Off-cut waste refers to fabric pieces that are left over during production after garments have been cut out. Off-cuts may range in size, from small cutting scraps that are often mixed with leftover yarns to larger pieces of about half a meter. The size of production off-cuts depends on design, production methods and the layout of pattern pieces on fabric (layplan). While volume estimates vary, as data on production waste is rarely systematically logged in factories, off-cut waste accounts for a significant proportion of textile waste generated in industrial garment production. The volumes are larger still if other production waste such as end of roll fabrics, surplus stock, overproduced items, or fabric and garment rejects are included. Production textile waste is especially problematic in major production countries such as China, India or Bangladesh where large volumes of leftover textiles are generated without appropriate waste streams. This means that while some production waste is downcycled, most leftover textiles are still either incinerated or dumped in landfills. Increasing number of brands and technology start-ups are exploring how production waste can be optimized through the use of digitalization and zero-waste techniques. Pioneering micro and small fashion businesses are embracing creative solutions for the use of production waste in the manufacturing of new fashion products. However, at the global level, there are still multiple interconnected economic, legislative and infrastructure barriers to such practices. These include a lack of economic incentives for re-sale of production waste; administrative barriers to the transfer of textile leftovers from producers to recipients; unclear regulations regarding end-of-waste criteria (when textiles are waste and when they are a material); and also insufficient infrastructure for recycling of those types of textile waste that are currently recyclable.(1-8)
OFF-CUT WASTE
