Towards a typology of waste in fashion practice: an Australian perspective

Waste in fashion is a material problem as well as a cultural condition. In this paper we offer a cultural perspective on waste transformation in fashion practices: what happens to waste, rather than where it goes. We propose states of transformation of waste: disguise, elevation and enchantment. These states are not a hierarchy but rather a typology to consider the kinds of material and cultural transformations that waste undergoes when revalorised through fashion practice. The study centres on the Australian context, and seeks to examine the ways in which Australian fashion retailers, designers, and community groups are engaging with clothing and textile waste. We identified forty-seven initiatives and explored their approaches to waste transformation. Through selected vignettes, this paper examines both the material processes and symbolic meaning behind the approach and its messaging, and offers reflections on the ideas of waste that emerge. Selected examples include large fashion retailers, independent and experimental fashion practitioners, and grassroots campaigns by local charities. Looking beyond the practical approaches to waste management, such ‘reduce, reuse, recycle,’ or the waste hierarchy, we explore ways in which these practices may ‘disguise’ waste, ‘elevate’ waste, or ‘enchant’ waste. Through this analysis, we argue for a perception of waste beyond that of inevitable by-product of the industry, towards waste recast as a potent force of loss and renewal.