2022: MSc Textile Sustainability and Innovation
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Statement
I have returned to study after a career in banking, finance and manufacturing. I am an experienced knitter and have brought my knowledge of craft based techniques to post consumer waste.
Coming apart at the seams – unravelling knitwear for reuse
Much is written about the amount of waste clothing that is generated by the fashion and textile industry, with the volume of discarded clothing increasing since the advent of fast fashion. The quantity of waste (and its associated environmental impact) can be reduced by adopting a circular economy approach, focusing on reuse of clothing.
Within the contexts of the circular economy approach, this thesis examines an alternative method to reuse garments. The thesis considers the potential to unravel post-consumer knitwear waste, and if this craft based practice can inform future developments in the industry, particularly when considering the introduction of Extended Producer Responsibility in certain countries.
The research considers the value placed on secondhand clothing in the context of historical markets within the UK, and the advantages of reuse of yarn in comparison with the current established route of mechanical recycling . The barriers and challenges of this type of reuse are explored through interviews and practical experiments.
Suermondt knitwear – T Rex vest from “recycled” cashmere
Glove knitted from reclaimed merino wool yarn
Umbrella swift used for winding reclaimed yarn
Intelliwinder machine at John Smedley Limited
Winding machine at the School of Design being used to unravel knitwear
