Well in the last article we have seen how upcycled fashion is sustainable and why it is going to be a big challenge for the fashion designers!!! We know upcycling is the reusing of materials that already exists to transform it into better product. So that’s how you are saving energy, water, chemicals and other resources required to make new textile production.
Upcycled fashion- An idea to begin start-up in Fashion business
If you wanted to be in this business and didn’t know where to start, these are some tips to help you here. Everything you require is to plan the activities to start business of upcycled fashion. Following are some steps you should have to think and work on-
1. Collection of textile waste and Used garments
You can use pre-consumer waste such as dead stock fabric -fabric that is left over from mills and garment factories; or flawed fabrics for upcycling and post-consumer waste that includes old vintage clothing, unused or garments that the user doesn’t need or want anymore, or have defects.
For the collection you can arrange textile-recycling drop-boxes, and put them in strategic places in your neighborhood; local schools, places of worship, are good ideas. You then start a campaign, telling the residents to put their old clothes in those boxes. Another way is to put textile banks near car parks, or on the high streets. Also, you can put advertisements in local newspapers/social media for clothes donations.
2. Space
You would need to rent or lease a space which should be enough for clothing intake and sorting. Also you will require space for redesigning, cutting and production.
3. Sorting
This would be the very important step. Designer should have an eye to look out what we have and how it can be transformed to better and unique one. So, sort out quality things which you think you can reuse it from the collection. After sorting out anything that is still wearable, the balance should be separate out into different categories.
One category would be those textiles that can be used to make new clothing. The good quality garments can be transformed into new trendy pattern avoiding any flaws, damages if it has.
The low-quality ones can be changed to make carpet padding i.e. downcycling or can be forwarded to recycling unit or you can donate it poor people as it is.
4. Re-design of used clothing
Here is the skill required. The good quality garments can be redesigned into new silhouette, trendy pattern, playing with various colour schemes. Just be careful while lay-outing. Avoid torn, faded area of garment, any flaws, and damages if it has. You can hire a designer to convert the used clothing into vintage clothes.
5. Production Unit
You will require the machineries for sewing and other operations. The main important role in that unit is of the skilled worker. The designer has to explain his/her design to get final result as designed.
Many times it is the designer who has to cut the pattern which is in the mind. It is the need of time that young fashion designers should know more about zero pattern cutting, how to look for second hand clothing at scale; how to approach manufacturers for factory remnants. They should be taught how to disassemble garments and transform them into something else; how to sort surplus, how to store it and how to design to include surplus.
6. Estimate the cost
You should calculate the cost of collecting the old textiles, cost of redesigning it into new one and as also the cost of transporting it for sale.
That’s it!!!
Conclusion
Upcycling fashion is a very good idea for start-up business. Upcycling is a creative design solution to an environmental crisis. Upcycling businesses face a lot of hardships and difficulties that other product lines will not have to deal with. It’s important to deal with these problems before you set up your company because you will need to appraise your expectations for profit against these setbacks. And yes it is a big challenge!!!