It is not certain when people first started wearing clothes; however, anthropologists estimate that it was somewhere between 100,000 and 500,000 years ago.

The history of clothing is married to that of textiles, where humans had to invent weaving, spinning, tools, and the other techniques needed to be able to make the fabrics used for clothing. The techniques of weaving fibers created an advantage over animal hides, and the basket weave was probably the first known weave that helped in creating cloth.

The fashion industry, which is worth trillions of dollars, is viewed as one large image, comprising of several industries that make up pieces of the jigsaw puzzle, and with the advent of industrialization, clothing was no longer a family-led necessity. Fabrics have replaced animal skins, buttons, zippers, and velcro have proved that fashion has constantly been innovative, and it is through these tiny and large collaborations that fashion has been adaptive and progressive.

Let’s delve into a few collaborative practices which are not new but could be revived by the burgeoning designer of the day.

Cross-Sectoral Collaborations

Post-cutting waste that is generated from cotton T-shirts contributes to sizable amount of the total manufacturing waste. When sold to paper factories, they can be pulped and made into paper.

Collaborations with ground transport companies can reduce the carbon footprint of delivering a single piece of clothing but can be combined with other deliveries like food or airport drop-offs for example

Collaboration with the weavers guild can help one to experiment with new innovative weaves without designers depending on large brands to create them

Collaborations with artisanal communities have created alternative incomes. Designers in collaboration with artisan families have helped revive ancient crafts.

Agricultural Collaborations

Collaboration with small holder farmers can help develop new yarn and fabric as diversity in yarn is limited, with cotton being the primary crop.

Brands in collaboration with farm lands can also bring about regenerative agriculture, which is not limited to cover crops but also help in rainwater harvesting through the creation of cisterns and other water conservation methods and hopefully help in investment of renewable energy which can help, pump, and distribute water across farm lands.

Irrigation is agricultures most energy expending component. If through collaborations we can help maintain and find innovative methods that are less expensive and renewable, farms will benefit as well as the brand.

Experts have always said that the only way to conserve soil health is to have live stock mimic their wild counterparts, with grazing which is not concentrated to one place but across the land. The mixing of feces and urine with the top soil can create the very needed mulch which is imperative to nitrogen fixing and general soil health.

Collaborations between farm lands and farmed animals can help create this symbiotic relationship which is relevant to food and cash crops.

Collaborations Within the Industry

By sharing work space and labour, brands can reduce emissions from their own operations. Through on shoring activities, brands can be responsible for their own operations, increase their use of sustainable transport, improve their packaging (with recycled and lighter materials), decarbonize their retail operations, minimize returns, and reduce overproduction

Lastly, encouraging sustainable consumer behavior, and the adoption of a more conscious approach to fashion consumption will increase circular business models promoting garment rental, resale, repair, and refurbishment. Reduction in washing and drying, and an increase in recycling and collection will help reduce landfill waste.

We have definitely come a long way, from the days of the neanderthal man, where the first clothes were made from natural elements where garments were often draped or tied, and simple needles were made out of animal bone to sew leather and fur garments.

Moving forward – with a collaborative and grounded approach – we can continue to exalt and celebrate the future of fashion.