Zero Waste Daniel: How this Fashion Brand Is Eliminating Waste

It’s no secret that the textile industry has room for improvement when it comes to waste management. Although 95% of textiles have the potential to be recycled or reused, only 15% are actually being recycled. In Europe today, 15 million tonnes of textile waste are disposed of each year, and so it’s clear that companies need to start adopting a more sustainable, circular approach to effectively managing their waste. When it comes to multiple recyclabilities, there are many layers to consider whether brands are dealing with raw materials, dyes, or other finishes. It’s been shown that with better design and protocol in place, modern technologies are really making impressive advances when it comes to sorting and keeping materials in circulation. We also need to keep in mind that there is great potential for taking by-products from raw materials, but to tread with caution. It’s necessary to be conscious of where the waste is coming from, how much we order, and how long it can be stored. How the Industry is Taking Action With the entire fashion industry making advances towards sustainability, the question that no brand can avoid is “What are you doing to lower your impact?” A potential answer could be utilizing deadstock fabrics. As a result, many fashion brands are getting behind this practice and are bringing us guilt-free garments by making efficient use of their leftover pieces of fabric. Meet Zero Waste Daniel. True to its name, Zero Waste Daniel is a Brooklyn-based brand honing in on fabric upcycling. The brand is renowned for its handmade clothing made by sewing small design room fabric scraps that would otherwise be burnt or sent to landfills. Designer and creator of the brand Daniel Silverstein creates a unique patchwork fabric known as “reroll”, which he uses to make t-shirts, sweatpants, sweatshirts, and more. All of the garments are made in a closed-loop circular process where nothing goes to waste. About Zero Waste Daniel This eco-conscious fashion brand is well aware of the pollution caused by the fashion industry. This is why it works tirelessly to be a part of the solution, and not the problem. At Zero Waste Daniel, the waste level is really kept at zero. Each piece made in-store keeps roughly a pound of fabric from ending up in landfills. To achieve zero waste in both the garments themselves as well as the studio they work in, they’ve had to adopt a circular mindset in their everyday company life. They do this by using both recycled and recyclable materials in their shipping, packaging as well as office materials, constantly evaluating their processes to see how they can improve even further. According to ower Daniel, tailoring second-hand clothes is as practical as it is creative. He covers up holes, wear and tear, as well as logos by adding on patches. His brand leads by example, showing others that second-hand garments can be easily elevated into on-trend, high-end apparel. To date, Zero Waste Daniel has collaborated with industry names such as To date, ZWD has collaborated with brands including Alice + Olivia, Pact, ThredUp, American Express, Google, Nissan and even the New York City Department of Sanitation.