A Zero Waste Initiative aimed to (Re)define the new (Nu) by giving new life to textile waste and old clothing through upcycling and using fabric scraps.
About the Project
Reducing Textile Waste
The Facts: the average Canadian throws out 81 lbs of textiles out each year. 10 million tonnes of clothing end up in the landfill every year.
Our Why: By creating this initiative, we hope to contribute to the solution and reduce our own environmental impact while creating products for your to love and use for years to come.
With 10 years of sewing experience under her belt, each of our Re·Nu pieces are designed and handsewed in Vancouver by Bianca Bellantoni. The fabrics used for this initiative are either fabric scraps, leftover deadstock or upcycled clothing in need of a refresher. We source all of these textiles from our own production and locally from Vancouver-based jobbers.
When you purchase one of our Re·Nu items, you are helping reduce textile waste while supporting a small, female-owned business.
Shop The Re•Nu Project
Bianca's Zero Waste Background
PRE-CONSUMER WASTE
Pre-Consumer Waste refers to the textile waste that comes from manufacturing clothing. Every garment is cut using 2D patterns strategically laid across a flattened pile of fabric. While there are methods to reduce the amount of fabric scraps created (this is called Pattern Marking), there is often always small, oddly shaped pieces of fabric that become a result.
For Bianca’s these project, she created a solution for all of these oddly cut pieces: Pet Beds. While these beds are a bit heavy, it is a small solution to a big problem. To this day, she still creates pet beds and tries to donate them to local shelters that need them.
Bianca also designed an innovative ‘Fabric Scrap Embroidery’ method where she took the leftover lining from the garment and embroidered it back on top of the garment to create a unique mosaic-like effect.
ZERO WASTE DESIGN
Zero Waste Design refers to the design process in which every square yardage of the fabric is used, leaving zero fabric wastage. This considers zero waste practices at the design level, ensuring that the pattern pieces fit perfectly on the fabric yardage, almost like a puzzle.
For Bianca’s thesis project, she used 2 yards of GOTS-Certified Organic Cotton Sateen, undyed fabric to create a floor-length gown. This gown was designed using “draping,” a traditional technique where the fabric is draped upon a mannequin and manipulated to create the 3D version of the garment through pinning. This is then unpinned, flattened and turned into a 2D pattern and sewn together.
POST-CONSUMER WASTE
Post-Consumer Waste refers to the textile waste from throwing out used clothing. With the rise of Fast Fashion in the early 2010’s, people were buying clothing and either throwing them out or donating them after only a few wears. This causes our thrift shops to be over-inundated with clothing, and often times these are shipped to third-world countries, who also don’t need this much clothing.
For Bianca’s thesis project, she purchased a ribbed black skirt and completely redesigned it into a cropped top, without leaving any tiny fabric scraps. This type of design is very carefully thought out to ensure that ZERO fabric is leftover.
To this day, she has practiced upcycled for various items, including an old wool coat from a thrift store that she cut up and redesigned it into a short bomber jacket. The lining for the jacket was made from leftover deadstock.
