“Sustainability in Fashion: An Exploratory Study into the Upcycling of Handwoven Rugs into Wearable Textiles”
摘要
Textile crafts like quilting, patchwork, and kantha reuse textile waste. These techniques prevent fabric, garments, and other textile waste ending into landfills and creates new products, extending garment lifespans. “Timli” village in Uttarakhand creates “Chindi Dari”—recycled fabric rugs as known in native language. Old t-shirts, denim, saris, bedsheets, and fabric are carefully cut into 1.5-inch strips. Eco-friendly, resilient rugs are skilfully interwoven from these strips. This study examines “Chindi Dari” production in Uttarakhand and its wearability. Primary data was acquired using recycled rugs, fabric rugs, circular fashion, textile recycling, and upcycling textiles. A prototype textile was made on a loom and strategically placed on a dress form to test its drapeability, functionality, and aesthetics further user experience was analyzed. The study concluded that “Chindi Dari” is popular in the region and helps villagers generate revenue. The sample material could potentially be made into relaxed-fitting garments. The research shows that recycled rug fabrics are innovative, sustainable, and eco-friendly. Reusing clothes waste to make apparel fabric offers fresh possibilities.