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Innovative Sustainable Apparel Design: Application of CAD and Redesign Process

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Book cover Sustainability in the Textile and Apparel Industries

Abstract

This chapter aims to provide insights for designers, researchers, and educators seeking innovative ways to practice redesign activities within sustainable apparel design methods. The authors of the chapter present theoretical concepts for upcycling and applications of redesigning practices using innovative technologies, including laser etching and cutting, digital textile printing, and pattern digitizing through virtual computer-aided design (CAD) methods. The researchers further discuss a sustainable redesign framework that highlights the use of CAD and sequentially presents three design examples using (a) post-consumer textile waste (leather and silk) by an engineering laser cutting technique, (b) post-industrial waste (denim) by an engineering laser etching technique, and (c) post-consumer textile waste (denim) by pattern digitizing and engineering digital textile printing techniques. The presented redesign methods are sustainable as they reduce waste and increase efficiency for surface design and garment construction processes. The chapter concludes with some challenges of the redesigning process and suggested solutions suggestions for redesigning at micro and macro levels of the apparel industry.

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Acknowledgments

Thanks to Qiyao Xiong, Katelyn Otto, and Izabella Varela-Moran for providing the images of their designs and patterns.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Apparel, Merchandising, Design and Textiles, Washington State University, Pullman, WA, USA

    Chanmi Hwang

  2. Department of Apparel, Events, and Hospitality Management, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, USA

    Ling Zhang

Authors
  1. Chanmi Hwang
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  2. Ling Zhang
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Ling Zhang .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Head of Sustainability, SgT and API, Kowloon, Hong Kong

    Subramanian Senthilkannan Muthu

  2. Centro de Estudios para el Lujo Sustentable, Buenos Aires, Argentina

    Miguel Angel Gardetti

Appendix

Appendix

Applications of laser cutting and etching on natural and man-made fabrics

Laser cutting

Laser etching

Cellulous fibers

Cotton Denim (Blue)

P: 100

V: 1

PPI: 4000

P: 100

V: 65

PPI: 1000

Cotton Denim (White)

P: 100

V: 1

PPI: 4000

P: 100

V: 65

PPI: 1000

Cotton Satin

P: 75

V: 2

PPI: 5000

P: 20

V: 15

PPI: 500

Protein fibers

Cotton Silk Charmeuse

P: 100

V: 2

PPI: 5000

P: 13

V: 5

PPI: 500

Cotton Wool Felt

P: 100

V: 1

PPI: 4000

P: 100

V: 60

PPI: 100

Cotton Satin

P: 75

V: 2

PPI: 5000

P: 20

V: 15

PPI: 500

100% leather

100% Leather

P: 100

V: 2

PPI: 2000

P: 15

V: 5

PPI: 500

Man-made fibers

Velvet

P: 100

V: 1

PPI: 1000

P: 35

V: 30

PPI: 1000

Polyester Knit

P: 100

V: 3

PPI: 5001

P: 30

V: 20

PPI: 500

Suede

P: 100

V: 3

PPI: 5001

P: 15

V: 10

PPI: 500

Lycra

P: 100

V: 3

PPI: 5001

P: 20

V: 10

PPI: 500

  1. Note: P indicates power, V indicates speed, PPI indicates power per inches

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Hwang, C., Zhang, L. (2020). Innovative Sustainable Apparel Design: Application of CAD and Redesign Process. In: Muthu, S., Gardetti, M. (eds) Sustainability in the Textile and Apparel Industries. Sustainable Textiles: Production, Processing, Manufacturing & Chemistry. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-37929-2_5

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