Project Type: Sustainable Fashion & Upcycling
Location: Amsterdam, Netherlands
Award: 2nd Place, Tommy Europe Fashion Competition
My Role: Sustainable Material Sourcing, Wash Direction & Quality Inspection
The Concept
This collaborative project explores the intersection of sustainability and contemporary streetwear by giving new life to discarded jeans. The goal was to take post-consumer denim—a material notoriously heavy on environmental resources—and elevate it into an avant-garde silhouette. By focusing on waste minimization, the team transformed various indigo washes and textures into a cohesive, structural garment.
My Contributions
Drawing on daily, hands-on experience in denim product development and merchandising, my role bridged the gap between raw material procurement and final garment finishing:
Sustainable Sourcing: I was responsible for procuring the foundational elements of the collection. I sourced specific shades and weights of post-consumer jeans to ensure the patchwork components had deliberate contrast, structural integrity, and aligned with the project’s core mission of circularity.
Wash Direction & Inspection: To achieve the rugged, post-apocalyptic streetwear aesthetic, I provided the specific wash direction for the garments. Following the localized distressing and vintage wash treatments, I conducted the final inspections to ensure the finish met our technical and visual standards before the runway.
The Assembly & Exhibition
The design team utilized meticulous pattern making to accommodate the constraints of the recycled fabric scraps. The jacket and cargo-style pants were constructed using a heavy patchwork technique, utilizing frayed edges and checkerboard weaves.
The final collaborative look was exhibited alongside other top designers at the Tommy Europe fashion competition in Amsterdam, Netherlands, where the team was awarded 2nd place for our innovative approach to sustainable denim.
