Revolutionizing Fashion: The Fundamentals Range

Transforming Waste into Wearable Art: A Sustainable Design Approach

The fashion industry is notorious for its environmental footprint, with Greenpeace reporting a 400% increase in clothing consumption over the past two decades. The majority of the 80 billion pieces of clothing produced annually worldwide end up in landfills or incinerated, with only a quarter being recycled. The Fundamentals Range offers a design solution to this issue, diverting textile sources from landfill and creating meaningful work opportunities.

What sets the Fundamentals Range apart is its circular economy approach. The clothing line is a remanufactured/upcycled limited edition, unlocking the latent qualities of undervalued resources. The range provides a solution to utilize textile and clothing waste material through a series of upcycling or remanufacture processes, design strategies, and three upcycling techniques; conjoined, spliced, and pieced. The designs are open to access, adapt, remix, and share via their website, encouraging a collaborative approach to fashion.

Whitty's designs make use of waste endemic to the fashion system. Through a partnership with New Zealand Post and Kiwibank, the design team has access to a standardized supply of post-consumer corporate uniforms that would have otherwise been sent to landfill. They developed a zero-waste reuse system and a series of upcycling processes that can be applied to any given garment, including other corporate uniform manufacturers.

The Fundamentals Range consists of nine individual interchangeable trans-seasonal garments, including tops, dresses, and leggings, available in small, medium, and large sizes. The garments are made from NZ Post post-consumer waste, with the composition being 100% Merino, and some items in Polyester or Cotton/Polyester.

The design process was not without challenges. The current linear, take-make-waste fashion system posed a significant hurdle. However, through a period of formalization and negotiation from 2012-2014, the team was able to create a collaborative framework that supports both individual and collective innovation. Their efforts were recognized with a Golden A' Sustainable Products, Projects and Green Design Award in 2017.

In conclusion, the Fundamentals Range by Jennifer Whitty is a testament to the power of sustainable design. By transforming waste into wearable art, this innovative clothing line offers a viable solution to the fashion industry's waste problem, paving the way for a more sustainable future.