WHEN you go through your wardrobe, chances are you will find something you don't like, can't wear any more and would like to get rid of. Garment manufacturing companies have the same problem with reject clothing that doesn't meet their specifications. Thegarments are consigned to the scrap heap.
With the earth's natural resources being depleted, chemicals polluting the environment and energy required to process and dye yarns and fabrics, it makes sense to recycle old stuff.
Recycling can be done in two ways. One is taking old garments, unravelling them, and then scouring and respinning them into new yarns. These require special technology and environmentally conscious manufacturers have started using recycled wool to make coats, jackets, bags and berets. Esprit's Ecollection, for example, is made from recycled wool.
Another way is to make patchwork designs from scraps or to use reject clothing by taking it apart and redesigning it into new styles.
Ecology minded designers, such as Dolce e Gabbana and Moschino, have fashioned garments from fabric remnants. A British company called Scrap Scrap is known for its colourful garments, bags and hats, made from scrap materials.
Recently, a group of 24 final year students from the Swire School of Design came up with designs that not only looked at ways of recycling fabrics but also manufacturing that didn't harm the environment.