REPURPOSING SURPLUS FABRIC LOTS INTO SUSTAINABLE REVERSIBLE AND CONVERTIBLE GARMENTS

The fashion industry has been consistently a major causality of waste generation, much of which occurs before garments even reach consumers. A significant portion of this waste arises during the pre-consumer stage in the form of deadstock fabrics, including surplus inventory, rejected materials, and leftover production remnants. This study explores a sustainable trajectory to reuse such unused fabrics by utilizing a sustainable design approach, aiming to improve material utilization while extending the functional lifespan of clothing. Deadstock fabric were sourced from textile manufacturers in Coimbatore and Tirupur and evaluated for their suitability in reversible and convertible garment construction. The research process involved survey analysis, design ideation, pattern development, prototype creation and preliminary fabric testing. The project ultimately aims at a capsule collection of reversible and convertible garments. This demonstrates how multi-functional garments can maximize the use of existing materials while reducing the need for newly produced textiles. The findings highlight the potential of deadstock repurposing as a practical strategy for minimizing textile waste and promoting more sustainable design practices within the fashion industry.