Zero waste in the apparel industry: limitations and alternatives

Abstract

The Zero Waste approach applied to garment manufacturing promises the elimination of textile waste in the production process, making the process more sustainable. This article contributes to aiding textile manufacturing companies in applying more sustainable techniques to reduce waste. Therefore, the main objective is to identify critical aspects and limitations of the design and the patternmaking process using the Zero Waste approach to apply in the garment industry in large-scale production. The study initiates with zero waste bibliography research and identification and analysis of the proposals of the fashion designers who use the Zero Waste approach to garment design and pattern making. As a result, the article presents critical aspects and limitations of the approach and discusses viable alternatives for its implementation in the large-scale garment manufacturing process.