Graigote Saereedeelert
Abstract :
Today, clothing waste has become one of the most serious environmental issues in the fashion industry.
The rise of fast fashion and rapid consumption has changed the way people buy and use clothing. Many consumers now tend to purchase clothes frequently, following short-lived trends or buying new outfits for every occasion. This behavior has led to wardrobes overflowing with garments that are rarely worn and quickly discarded, resulting in a large amount of clothing waste. The more consumers buy, the more the fashion industry produces, creating a continuous cycle of overproduction and waste that significantly impacts the environment.
This project was developed from the researcher’s concern about this issue and the desire to find a way to extend the lifespan of garments. The idea began with a simple question: What if one garment could be worn in many different ways? When a piece of clothing can transform, adjust, or be restyled, it becomes more versatile and can be used across multiple occasions, reducing the need to buy new clothes as often. To achieve this, the researcher studied how different types of garments are worn and explored design methods that add more functionality and flexibility.
The concept of Origami, the Japanese art of paper folding, was used as a key inspiration for this work. Origami techniques allow fabric to fold, stretch, and change shape in dynamic ways. This approach makes it possible to design garments that expand or contract beyond their usual structure, creating new shapes and silhouettes. In addition, the researcher also drew upon the philosophy of Deconstruction, which challenges traditional design rules by rethinking how garments are formed and assembled. This philosophy opens new possibilities for creating unexpected forms and expressing creativity through structural transformation.
By combining these ideas, the resulting garments are not only visually unique but also functionally adaptable. They encourage longer use, offer new wearing experiences, and allow individuals to express their identity in different contexts. Ultimately, this project aims to promote more mindful consumption and provide an alternative design approach that responds to both aesthetic and environmental concerns in today’s fashion industry.
Objectives :
1. To reduce the need for purchasing new clothing caused by today’s fast fashion consumption, by extending the lifespan of garments. This approach helps decrease clothing waste, which has become one of the major environmental problems in the fashion industry.
2. To increase the opportunities for wearing garments by allowing them to transform their shapes through Origami folding techniques. These folding methods enable the garments to stretch, expand, and create new silhouettes.
3. To create a prototype design that serves as a conceptual framework and inspiration for future fashion designers. This prototype can be developed and adapted to transform garment structures within the fashion industry.
4. To experiment with new garment structures that combine both aesthetics and functionality, offering beauty and practicality at the same time.
Conceptual Framework :
The design concept explores the creation of garments that can transform their shape to suit different occasions and extend their wearability. This project experiments with transforming a daytime work coat into an evening outfit through the use of Origami folding techniques applied to the garment’s front, back, and sleeves. When the folded parts are expanded, the piece reveals a new silhouette with distinct forms and vibrant colors. The researcher applied the philosophy of Deconstruction to analyze and adjust the expansion of each pattern piece, restructuring them to unfold gradually in rhythmic stages. A color gradient from light to dark represents the sense of movement as the garment appears to grow and shift outward from the wearer’s body. Through this transformation, a simple straight-cut coat evolves into a dynamic new form that opens outward in flowing layers, expressing both movement and change an embodiment of transformation within fashion design.
Process / Methodology :
The process began with studying a standard coat pattern and separating its components to identify areas suitable for expansion. The front and back panels were determined to provide the most potential for transformation due to their broad surface. Once these areas were defined, paper-folding experiments were conducted to test how the pattern could realistically fold and extend. Subsequently, new structural forms were developed and integrated into the selected sections to ensure that, when expanded, the garment would reveal a distinctly new silhouette. A color gradient—from light to dark—was applied to emphasize the sense of movement and rhythm as the structure unfolds, expressing the dynamic transformation of form. This project functioned as both a pattern study and a practical experiment, combining technical exploration with aesthetic development to create a garment capable of structural and visual change
Techniques and Materials :
This project applies Japanese origami techniques as the foundation for developing expandable sections of the garment. Paper-folding experiments led to a lantern-like structure that can compress and expand, which was then adapted for the front, back, and sleeves of the coat. When translated to fabric, a chemical fusible interlining was used to maintain the folds and create clear crease lines, while curved sleeve areas required additional cutting and joining due to the limitations of folding flat paper. A subtle color gradation was also incorporated to emphasize movement within the expanding structure, using lightweight fabrics in closely related tones that were pieced together before folding to ensure a smooth and dynamic final form.
Result / Conclusion :
Through the study of basic garment structures and the exploration of folding techniques that enable expansion, this project demonstrates how a single garment can transform into new forms and colors beyond its original design. This transformation increases the occasions for wearing the piece, extending its functional lifespan and adding value to the design itself. The experimentation also serves as a prototype for future fashion designers, offering both technical and structural approaches for developing garments with foldable and expandable patterns. Ultimately, this work presents a sustainable design direction one that reduces waste created by fast fashion consumption, where clothes are often worn only a few times before being discarded.
References :
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