At BeMonocromo, we constantly reflect on our environmental impact because using materials from a recycling process (such as the recycled fabrics we incorporate) or single-fiber organic textiles (like the EcoVero and Rayon in our blazers) is sometimes not enough. These efforts help ensure our garments release fewer microplastics during their lifespan and decompose more easily, but deeper questions still arise during production:

How much waste are we generating to create one piece?
How can we manage leftover textiles—even finished pieces—in a way that creates value?
We are all exposed daily to the need to discard things just to function in our lives, from the moment we wake up and start interacting with the world.

By incorporating the following practices, we’ve found incredible efficiencies in our processes that have not only created value but also reduced our textile waste by over 80%. These practices have fueled our creativity while extending the life of previously designed pieces.

Eco-Design
There was a time when we noticed that some of the pieces we designed resulted in over 35% material waste during cutting due to the usable width of the fabric and print placement. Although we managed to transform much of that waste into new pieces through upcycling processes, there were still remnants we couldn’t reuse internally. To give them a better purpose, we collaborated with certified green brands, which utilized these remnants to create other products.

Over time, we realized the change needed to start at the design phase. Now, before cutting, we carefully analyze fabric prints and dimensions, adjusting patterns to minimize waste. This practice has drastically reduced the percentage of material discarded, allowing us to not only optimize resources but also craft extraordinary pieces.

This approach has shown us that small adjustments in the process can make a significant difference in our pursuit of circular models and sustainable fashion.

Redesign and Repair: Extending the Life of Garments

Redesign involves transforming existing garments to give them a new use or an updated aesthetic. On the other hand, repair focuses on extending the lifespan of pieces through functional or aesthetic fixes. Both practices address one of the core issues of fast fashion: the short life cycle of garments in our closets.

Due to the timeless essence of the pieces we create, these practices were once more sporadic. Our community values the pieces for their versatility, making them perfect for combining with different outfits. The careful craftsmanship, using high-quality threads and materials, ensures that the garments have a long life span, which is exactly what we aim for.

However, we’ve discovered something fascinating in the process of redesigning. Besides being a creative practice that challenges us to innovate, it allows us to refresh our pieces more frequently. Deconstructing and reconstructing without generating new materials is a way to breathe new life into our garments while maintaining the sustainable spirit that defines us.

Incorporating redesign and repair practices into our processes is a challenge because it involves finding ways to standardize them for greater efficiency. However, this is exactly the path we are on, with the aim that, in the future, these practices naturally integrate into our brand’s essence. We want them to be fluid and organized processes that not only reflect our philosophy but also make the production process more agile and conscious.

With love,

Maria Clara Villamizar – Founder of BeMonocromo