Product Name: The Fabric Mosaic Series (FMS)
Introduction
This is a signature product derived from fabric mosaic artworks. Fabric mosaicking is a creative production process inspired by tile mosaics, where tiles are replaced by pieces of fabric. In this process, scraps of fabric are repurposed by joining and quilting to create a new visually pleasing pattern. The fundamental objective of our Fabric Mosaic Series (FMS) is sustainability via waste reduction and/or elimination. FMS is structured with two core modules:
1) Conversion module: this turns 'waste' into raw material by repurposing fabric waste (scraps) which is a natural by-product of conventional garment production into raw material for the creation of new garments.
2) Elimination module: this targets the elimination of two major waste points in the garment manufacturing process. These are the waste incurred from the need to use quantities of the same fabric to complete individual garments and wastage from pattern (print) placement in garment manufacturing. Maison Aria's mosaic series is hinged on the remanufacture, reuse, and repurpose principles of the UNEP circularity approach.
The materials used
Fabric mosaicking is versatile and adaptive to various fabrics and fibers. A majority of our FMS, however, are made primarily from cotton and secondarily from silk. These fibers are woven into more durable fabrics like crepes (cotton and silk crepes), denim, mesh, and sateen through conscious procedures that retain their biodegradability; thus, micro-fibers that are released into the environment during the garment life cycle are easily decomposed in the natural environment.
The design processes
The FMS design process is hinged on continuous research and development. Our design process is dependent on the nature of the raw materials obtained as the core objective of FMS is the reuse/recycling of this erstwhile waste product. Fabric waste is collected, sorted, and processed, while the creative team develops designs suitable for the raw material procured. Miniatures may be used to confirm the suitability of fabric and design if the nature of the raw materials is unfamiliar to the design team. This is rarely the case, however, as Maison Aria works to maintain a zero-fabric consumption in product sampling. The design process terminates with quality checks which ensure that the final products reflect both the design and the brand ethos.
The production techniques
The production cycle for FMS begins with the sourcing and collection of fabric waste from garment production hubs. This fabric waste is then transferred to sorting which operates on Maison Aria's Double S module: suitability and sustainability. Here, the fabric scraps are sorted on both criteria into batches that are designated for different functions in the production of the garment, and processed in accordance with the assignment, for example, broad fusion is made for the base while smaller cutouts for surface texturing and embroidery. After the fabric is prepared, designs are translated into pattern cards which then move into the standard garment production workflow (Cutting, sewing, fitting, and quality checks).
We are currently exploring expanding the raw material sourcing for our FMS to include recycled Maison Aria products from our customers by 2024. We will work on the creation of collection points where customers can hand in old products that will be taken apart and reinjected into the FMS production cycle as raw material. Customers will be given incentives, like cashback and gift cards, for products with higher scrap value.
A dress made with our FMS technique
The methods put into place to reduce the carbon footprint
Although the cultivation and production of cotton and silk still possess a considerable carbon footprint on a global scale with Higg MSI global warming index as high as 85.9 for silk, the manufacturing of our FMS possesses an almost insignificant carbon footprint as the production process requires more manual (labor) input than machine input. The little machine input needed runs on Maison Aria's production facilities which currently operate on half-load solar energy. Considering that FMS addresses waste, we cannot overly restrict the raw materials for FMS without deviating from its fundamental objectives. However, we have precluded plastic fabrics from FMS; unless where evidence can be had that the plastics used were recycled. We also do not carry out any colorization or 'chemicalization' of the fabrics used in our FMS as this can incur overhead in global warming and eutrophication. Finally, our FMS is produced only on-demand to ensure that every product that goes off the production rack immediately enters its consumption cycle, leaving zero overstocks in need of destruction or recycling.
Information on the life of the product: durability, measures taken to extend the product’s lifetime, and transparency
Our FMS is largely produced from two considerably sustainable and currently attainable fabrics: cotton and silk. We use these fibers only after they have been woven into durable materials like crepe, denim, sateen, and Mikado silk. We use only reinforced cotton mesh for our FMS requiring light bases and we quilt this base with reinforced stitching to ensure durability.
Our FMS is very durable as it is largely made from natural fabrics and is easy to care for as its composition can be identified with ease by the end users.
To reduce our carbon footprint in overheads, Maison Aria has phased out paper garment tags and synthetic care labels. Instead, we are developing a ‘scan-to-care’ technology where our labels can be electronically scanned by consumers to get care information and garment composition for increased transparency and accessibility.
The year the product was released
Our FMS was released in 2021