“Consumer behaviour in fashion has gone through many changes over time. In the beginning, clothing was simply essential for human survival. Today, it is a key part of our identity and an important visual representation of who we are.“
The fashion industry has grown exponentially to reflect this shift and respond to the increasing demand of customers. The story of fast fashion began in the 1980s – a decade of huge commercial growth. As more new fashion brands appeared, the use of synthetic fibers also increased. In 2005, reports began circulating that rivers in China and India were being poisoned by textile chemical waste. This issue continued to be amplified until the UN created the Sustainable Development Goal 12 (SDG12), which focuses on responsible consumption and production, and so addresses issues like waste generation and pollution (source: UNEP 2019).
While the problem is far from solved, many brands now reject the fast fashion model and act more responsibly when it comes to their production processes and factory waste. Below are just some of the global brands that are standing up for sustainability and doing exactly that. We are grateful for them embracing innovative new concepts and working incredibly hard to close the loop.
Eileen Fisher – Renew & Waste No More
🇺🇸 Based in: USA
Known for: “Renew” and “Waste No More” schemes
Approach: This pioneering brand collects post-consumer garments and factory leftovers to give them new life through mending, reselling or felting them into artistic new textiles.
What stands out: Their Waste No More program includes a New York-based circular design studio that turns unusable textile waste into wall hangings, cushions and even one-of-a-kind garments.
Eileen Fisher is a U.S. fashion brand founded in 1984, known for its minimalist, timeless clothing and deep commitment to sustainability. The brand promotes circular design by taking back old clothes through its Renew program and transforming damaged pieces into new textiles via Waste No More.
It uses eco-friendly materials like organic cotton, regenerative wool and bluesign®-certified silks, and has been a certified B Corp since 2015. Beyond the environment, Eileen Fisher supports ethical labor, fair wages and women’s empowerment, while aiming for a fully circular and regenerative business model by 2030.
Reformation – Cutting Waste Before It Begins
🇺🇸 Based in: USA
Known for: Tech-powered cutting techniques
Approach: Reformation’s sustainable production facility in Los Angeles tracks every fabric scrap and maximizes fabric yield. The brand also partners with FabScrap to recycle textile waste that can’t be reused internally.
Impact: Their cutting layouts and digital fabric mapping reduce factory floor waste by a huge margin, sometimes up to 50% less than traditional cutting.
They design clothes using low-impact materials like TENCEL™, organic cotton, recycled fabrics and surplus deadstock, which drastically reduces water use and emissions. Their in-house tool, RefScale, tracks the carbon and water footprint of each item compared to industry averages – making impact visible to the shopper.
Reformation is proudly carbon-neutral and actively works to lower its footprint through clean energy, energy-efficient operations, and carbon offsetting. It also invests in circular practices like resale (via RefRecycling), garment recycling programs, and compostable, recyclable packaging.
Beyond the planet, Reformation commits to ethical production, fair wages, safe working conditions and building an inclusive, diverse workplace. They set public, science-based climate targets and report transparently to hold themselves accountable.
PANGAIA – Innovation at the Fiber Level
Based in: Global (UK-founded)
Known for: Science-driven materials
Approach: PANGAIA works with recycled cotton and bio-based fibers and reintegrates factory waste back into the production cycle. They also use offcut recycling systems that reduce landfill dependency.
Tech meets textile: Their closed-loop initiatives go beyond reuse – they explore biodegradable materials that reduce the need for virgin resources altogether.
PANGAIA is a materials science company and fashion brand focused on creating sustainable, Earth-positive products. Their mission is to design clothes that help solve environmental challenges rather than contribute to them. They use innovative, eco-friendly materials like FLWRDWN™ (wildflower-based insulation), C-FIBER™ (eucalyptus and seaweed fiber), grape leather and Air-Ink (made from pollution particles).
The brand promotes circularity through recycling initiatives, biodegradable packaging and a ReWear resale program. PANGAIA also supports environmental and social projects like coral reef restoration, reforestation and refugee aid. Their approach blends science, sustainability and style to create fashion that respects both people and the planet.
Doodlage – India’s Upcycling Pioneer
Based in: India
Known for: Upcycled fashion & zero-waste design
Approach: Doodlage transforms post-production fabric waste, discarded textiles and rejected materials into modern, wearable styles. Their collections focus on short, limited runs to reduce overproduction.
Waste not, wear better: Through patchwork techniques, recycling processes and collaborations with artisans, Doodlage breathes new life into waste, creating garments that are as mindful as they are unique.
Doodlage is a sustainable fashion brand from India that turns factory waste, deadstock and post-consumer fabric into high-quality, stylish garments. Their core philosophy is upcycling, transforming textile leftovers into limited-edition collections and minimizing landfill waste.
The brand integrates zero-waste design, repurposing production scraps into accessories, notebooks and home goods. Doodlage also uses organic and recycled materials, partners with ethical production units, and embraces transparency in sourcing and labor.
By blending Indian craftsmanship with contemporary silhouettes, Doodlage proves that fashion can be both conscious and cool, closing the loop one outfit at a time.
Good On You – Rating Fashion for a Better Future
Based in: Australia
Known for: Ethical fashion rating platform
Approach: Though not a fashion brand itself, Good On You plays a pivotal role in pushing brands toward sustainable practices. It rates thousands of fashion labels based on their environmental impact, labor policies and circularity initiatives. By spotlighting brands that actively reduce and reuse factory waste, it influences industry standards and empowers consumers to support truly circular fashion.
Why it matters: Good On You promotes transparency, giving sustainable brands a voice and holding wasteful ones accountable. Brands like Outland Denim and Eileen Fisher that focus on minimizing factory waste get the recognition they deserve, helping to shift the industry norm.
Good On You is not a fashion brand but a trusted platform that rates clothing brands based on their impact on people, the planet and wildlife. With thousands of brands in their directory, they help consumers make informed, ethical choices and encourage brands to improve their practices.
Their rating system analyzes supply chain transparency, labor conditions, environmental efforts and animal welfare policies. Good On You empowers shoppers to support brands that align with their values and exposes greenwashing through data-backed insights.
By promoting accountability and responsible consumption, Good On You is key in pushing the fashion industry toward a more sustainable and transparent future.
Why Closing the Loop Matters
Every year, 92 million tons of textile waste are discarded globally, much of it from manufacturing. Closing the loop means ensuring that materials already in use stay in use for as long as possible, whether by reuse, recycling or clever redesign.
The brands above are proof that circular fashion isn’t just a buzzword; it’s a blueprint for the future.
Final Thought
Fashion doesn’t have to be wasteful. Whether you’re a consumer, designer or business owner, supporting brands that take responsibility for their factory floor waste is one way to thread sustainability into every fiber of the industry.
Got a favorite brand that turns scraps into beauty? Share it in the comments!
Resources:
https://www.eileenfisher.com/renew
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