As a garment designer with years of experience in the fashion industry, working with recycled fabrics has challenged me on many levels — all of them enriching. Fashion remains a highly competitive sector: unfortunately, sustainability and circularity are still not top priorities for most of the clients, although consumers and regulations are starting to push them in the right direction. 

From a design perspective, the main challenge lies in making the most of the materials we have — and making sure our clients love them for what they are. This means designing with the fabric always in mind, enhancing the qualities that make it unique. We also design knowing that every garment will one day return to our recycling facilities. That’s why we limit trims and unnecessary embellishments, aiming to make every piece as recyclable as possible. 

Colour is another major challenge. In the Studio, we design based on the colours available in stock — which depend on the waste arriving at the recycling facilitiest — rather than dyeing fabrics, which carries a significant environmental cost. When a client asks for a specific shade, we try to match it with the yarns we have, avoiding dyeing whenever possible. Our fabric department plays a crucial role here, helping us blend the right mix of yarns to achieve the desired tones while staying true to our principles. 

But perhaps the greatest challenge of all is educating the client about who we are and why our way of doing things is different. Recycled fabrics cannot — and should not — be compared to virgin ones. Their uniqueness is part of their beauty. Fortunately, many of the brands we work with understand our process and share our values. As designers, we play a key role in introducing clients to the world of circularity, breaking preconceived notions about recycled materials, and showing them that beauty and sustainability are not at odds. With care and creativity, we’re proving that recycled fabrics can be just as stunning — if not more — than traditional ones. 

Gina Madi – Designer