The duffle jacket is an upcycled garment made using the materials of used decommissioned military duffle bags.
The fashion industry is one of the world's most polluting industries. Companies have implemented a circular economy to address the issue of waste. A circular economy allows products and the raw materials used to make those products stay in circulation as long as possible through recycling, refurbishing, repairing, and reusing. While this approach is plausible on the industrial scale, the project is an example of how individual craftspeople and makers can contribute to circularity in fashion through craft and upcycling.
Process
To make the jacket, the duffle bags were completely deconstructed then pattern pieces were placed based on the grain and character of fabric. The jacket features two large front pockets and a chest pocket, consistent with most chore jackets. It also features another pocket inside the left front pocket. It uses snaps as a closure and has a rolled collar. The sleeves were cut on a bias to increase flexibility as the oiled-canvas is very stiff. The sleeve features a square 1-button cuff and doubled elbow patches. It was important to incorporate some of the original elements of the duffle bag into the jackets so an existing flap pocket was used on one sleeve and a handle was used on the other sleeve. While the handle serves no utilitarian purpose, it does express that this jacket is indeed upcycled; serving as a conversation starter about sustainability and circularity. The leftover fabric, eyelets, and webbing will be used in future projects.
