The fashion industry is currently the third most polluting sector in the world, accelerating clothing waste and environmental damage through fast fashion and overproduction. Garment Upcycling research aims to develop practical technologies that enable sustainable reuse and refashioning of clothing, addressing problems fast fashion and second-hand exports cannot solve. This has applications in sustainable fashion, consumer tools for upcycling, and policy-driven repair initiatives. Developing upcycling solutions is crucial for minimizing environmental impact and enabling individuals to act sustainably in their daily lives.
We explore core technologies that support garment transformation and repair processes. Our approach focuses on tools that are accessible and directly applicable to the fashion industry. Technically, we are building systems that assist users in refashioning clothes by analyzing garment structures and proposing upcycling designs. Currently, we are developing prototype systems that demonstrate practical garment refashioning workflows for individual and industrial use.
Recent papers
- Publications forthcoming