From second-hand to non-woven: the new frontiers of sustainable fashion

Driven by increased awareness of the environmental impact of the fashion industry, many consumers and companies are turning their attention to sustainable fashion.

Until recent years, the only options were to purchase vintage or pre-loved garments, or to recycle old clothing into "non-woven fabric". Today, however, there is a new possible solution on the table: creating non-woven fabric using the new Epson Dry Fiber technology.

From paper to fashion: Epson innovation for sustainable solutions

In this time of great change, Epson has decided to collaborate with the Japanese designer Yuima Nakazato in order to reduce the ecological footprint of the fashion industry, focusing primarily on waste management. The ambitious goal is to bring new life to used clothes, but also to exponentially reduce the amount of waste generated during the production process.

The initial test of this project was carried out during Paris Fashion Week 2024, and proved very successful: using Dry Fiber technology, initially designed to encourage paper recycling, Epson and Yuima Nakazato were able to create a collection of non-woven clothes using cotton scraps, giving them a new life.

The Japanese artist is no stranger to this type of creativity: in fact, during Fashion Week 2023, he presented several pieces made from waste materials recovered in Kenya, where many Western countries dispose of offcuts from the textile sector, which he transformed into a riot of colours and textures.

Creativity and sustainability: a winning combination

The theme of the Spring/Summer 2024 fashion show revolves around the opera Idomeneo, composed by Mozart in 1781 and reinterpreted for the occasion by Sidi Larbi Chekaoui, who has made it an unforgettable show for everyone in the front row.

The work, which tells of the decline of Ancient Greece and the wars that contributed to its downfall, inspired the Japanese designer to create garments that are diametrically opposed to armour: lightweight, ethereal pieces, like fragile bubbles that could vanish with a breath.

Within this creative process, the Mona Lisa fabric printer, designed by Epson, played a crucial role: Dry Fiber technology was used to assemble monochrome fabric scraps, creating a smooth and innovative material. The collection presented on the catwalk showcases both this innovative process and garments printed using the Mona Lisa printer and pigment inks.