Mass production may be the cheapest way to manufacture clothing, but it also leaves behind an unsurmountable pile of waste. At the manufacturing level, a large amount of usable material is wasted due to fabric cut-offs during production and mass-produced clothing that often goes unsold.
A fashion-meets-tech company Son of a Tailor is doing its part to end that unsustainable cycle. Already known for creating custom, made-to-order T-shirts since 2014, the Copenhagen-based company is now aiming to eliminate waste even further with the world’s first 3D-knitted pullover sweater.
Customers input individual measurements, such as height and weight, and custom size is created through an algorithm on the website. For the T-shirts and polos, each individual garment pattern is fitted like puzzle pieces to minimize waste, then cut with a laser and sewn together.
Unlike most mass-produced clothing, each Son of a Tailor shirt is constructed by the same person from start to finish. Going a step further, the new pullovers are created using an advanced, 3D-knitting machine. Each pullover is constructed in one whole piece, reducing the amount of cut-off waste from 20% to less than 1%.
What’s more, there is no warehouse or store full of unsold clothing. Garments are only made if they are needed, meaning the company goes against the norm of fast fashion. Nothing ends up in the trash if it is unsold or goes out of style.
