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Stream/Area:
-
Subject:
-
Paper ID:
IJSREM67063
Volume:
10 |
9 |
Sep 2026
Pages:
1-21
Publication Frequency:
Monthly (12 issues per year)
License:International Journal of Scientific Research in Engineering and Management follows the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 (CC BY 4.0) License, allowing free use and distribution with proper attribution.
Fashion Design
SANJEEV AGRAWAL GLOBAL EDUCATIONAL UNIVERSITY
The fashion and textile industry is associated with substantial resource consumption, material waste and environmental pollution throughout the stages of fibre production, textile manufacturing, garment construction and disposal. Conventional fashion production frequently generates pre-consumer textile waste in the form of cutting scraps, fabric remnants, selvedges, rejected materials and production leftovers. At the same time, surface ornamentation processes may involve additional materials such as threads, trims, sequins, beads, appliqué components and synthetic embellishments. Sustainable surface ornamentation provides an opportunity to transform these discarded or surplus materials into aesthetically valuable design elements while reducing dependence on virgin resources. This research paper explores the concept of zero-waste surface ornamentation as an innovative approach to sustainable fashion design. The study examines techniques including textile scrap appliqué, patchwork, fabric manipulation, fabric weaving, braided waste, corded ornamentation, reconstructed embellishment, layered textile surfaces, waste-based embroidery and modular surface development. A conceptual design framework is proposed in which textile waste is first classified according to fibre, colour, size, texture and form and subsequently transformed into functional and decorative fashion components. The paper further discusses the relationship between zero-waste design, circular economy principles, aesthetic innovation and responsible production. Existing research demonstrates that pre-consumer textile waste can be incorporated into surface design and that zero-waste pattern cutting can achieve very high levels of fabric utilisation. One published study reported fabric utilisation above 98% for selected garment styles using zero-waste pattern cutting. Research on textile-waste-based surface ornamentation has also demonstrated the potential of integrating and disintegrating fabric waste to create durable decorative surfaces. Therefore, zero-waste surface ornamentation can be understood not merely as a waste-management strategy but as a design methodology capable of generating new material aesthetics, extending material value and supporting circular fashion systems.
KEYWORDS
Zero-waste surface ornamentation represents an important opportunity for transforming the relationship between textile waste and fashion design. Instead of considering scraps, remnants and discarded textiles as production residues, designers can treat them as valuable creative resources. The integration of appliqué, patchwork, scrap weaving, braiding, embroidery, quilting, fabric manipulation and reconstructed embellishment provides multiple possibilities for transforming textile waste into aesthetically appealing fashion surfaces. The literature demonstrates that zero-waste approaches can substantially improve material utilisation and can transform conventional fashion-design processes. Research on waste-based surface ornamentation further indicates that pre-consumer textile remnants can be transformed into innovative decorative materials. The proposed framework demonstrates that sustainability should be incorporated at the beginning of the design process rather than addressed only after production. Effective zero-waste surface ornamentation requires designers to consider material selection, waste classification, design development, construction, durability, functionality and end-of-life simultaneously. Ultimately, the value of zero-waste surface ornamentation lies not only in reducing waste but also in redefining waste as a source of creativity, cultural expression, material innovation and economic value. Its successful adoption can contribute to the transition from a linear fashion system towards a more circular, responsible and regenerative model.
Ellen MacArthur Foundation. (2017). A New Textiles Economy: Redesigning Fashion's Future. Ellen MacArthur Foundation. Ellen MacArthur Foundation. (2019). Fashion and the Circular Economy. Ellen MacArthur Foundation. Ellen MacArthur Foundation. (2023). Our Vision of a Circular Economy for Fashion. Ellen MacArthur Foundation. Ellen MacArthur Foundation. (2024). We Need Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) Policy for Textiles to Reduce Fabric Waste. Ellen MacArthur Foundation. Ellen MacArthur Foundation. (2026). Circular Fashion: Keeping Fashion and Textiles in Use. Ellen MacArthur Foundation. James, A. M., Roberts, B., & Kuznia, A. (2016). Transforming the sequential process of fashion production: Where zero-waste pattern cutting takes the lead in creative design. International Journal of Fashion Design, Technology and Education, 9(2), 142–152. Kim, H., & Na, H. (2023). Pattern-cutting design for zero-waste fashion practice. The Research Journal of the Costume Culture, 31(1), 18–33. Ramkalaon, S., & Sayem, A. S. M. (2021). Zero-Waste Pattern Cutting (ZWPC) to tackle over sixty billion square metres of fabric wastage during mass production of apparel. The Journal of The Textile Institute, 112(5), 809–819. Shah, M. (2018). Development of innovative surface ornamentation by utilizing pre-consumer textile waste for sustainable fashion. International Journal of Home Science, 4(2), 263–265. UNEP. (2026). Sustainable and Circular Textiles. United Nations Environment Programme. UNEP. (2025). Five Ways to Reduce Waste in the Fashion Industry. United Nations Environment Programme. Han, S. S., & Suh, S. H. (2016). A study on the design development methods and the characteristics of zero waste fashion design. Journal of the Korean Society of Costume, 66(4), 61–76.
Publication Date
9/2/2026
Peer Review Type
Double-Blind Peer Review
Review Rounds: 2
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