The textile industry produces noticeable waste every year. According to reports, 92 million tonnes of textile waste end up in landfills each year. These horrific numbers have made consumers around the world more cautious about their fashion choices.
As a result, sustainable fashion like patchwork, and retro clothing is becoming more popular among the urban crowd.
Today, we will discuss one of the most trending fashion choices in the industry—patchwork clothing.
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What’s a patchwork style?
Imagine if you didn’t have to throw away your favourite white t-shirt because it was torn at an event. You could use the same t-shirt and stitch it carefully with your dungaree. This way you could make a trendy patchwork dungaree!
Well, many trendsetters and designers in the industry are using this age-old technique to make fresh and innovative clothing.
Patchwork is using multiple panels of different patterns of fabric to make a garment. It isn’t necessarily a fabric trend. It is more of a design trend that makes for unique clothes.
During the pandemic, people were opting for brighter colours to make a conscious optimistic choice in hard times. Thus, a lot of street styles involved patchwork denim, skirts, tie-dye sweatshirts and tie-dye skirts. Even print-on-print has become a trend.
How is patchwork different from others?
A lot of us often confuse patchwork with print-on-print. Although there are some similarities, both offer very different looks. Unlike, print-on-print, patchwork is sewn into one fabric. Different pieces of smaller fabric are placed creatively and stitched together. To untrained eyes, it may look unmatched, but it usually takes a lot of planning and assembling of these pieces.
Another unique trend is tie-dye. Contrasting to patchwork, tie-dye clothing is done by mixing different colours (dyes). It gives an artistic and bright look to the clothes.
How did patchwork become famous?
Patchwork isn’t a new concept. It was used by ancient Egyptians 5,500 years ago. It was mostly used for drapes and table cloths.
During the period of American colonisation, a lot of British, Germans, French and other populations settled in America. That’s where patchwork saw its expansion at a global level. It was, of course, used out of necessity back then.
Housewives used to repair worn-out clothes with other patterns of clothing. Until the 20th century, patchwork was common with quilts. But its application in clothes created multi-colour wild designs, which later became the primary inspiration for patchwork art.
In the 1970s, Robert Cavalli introduced patchwork design in fashion. It was initially done in leather. From then on, patchwork made comeback during the 90s grunge period. It reappeared in 2005 and since then it has been a steady trend.
Patchwork becoming a sustainable choice of fashion
Patchwork clothes are a design that encourages recycling and sustainability. It is such an effective idea to reduce textile waste and make something useful out of it.
In the U.K alone multicolour patchwork dungarees, patchwork skirts and other clothing are combating the tonnes of textile waste generated by the fashion industry. Reusing fibres and textiles, it is reducing the use of raw materials and energy waste.
A unique thing about patchwork is that there is no strict rules or shape to follow. However, that also doesn’t indicate that the trend is aimless and messy as many fashion critics interpret.
Designers around the globe have not only presented the trend successfully but also reinvented it. In 2013, patchwork was a major trend in London Fashion Week. And in the last few years, due to the pandemic, this style is winning hearts everywhere.
Patchwork is a trend that will turn heads. It showcases freedom of style and innovation. The beautiful combination of dull and bright colour fabrics makes for statement wear. So, if you are looking for patchwork, visit Jordash Clothing—the ultimate destination for alternative clothing.