Zero-Waste Maxi Skirt
Garment
Your environmental impact
The skirt is cut from a zero-waste pattern: four identical panels interlock inside two rectangles, so every piece of fabric you pay for ends up in the garment. 20% of the cotton is Recover™ recycled cotton, made from textile waste instead of newly grown cotton.
The CO₂ saving is about the same as driving 7 km less by car. All figures are estimates – see the calculation at the bottom of this page.
What your garment is made of
Main fabric: TMG 18T25 cotton twill, woven in Portugal by TMG Textiles
20% Recover™ recycled cotton
How it's made: The pattern is designed as a puzzle. Two rectangles are each cut diagonally into two panels, which are turned and sewn together into a flared A-line skirt. The waistband and patch pockets are cut from the remaining strip of fabric. Nothing is thrown away.
Designed for recycling: Fabric, thread and labels are all cotton, so the skirt can be recycled as one material. The zip is the only part that is not cotton, and it is removed before recycling.
Replaceable parts
If part of the skirt breaks, you don't need a new skirt – just a new part. The skirt is made of a few simple pieces, and each one can be bought separately and replaced at home or in store.
| Part | Fabric | CO₂e | Saved vs. new |
|---|---|---|---|
| Panel (1 of 4) | 86 g | 0.69 kg | 79% |
| Waistband | 27 g | 0.25 kg | 92% |
| Patch pocket | 17 g | 0.18 kg | 95% |
| Invisible zip | – | – | Easy swap |
| New skirt | 405 g | 3.27 kg |
Why it works: The panels are straight-sided shapes joined by simple seams, so a seam can be opened and a single piece swapped without remaking the rest. The patch pockets are sewn on top and can be unpicked and replaced on their own. Spare parts are cut from the same zero-waste marker and the same undyed fabric, so a new part matches the original.
Part figures include fabric production plus 0.05 kg CO₂e for sewing and shipping the part, using the same assumptions as the calculation below.
Care
- Wash at 30 °C, inside out
- Wash with similar colours
- Line dry – no tumble dryer
- Iron on medium heat
- Air it out between washes
- Repair small damage early
The undyed cotton will soften and change slightly with wear and washing. That is part of the garment's life.
Our circular system
The skirt is designed to have more than one life. The smaller the loop, the less energy it takes – so we always start with the first option.
- Repair and replace partsDamaged zip, worn pocket, torn panel or loose seam? Buy just the part you need – a panel, pocket, waistband or zip – and replace it at home, or have it done in store.
- ResaleDone with the skirt? Return it and receive store credit. If it is in good condition, it is cleaned and resold as a whole garment.
- Component reuseIf the skirt is worn in places, it is taken apart. The panels are simple shapes, so the good parts can be used for repairs or new garments.
- Fibre recyclingOnly fabric that cannot be used any more is recycled into new cotton fibre – which can become new fabric.
CO₂ calculation
A simplified cradle-to-gate estimate (fibre, fabric production, sewing and transport) for one skirt in size 38. It compares this skirt with the same skirt made from 100% virgin cotton and cut from a conventional pattern with 15% fabric waste. Washing and end of life are not included.
| Assumption | Value |
|---|---|
| Fabric in the skirt (1.62 m² × 250 g/m²) | 0.405 kg |
| Fabric needed with 15% cutting waste | 0.476 kg |
| Virgin cotton fibre | 1.81 kg CO₂e/kg |
| Saving per kg Recover™ fibre | 1.73 kg CO₂e/kg |
| Spinning, weaving and finishing (estimate) | 6.0 kg CO₂e/kg |
| Sewing and transport (estimate) | 0.25 kg CO₂e |
| Result | This skirt | Conventional |
|---|---|---|
| Fabric used | 0.405 kg | 0.476 kg |
| Fibre | 0.59 | 0.86 |
| Fabric production | 2.43 | 2.86 |
| Sewing and transport | 0.25 | 0.25 |
| Total (kg CO₂e) | 3.27 | 3.97 |
Fabric production is the most uncertain number. Depending on the energy used in the mills, it ranges from about 4 to 12.5 kg CO₂e per kg of fabric. With those values the saving is 0.56–1.16 kg CO₂e per skirt. The skirt is sold undyed, so dyeing is not included. The car comparison uses 0.095 kg CO₂ per km.
- Virgin cotton fibre, 1.808 kg CO₂e/kg (Textile Exchange average, cited in Sustainability 16(14), 5896, 2024): mdpi.com/2071-1050/16/14/5896
- Recover™ LCA Spain verified by EcoReview (2022): 1 kg Recover™ fibre saves 1.73 kg CO₂e and 2,116 L water: recoverfiber.com/products/rpure
- Recover™ Impact Calculator methodology (car factor 0.095 kg CO₂/km): recoverfiber.com/sustainability/impact-calculator-methodology
- ITMF International Production Cost Comparison – spinning, weaving and finishing approx. 4–12.5 kg CO₂e/kg: fashionunited.uk (ITMF summary)
- Average marker efficiency 85% – approx. 15% fabric wasted in cutting: e-space.mmu.ac.uk/632415
- Fabric: TMG Textiles 18T25 (80% cotton + 20% Recover™, twill, 250 g/m²), product sheet.