown away during the cutting process. What is the solution to this issue?

We have a policy of not wasting anything, especially when it comes to cutting patterns for fabrics. We save the leftover fabric, which is called pre-consumer or post-production waste, and sort it by colour and fibre. The entire studio is involved in textile management, and we occasionally use the discarded fabric to create a new collection of garments when it begins to take up too much space.

Q. How is Raffughar making a difference in the fashion industry?

One brand alone may not have a significant impact on sustainability, but if many brands and studios adopt sustainable practices, it can create a chain reaction and have a positive impact overall. For example, if a significant number of studios in Delhi implement practices to prevent fabric waste, it can make a difference. Each person should do their part and see how it can inspire others to do the same. The idea of exploring the possibilities of weaving had been on my mind for quite some time. With our previous collection, Hakimo, we were able to create something truly special by pairing our waste with the weaving expertise of another studio. However, this approach also had its downsides. The transportation required to move waste and textiles between different studios adds unnecessary carbon emissions to the equation. By streamlining the process and utilizing our resources in-house, we can reduce our environmental impact and still produce beautiful, sustainable products. Our design inspiration drew from the intricate craft of Khatamband, a wooden ceiling art that uses geometrical patterns. To mimic the third dimension, we opted for a 3D fabric in our creation. The result? A unique and visually dynamic piece that adds visual interest and depth to any space. Apart from that, we wanted to create a collection of commercial clothing items such as jackets, trench coats, and bomber jackets. They mainly targeted an age group of 35 to 40 years old, as sustainable clothing is expensive. However, they also considered catering to a younger audience during the design process.

The fashion industry has undergone significant change in recent years, with more brands moving away from fast fashion and towards a more sustainable approach. To make a difference, brands need to be more deliberate, comprehensive, and reflective in their clothing production decisions.

Katran (Discarded shreds of fabric) - A short documentary that explores the opinion of a few sustainable designers on conscious production and methods to bring about a more conscious consumer. Shot, directed and scripted by Sahib Singh, Samaira Jain and Nandini Agarwala, Pearl Academy, Delhi.

To support the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goal Number 12, to ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns, media students from
Pearl Academy, India and journalism and fashion students of Manchester Metropolitan University, UK collaborated to produce this multimedia article.

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