Why not make something useful from fashion and textile waste?
“Limited Resources - Limited Consumption”
We better start planning (and re-using) now, if we hope to have resources (and clothing) for generations to come. That is part of the mantra of Looptworks, a new eco-fashion brand on the scene, who launched September 9, 2009 in Portland, Oregon. Looptworks’ mission and rasion d’etre is to create lifestyle active wear made from fabric remnants (a.k.a fashion industry waste).
As the saying goes: Since there is only a finite amount of matter on the planet, we must be careful about how we use and allocate resources. As such, the question then becomes why did it take us so long to start re-using these valuable remnants?
Well, the answer is that others have been doing variations on this for a while. In fact, we know of several designers in the Boston area that make their deisgner collections out of re-purposed clothing. In addition, there is the design team Feral Childe. Feral Childe has been using fabric remnants and “mill-ends” for years now, integrating them into their unique collections. However the difference is that most designers who use this approach do not base their whole collection on remnants. They often use them when they find cool fabrics they like. In the case of Looptworks however, they seem to be the first to do this on a larger scale, with the whole focus of their label being on “remnant-to-garment”.
So Looptworks has created a unique approach to “Reduce, Reuse and Recycle” in the fashion world, by re–using industry waste, and creating limited edition garments – all made from fabric scraps.
Indeed, these guys are inventive, bringing recycling to a new level and scale. Why not tap into the yards and yards of fabrics that get left behind at factories? Personally, we believe this is invaluable because remnants are rarely re-used, and often end up on landfills, so why not bring them into useful existence?
Led by Hamlin, Gary Peck and Jim Stutts, all are apparel industry veterans with extensive experience from Nike, adidas and Royal Robbins. The team apparently came together in their distaste for traditional manufacturing models with the vision to create a more sustainable system: e.g. creating products from abandoned materials.
Every week, one garment factory can dispose upwards of about 60,000 pounds of textile waste, which goes directly into landfills. Looptworks taps into this excess of material thrown away by figuring out how it can be re-purposed into modern, useful and fashionable clothing.
Due to the nature of the source material, each production line is very small and each garment a limited edition. In fact, each item is hand numbered.
Working with waste instead of virgin materials also affects the entire design process. Development time for their garments is around 9 weeks, compared to the typical 54 weeks for the average apparel company. Given that, it’s easy to see how Looptworks could position itself not only as a sustainable brand, but also as a trendsetter.
Even though the production cycle is extremely fast, and materials acquired second-hand, Looptworks builds clothing and accessories to last a long time. Each material is tested for shrinkage and durability before being incorporated into designs. Products are double-needle stitched on all seams and triple-needle stitched on critical seams.
The company’s debut collection includes a variety of hoodies, tees, shorts, fleeces and jackets (for more see Looptworks).
The newly launched website welcomes visitors to see the world through a new lens, using two circles to showcase fresh videos on its homepage, to both educate and inspire. Clicking on the men’s and women’s product categories provides the shopper an overview of each collection. There are eight men’s products and nine for women, with additional styles being added on a regular basis.
Shoppers can rollover the static product images to magnify and discover the unexpected, signature Looptworks details, like craftily-designed pockets, and whimsical, unmatched buttons and snaps. Even the logo is attached to a loop that has the number of the garment etched in by hand.
Hats off to Looptworks joining the eco-fashion growing flock — looking beyond the “now” to future generations with the understanding that we cannot pursue our current production models for much longer if we hope to foster a sustainable future. One downside: if you like something on their site, you gotta buy it fast, since it wont last long. Fabric remnants cannot be re-produced.Check out looptworks.com and let us know what you think… do you like this model? Tell us your thoughts.
Photo source: Looptworks
By: Julie Finkel and Shana Yansen
The idea behind this business is an excellent one, but as Looptworks produces its garments mainly in eastern Asia, I’m curious if their workers are unionized or paid fairly. I can only hope that the workers are treated well and that’s why everything on the site is so expensive! Relative to the garments the fabric Looptworks sources originally made, I’m sure their clothes cost less, but for the average person a $35 T-shirt isn’t really feasible.
Great question, Genna! Come to think of it, I did not see “fair trade” or ethical labor anywhere on their site. Nowadays that seems like a given, especially for anyone operating in the ecofashion sphere since it is a more conscientious business to start with….lets see if they come out with any statements on that aspect of their business.
Thank you for your comments and concerns Genna and Shana!
We want you to rest assured that all of the manufacturers that Looptworks utilizes are monitored and certified by the Fair Labor Association. Our company would never condone utilizing a manufacturer or factory that treated its employees with disrespect, or did not act ethically toward the people who work for them.