VIETNAM'S FIRST
ZERO-WASTE SUITLINE
we want to help move the fashion industry forward
with culturally and environmentally innovative uses of factory excess material
RE: ZERO -
A CASE FOR RECIRCULATING WASTE & UPLIFTING AN ANCIENT COMMUNITY
UPCYCLING 6 TONS OF FACTORY EXCESS THREADS TO AREAS THAT WANT AND NEED MATERIAL
Vietnam is the 5th largest producer of the world's garments and textile-related goods; Vietnam is also the 4th biggest producer of plastic packaging. Such mass production also result in massive amount of factory excesses and waste that would end up in the incinerator or landfill.
Four years ago, we pursued COATS, a 250 year-old British company producing in Vietnam and is the world's biggest and oldest thread company. Every 12 months, COATS produces as much as 6 tons of factory excess. We proposed a radical idea to donate excess threads to weaving communities of various indigenous tribes across Central Vietnam rather than sending the excesses to landfills and incinerators.
GOAL #1:
Create the appropriate ecosystem where industry leaders can seize opportunities to recirculate their factory excesses and waste
GOAL #2:
Redirect factory excesses to indigenous weaving communities in needs of supplies; thereby, helping such communities to reduce their production cost
GOAL #3:
Demonstrate the useability and salability of handmade upcycled textile via the creation of a gender-neutral suitline
GOAL #4:
Create market awareness & provide designers with a culturally sustainable and innovative solution for environmentally responsible manufacturing
RECIRCULATING WASTE & UPLIFTING AN ANCIENT COMMUNITY
THE ARTISAN CENTER
We work with industry's biggest players like COATS to collect and ship factory excesses to areas of need in hard-to-reach indigenous communities
We coordinate with government officials and tribe leaders to identify communities with the balance of talent and willingness to preserve their unique weaving methods with COATS excess threads
COATS FACTORIES IN VIETNAM
Manufacturing creates at least 10% excesses and waste in the tons
12 WEAVING TRIBES
Our product development team work with each weaving tribe to provide design training as well as basic entrepreneurial skills so that tribes learn how to market and sell their new style fabrics
GLOBAL MARKETS
Global brands that manufacture in Vietnam buy 100+ millions of dollars worth of threads and trimmings
We then help to create awareness and new markets for these ancient weaving communities
