Skeptics who believe that sustainability in fashion is simply a trend surely never heard of Yeohlee Teng. The Malaysia-born designer has been incorporating sustainable practices into her work since she launched her own company in 1981. A true pioneer of the movement, Teng is widely known for her signature “zero-waste” philosophy, meaning no scraps of fabric go unused. We met with the New York-based designer to hear more about why she has embraced sustainability from the start of her business.

What inspired you to embrace sustainability in the first place?

I have always been aware of time being an irredeemable commodity. An hour wasted is an hour lost – gone, never to be recovered. Zero waste/sustainability is a core philosophy and comes from an awareness that we live in a finite world.

How do you incorporate sustainable practices into your design process, and the way you run your company?

We try not to waste any of our resources of time and energy as well as material.

Is the design approach for sustainable product different? How so?

It’s a seamless approach – sustainability being part of the process of design.

What’s your advice for designers looking to become more sustainable?

Watch the clock.

Why is sustainability so important now, more than ever?

Ultimately, we live in a world of diminishing resources and increasing population – do the math.