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VALORIZATION OF CUTTING STEP WASTES CREATION OF PATCHWORK

FABRICS AND DESIGN OF PATCHWORK CLOTHS

Conference Paper · November 2014

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Faten Debbabi Bessem Kordoghli

National Engineering School of Monastir Institut Supérieur des Etudes Technologiques de Ksar Hellal
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 INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE OF APPLIED RESEARCH ON TEXTILE, CITRAT-6
November 13 – 15, 2014 Hammamet, Tunisia
ISSN 2286-5659

VALORIZATION OF CUTTING STEP WASTES

CREATION OF PATCHWORK FABRICS AND DESIGN OF PATCHWORK CLOTHS

Authors’ names and affiliations (Calibri, 11)

ABSTRACT: Clothing manufactory generate many kind of wastes. The most cost is fabric wastes recovered
from cutting step. The main purpose of this work is recycling fabric wastes. For this aim, we have created
new patchworks fabric. Created patchworks are made using different sizes and shapes of patch templates.
We have also investigate three techniques for patchwork seaming. We have reported advantage of using
large patches. However, small patches is appreciated to recover must quantity of wastes. In this study, we
have also anticipated use patchwork fabric in clothing design.
KEYWORDS: Cutting step waste, Patchwork fabric, seaming technique, Seaming time, Patchwork cloth.
Patchwork or pieced work is a shape
1. INTRODUCTION
of needlework that involves sewing together
Standard clothing production generates average pieces of fabric (patches) into a larger design
15% of all textile waste (Abernathyand Chandler, (Jungand Paoletti, 1987; Janniere, 1993) The
1999). A clothing company released three larger design is usually based on repeat patterns
different shapes of waste: Textiles (fabric wastes built up with different patches shapes (which can
obtained after cutting pieces), paper wastes have different colors) (Janniere, 1992). These
(cardboard box, pattern paper) and plastic wastes patches are carefully measured and cut. Used
(plastic bags...). Fabric wastes are considered the basic geometric shapes making them easy to
most important in terms of cost. For this reason, piece together. Patchwork is most often used to
there are many attempts to reduce the fabrics make quilts, but it can also be used to make bags,
wastes (Rissanen, 2005; Horrocks, 1996). wall-hangings, warm jackets, cushion
In order to minimize the fabric waste, covers, skirts, waistcoats and other items
optimization of patterns marker is well of clothing (Jungand Paoletti, 1987). Some textile
investigated (Rissanen, 2005) Several study have artists work with patchwork, often combining it
shown that patterns marker depends on cloth with embroidery and other shapes of stitchery.
model, producing sizes number, lengthwise grain To keep the batting from shifting, a patchwork is
and the experience of the operator making the often quilted by hand or machine using a running
marker. However, fabric wastes still exist, and it is stitch (Jungand Paoletti, 1987; Janniere, 1993)
difficult to have patterns marker with 100 % Pieces of fabric may be on random or highly
efficient for all cloth models. In order to minimize ordered overall patterns to give desired contrast.
manufacturing cost, many industry have recycled Regular patchwork is obtained by ordered
fabric waste. patterns. Patchwork fabricated by random pieces
There are four methods for textile recycling is known as crazy patchwork, usually used in quilt
(Wang, 2010; Ishfaq, 2013). The first is fabric.
mechanical recycling, and the second is chemical The first used patchwork in clothing is the crazy
recycling and the third is thermal recovery. The patchwork (Hanson, 2003). It has been linked to
mechanical recycling method is mainly used Japanese design. The earliest known reference to
where wastes of cutting step is transformed to crazy work dates from 1878, when a sachiquo;
non-woven fabrics (Wang, 2010)(Y. Wang, crazy was described as made of a piece of
2010)(Horrocks, 1996; Wang, 2010). In our study, embroidery canvas which had been worked on by
we investigate recycling cloth wastes on several women, each embroidering whatever she
patchwork fabric. desired.

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The main objective of this paper is to investigate
patchwork pattern possibility in order to
minimize manufacturing wastes. For this purpose,
we have created regular patchworks with
different sizes and shapes of patches recovered
from cutting step waste. We have also used
variety of seaming techniques to fabricate
patchwork.
2. MATERIALS AND METHODS
In this study, regular patchwork are fabricated
with different patches shape and size. The
following procedure is used.
Collect wastes from cutting table
Design of patterns templaes of
patches
Cut of patches with maximum use of
wastes
Design of patchwork pattern
included in the overall dimensions of patchwork.
The block layout and overall patchwork
dimensions were also recorded. After the patch
arrangement and overall dimensions were
recorded, the arrangement of the patch was
noted. If patches are symmetrically arranged in
uniform blocks, the configuration was recorded
by counting the number of blocks arranged
lengthwise and across the width. If the blocks
were unusually arranged, then a rough schematic
diagram of the patchwork layout was drawn.
Once a patchwork pattern is determined,
arrangements of cutted patches were made for a
field visit of obtained regular patchwork. The
researchers placed each patch on a flat surface
and smoothed it to lie as flat as possible. The
length and width of the patchwork were
measured.
Table 1: Used Wastes
Designation Waste Type

Choise of cutted wastes disposition K1 Knit fabric

respecting colors harmony

Patchwork fabric seaming

k2 Knit fabric

After cutting step, wastes are collected from W1 Weave- fabric

cutting table (Table 1). They are selected by fabric
type (weave or knit fabric). Then, we measured W2 Weave- fabric
dimension of each waste (Figure 1). Eventual
patch template sizes and shapes were W3 Weave- fabric
determined. This study is limited to 2 template
shapes (Figure 2). After the patch template was W4 Weave- fabric
placed on the waste, the maximum number of
patches within each waste was determined. W5 Weave- fabric
Wastes were cut using maximum number and
size of patch templates. W6 Weave- fabric

W7 Weave- fabric

W8 Weave- fabric

W9 Weave- fabric

2.1. Seaming techniques

Figure 1. Examples of wastes
Figure 2. Templates
Dimension of each used patch was recorded and
included in surface area estimation but not
Three seaming techniques are used to fabricate
patchworks, as function of waste fabric type. In
the three techniques, we used 1 cm of stitch
width.
- 1st technique
For lightweight wastes weave fabric, we used
three thread overedge machine (504) for seaming
patches together (Figure 3).

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- 2nd technique Figure 4. Knit patches seaming using the 2nd technique

This technique is used for knit fabric waste. We - 3rd technique

used three thread overedge machine (504) for
serging the patches edge for preventing the
waste edges from raveling. Then patches are
superposed and seamed together using
double needles lockstitch sewing machine (302)
(Figure 4).
First, every patch edges are serged with three
thread overedge machine (504). Then each two
patches are seamed together using lockstich
sewing machine (301). Finally, we used 3 needles
5 thread coverstitch machine (605) to cover stitch
of seamed patches.

Figure 3. Seaming of patches together Figure 5. Knit patches seaming using the 3rd technique
2.2. Patchwork pattern design
Three category of patchwork are fabricated:
patchwork with same shape and size of patches
(S-F/S-S) and patchwork with same shape and
different patches size (S-F/D-S). The table 2
presents characteristic of fabricated patchworks.
Table 2. Characteristics of fabricated patchworks
Patchwork Patch template Patch Seaming
Patchwork type Used Waste
designation shape template size technique
W1
H: 10 cm W6 1st technique
S-F/S-S P1 Rectangular
W: 10 cm W7
W8
Diagonals: 20 W3 1st technique
P2 Rhombus
cm et 10 cm W5
H: 6 cm K1
2nd technique
W : 20 cm K2
P3 Rectangular
H : 8 cm K1
W: 20 cm K2
H : 14 cm
K1 3rd technique
W : 30 cm
P4 Rectangular
H : 14 cm K1
W : 15 cm
H : 15cm
S-F/D-S W2
W: 15 cm
H : 5cm 1st technique
P5 Rectangular W1
W: 15 cm
H : 5cm W9
W: 5 cm W1
H : 10 cm
W4
W: 10 cm
Rectangular H : 10 cm W3
P6 1st technique
W: 5 cm W5
H : 5 cm W3
W: 15 cm W5
we obtained determined necessary time to
2.3. Estimation of patchwork seaming time fabricate square meter of each patchwork.
Using General Sewing Data, we determined 3. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
necessary time to fabricate each patchwork. Then

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3.1. Fabricated patchworks divers wastes. These patchworks are seamed

Figure 6 shows the patchwork P1 and the used using the first technique.
pattern. This patchworks is fabricated using same
size and shape of patch template. Patches
recovered from four wastes are seamed together
using the first technique. We note that the two
first strips are considered as repetitive block.
The second patchwork showed in figure 8 is
obtained by seaming rhombus patches using the Figure 11. Patchwork P5
first seaming technique. The same shape and size
of patches of two wastes are used. In this case,
they are not any repetitive block. So we sketched
overall patchwork.

Figure 12. Patchwork P6

3.2. Estimation of used quantity of recovered fabric
Table 3 show intended used quantity of each
waste in the fabrication of every patchwork. The
amount was calculated with considering stitch
Figure 7. Patchwork P1 width. When, small patches size is used, the
amount of used wastes increases, as
consequence of increasing quantity of need
material for stitching (MS).
Table 3. Quantity of used wastes in square meter
of patchwork
Quantity of
Used Waste
P total waste (%) of MS
Figure 8. Patchwork P2 waste quantity (m²)
(m²)
Fabricated patchworks, P3 and P4, are obtained W1 0,31
by seaming patches of knit wastes. They are W6 0,41
P1 1,44 44
fabricated using two different seaming W7 0,36
techniques. The patterns of these patchworks are W8 0,36
composed by repetitive two strips blocks. W3 0,66
P2 1,32 32
W5 0,66
K1 0,71
P3 1,41 41
K2 0,71
P4 K1 1,16 1,16 16
W2 0,72
P5 W1 0,54 1,51 51
W9 0,25
Figure 9. Patchwork P3 W4 0,66
P6 W3 0,44 1,52 52
W5 0,42
3.3. Patchwork fabrication time
Table 4 shows used time to fabricate one square
meter of each patchwork. We can see that using
Figure 10. Patchwork P4 small patches involves an increase of cutting and
seaming time. That’s why, cutting time of patches
The patchworks P5 and P6 are fabricated by
used in patchwork 4 is the lowest. This patchwork
rectangular patches with different sizes and using
is made using the biggest patches. Seaming time

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is also influenced by seaming technique. fabric by three seaming techniques. Different

Therefore we don’t show the same evolution shapes and sizes of patch template are used.
such as cutting time. Although knit patchworks
We have also investigate amount of used wastes
are made by high patches size, they need high
in fabricated patchwork fabric. We considered
seaming time. This can explained by the fact that
that in the case of patchwork fabricated by small
the two used techniques for seaming knit
patches, we should use supplementary quantity
patchworks are composed by many operation
of wastes than in the case of patchwork made by
needing additional time. Patchwork made of
large patches. Thus, used materials for stitch is
rhombus patches show high seaming time, due to
high in the case of small patches. Similarly, in the
difficulty for seaming this shape.
case of patchwork made by small patches, we
Table 4. Fabrication time of one square meter of need more fabrication time than in the case
patchwork patchwork made of large patches. However, by
Cutting time Seaming Total time using small patches we can recycling high wastes
Patchwork quantity. Optimization, of useful patch size and
(min) time (min) (min)
P1 30,08 21,97 52,05 shape may be necessary, and will be the purpose
P2 29,92 24,08 54,00 of future work.
P3 24,75 32,51 57,26
5. REFERENCES
P4 10,43 22,55 32,98
P5 41,72 33,19 74,91 Abernathy, F H and Chandler, A D f o, (1999): A
P6 38,24 29,33 67,58 stitch in time : lean retailing and the
transformation of manufacturing : lessons from the
3.4. Design of cloth patchwork apparel and textile industries, Oxford University
Press, 0195126157, New York.
In order to appreciate usufel application of
T. Rissanen, (2005): Timo Rissanen From 15% to
fabricated patchwork fabric. We suggest use it as 0: Investigating the creation of fashion without the
patchwork clothing. Today patchwork cloth is the creation of fabric waste, p. 10.
fashion trend (Rissanen, 2005). For waste Horrocks, R, (1996): Recycling Textile and
reducing, zero-wastes fashion are known in the Plastic Waste, Woodhead Publishing,
most international fashion show (Redress, 2014; Y. Wang, (2010):Fiber and Textile Waste
Utilization. Waste and Biomass Valorization, Vol.
Redress, 2013). Figure 13 shows examples of
1, No.1, pp. 135-143, 1877-2641
fabricated models using patchwork fabrics. 1877-265X.
M. Ishfaq, (2013): German erman textile recycling
benchmarking : Case I: CO,Bachelor’s thesis,
HAMK UAS, p. 50.
K. M. Jung and J. B. Paoletti,
(1987):Documentation and Analysis of Dated
Victorian Crazy Quilts. Clothing and Textiles
Research Journal, Vol. 5, No.3, pp. 18-24, 0887-
302X.
J. Janniere, (1993):The "Hand Quilting" of
Marseille. The quilt journal, Vol. 2, No.1, pp. 5-9,
J. Janniere, (1992):A New World in the Old:
European Quilt Scholarship. The quilt journal, Vol.
1, No.1, pp. 4-9,
M. F. Hanson, (2003):The eva wight crazy quilt :
late-nineteenth-century quiltmaking in central
kansas. Kansas history: a journal of the central
plains, Vol. 26 pp. 78–89,
Redress, (2014): The ecochic design award zero-
waste design technique, p. 15.
Redress, (2013): The EcoChic Design Award:
Figure 13. Examples of fabricated models by zero-waste design technique, p. 10.
patchwork fabric
4. CONCLUSION
The main objective of this paper is recycling
wastes recovered from cutting. Wastes were
used to fabricate two category of patchwork

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