Zero Waste Patterns: 20 Projects to Sew Your Own Wardrobe

Product Information

This is a 'one size' pattern which comes in two size ranges. Due to the zero waste nature of this pattern some design details may change between sizes, select your size to see more. Sewing Level: Beginner Milan AV-JC makes seven patterns available through a Creative Commons license. There are some beauties among them and I am planning at least one of these. It might not be the most inspiring of names, but zero waste design has been around for much of humanity’s history. What it ultimately boils down to is the ability to use every last little bit of raw material to create something with. In the case of sewing, that’s using every millimetre of fabric. It’s more or less as simple as that – though it does get a little more complicated when you start thinking about the differences between mass producing clothing and making a single garment at home.

As I was researching more zero waste patterns to add to this post – I also found this brilliant resource. A full library of free, public source and paid for zero waste patterns. Find it here. If you’d like to make use of a larger piece of fabric or have a hankering for a shopping excursion, you can still sew more sustainably with zero-waste garments. Some of our favorites are listed below! A zero waste pattern uses 100% of the fabric, with no scraps or waste. The pattern pieces fit together like a giant jigsaw puzzle within the width of the fabric.

Working this way will help you to start building a toolbox of skills, and you will learn an alternative method of self drafting your own sewing patterns, which are super easy for beginners to understand. That is a very good question Christine and one that has been discussed at length: should we be paying attention to fabric yield and what is the point of the exercise if a zero waste garment uses more that a regular garment (or the same as a regular garment)? But remember - zero waste is never zero - so any "zero waste fashion" option is creating some sort of waste or environmental impact. Imperfect system, imperfect answers. Still, there are definitely ways to drastically reduce the impact fast fashion and excessive consumption has on the planet. Sustainable sewing embraces shifts in behavior including selecting sustainable fabrics, mending your existing garments, upcycling, and more. If you’re looking to take your eco-friendly practices a step further, try choosing patterns designed to minimize or eliminate waste. These patterns help you sew sustainably by asking you to pull from materials on hand, or show you how to create a complete garment from a single piece of fabric, leaving no remnants behind.

Tonlé - Tonlé champions a restorative, regenerative, and just future for fashion. They prioritize workers rights alongside reducing their waste through zero waste sewing practices. Their garments aren't cheap but their pricing isn't high-end, either. I actually found Cindy through TikTok last year, and was intrigued by the concept of a ‘bog coat’. This ancient way of making clothing has been given a new twist through Cindy’s patterns, which you can find on Etsy.If the pattern is going to be in multiple sizes, these have to be organised within the layout while it’s being made. I think that really zero-waste is a bit of a red herring. As several people have said, clever pattern placement can result in a better item more likely to be used because of the fit. I see that many of the zero waste patterns look best on the tall and slim, often with a smaller bust. These would be unsuitable for a lot of body types. I’m not decrying ‘zero waste’ as a promotional tool for wiser fabric choices, better pattern design and more awareness of the issue of fast fashion and landfill. I think as Sewers we should be aware of all of this and more. We should be reusing our failed attempts, repurposing our older clothes and generally not buying so much. Fabric, just as much as fast fashion, is a terrible lure….I know it’s effects.

I hope you have enjoyed this post on where to find patterns to sew your own zero waste wardrobe. I love to post all sorts of articles about sustainable sewing. So if you have loved this, why not read about If you want to chat about the episode and the challenges then do join us each week in our Facebook group event.This zero-waste, beginner friendly envelope dress doesn’t even require a paper pattern. Sizing is customized to your measurements, and you can try it in various fabrics for a range of different looks. This dress is an easy way to create something unique to you. We have passed the 100 day mark and now there’s only 96 days to go until Zero Waste Sewing is published.

When making a zero waste pattern, it’s important not to have set ideas or expectations about what the outcome will be (as I discovered making zero waste jeans). It’s by doing and seeing what emerges that brings the design direction. There is an added benefit of discovering interesting new design details and silhouettes which you might not have otherwise. Serendipity – making fortunate discoveries by accident – plays an important part in zero waste patternmaking. Additionally, you can use the Image Notes feature to highlight one or more interesting areas in your image. Everyone will see your notes when they roll over your image.In the fourth episode of The Great British Sewing Bee series 9, nine contestants are challenged with making a zero waste pair of trousers, transform tote bags into a garment and sew a made-to-measure out for a model sing second-hand crochet blankets. For episode four we have put our detective hats on to discover the sewing patterns from independent designers and commercial pattern houses used in Sewing Bee TV show. The patterns below are all matches or inspired by the designs used in the fourth episode of the Great British Sewing bee series 9. If you haven’t already seen our ultimate guide to the Sewing Bee do take a look. I also think that zero waste design can be an awesome intellectual challenge. It’s a very different way of looking at shapes and it does become creative problem solving at its best. The designer needs to be the patternmaker as well, or have a knowledge of patternmaking, and experience with cutting layouts is also needed.