Zero Waste Design Collective

Explore the conscious design of kimono – the ultimate sustainable garment. 👘

Made of large panels of fabric, Kimono production creates minimal waste and the pattern itself is zero waste. Join ZWDC co-founder Cassandra Belanger for a discussion around sustainable fashion inspired by this design.

Cassandra and Curator Kirsty Hassard will look at both the historical context of the garment and how we can take inspiration from it in today’s fast fashion-centric marketplace.

Presented in collaboration with . The Generation of Waste exhibit was a collaborative project developed by and for COP26 and is hosted at Central Library, Dundee from 26 April to 14 June, 2024.

This talk is part of the V&A’s Kimono exhibition: Kyoto to Catwalk

From samurai style and geisha chic, to Jedi knights and rock stars, explore the fascinating story of the significance, appeal and influence of this iconic garment. Showing the kimono as a dynamic, ever-evolving icon of fashion, the exhibition traces its evolution and influence from 17th century Japan to today’s cutting-edge couture and street fashion across the world.

The beauty and importance of the kimono, meaning simply ‘the thing to wear’, is celebrated with an extraordinary collection of around 300 garments, accessories, paintings, prints, photographs and film clips from the V&A and collections around the world. This is the final chance to see these rare works together on the last stop of the exhibition’s international tour.

The Making Zero Waste project would not be possible without the dedication to storytelling, particularly around our relationships with clothing, that Morag Seaton of brings to the table. We are grateful to have Worn as a collaborator on this project.

Founded by fashion practitioners and , Worn Workshop produces creative projects about people’s relationships with their clothes. Since April 2020, Worn has been collecting and sharing the stories of our clothes, from which they produce their own programme and commissions for industry, community, heritage and education contexts. Each of Worn’s projects start with an everyday story, question or conversation that seeks to unpack the socio-cultural, environmental and personal significance of the objects we wear.

Worn challenges negative fashion cultures through new approaches by celebrating the stories of our clothes, so that more of them will become *worn*.

In the next week, we’ll be headed to Lagos, Nigeria and Accra, Ghana to exchange knowledge about zero waste design.  With the help of our wonderful sponsors and collaborators, we’ll be sharing 4 day workshops in each location.  Reducing waste is desirable in any location, but recipients of waste colonialism have another level of waste to consider. Through these workshops, we hope to incite new practices of zero waste fashion design within the local African context by collaborating on circular solutions with local tailors, upcyclers, and designers.

In our next shares, you’ll get to know each of our team members and collaborators a little better, along with the why’s and how’s of our zero waste design journeys. Well also be sharing some lives and stories during our travels so stay tuned.

Special thanks to for making this trip possible.