Global Approaches to Pattern Cutting Series-Zero-Waste Pattern Cutting

As part of my Global Approaches to Pattern Cutting lecture series, I have developed a range of workshops that explore different creative cutting methods.

Part 2 of this series involved looking at the Zero-Waste cutting method 'Hyperbollic Tessalation'; a process used by Holly McQuillan, Timo Rissanen and Dr Mark Liu. This is when a uniform/ same shape or tile is used and repeated; interlocking together to ensure there is no waste surface area between the shapes. This idea works particularly well when lay-planning as it can help reduce the amount of waste fabric that is thrown away.

The workshop began with a small presentation outlining the harmful environmental impacts caused by waste resources, the designers working to change this, characteristics of hyperbolic tessalation, and examples of how it works. I then invited students to experiment on mannequins cutting hyperbollic shapes in paper to create garment ideas.

Everyone created some very interesting ideas and a number of them were very conceptual. Although its a simple representation of the concept, creating the ideas in paper helps to showcase the theory behind the practice. This can then be developed further if the student wants to be more creative.

Take a look at some of the creations below. Don't worry, at the end of the session, everything was recycled so as not to impact too heavily on the environment :)