Design Edge / Zero Waste Interview

Collection: Sea Change

Design Disruption: Crafting a Technology that Eliminates Fabric Waste

Charting a radical new standard that designs elimination of fabric waste, the Shelly Xu Design (SXD) technology uses machine-learning and AI to create patterns that use every scrap of fabric efficiently. Award-winning designer Shelly Xu tells texfash.com how she combines great design with “bleeding-edge” technology.

Richa Bansal

31 August 2023

10 minutes

Long Story, Cut Short

SXD's design-tech product directly changes standard design patterns by turning pattern pieces into puzzle pieces that fit together in the most efficient way without material waste.
The SXD technology is designed to eradicate both past waste—through innovative zero waste designs that repurpose deadstock materials—& future waste—by producing designs that utilise every inch of fabric, leaving no room for scraps & enhancing material uti
SXD claims that through the implementation of its technology and expertise, it has achieved reductions of up to 46% in material waste.

According to SXD, if all products in the fashion industry were made into zero waste designs, using leftover materials and not wasting any of it, we could potentially reverse climate change in just 5.4 years. This approach can result in a 5% reduction in total emissions, equivalent to 2.4 gigatons of CO2 annually.

CALCULATING According to SXD, if all products in the fashion industry were made into zero waste designs, using leftover materials and not wasting any of it, we could potentially reverse climate change in just 5.4 years. This approach can result in a 5% reduction in total emissions, equivalent to 2.4 gigatons of CO2 annually. SXD

Impressions of childhood leave an indelible mark. For 32-year-old Shelly Xu, her 70 sqft home in China meant the family had to be quite creative when it came to using the space. This entailed rearranging and repurposing the furniture to accommodate day-to-day activities. This also meant that sometimes the refrigerator was used as a chair, or the bed lifted up during the day to make room for a table, or the table positioned sideways in the evening to make room for the bed.

This along with another distressing visual of her playground transforming into a textile dump meant that the mind had begun to think, and the direction taken was to go creative under constraint. So the sheer economy of space and its innovative, versatile use, and those mounds of fabric rubbish led to her specialising in zero fabric waste design by disrupting century-old pattern-making traditions.

Shelly moved to the United States when she was 10 and it was while studying at the Harvard Business School that she started designing and sewing in her dorm. Her business, Shelly Xu Design (SXD), bagged the 2021 New Venture Competition, and since her 2021 HBS graduation, she has raised $1.2 million in an oversubscribed pre-seed round funded largely by customers who share her vision.

An ex-creative director from Instagram, ex-Prada and McKinsey, Shelly is committed to reversing fashion's negative impact on the environment. The mission of her New York design-tech studio is to bring fabric waste down to zero while saving cost for brand partners.

SXD's design has won the Global Change Award and its technology has been named the Top Innovative World Technology at SXSW. Harper's Bazaar named SXD a company 'Redefining the Fashion Ecosystem'.

texfash.com: Please give us a brief background on how you started.
Shelly Xu: I grew up in Asia, where I witnessed my childhood playground transform into a textile dump, experiencing firsthand the staggering 92 million tonnes of fabric wasted or burned each year. I founded SXD so that those of us most impacted by this issue can become the solution rather than the victims of the fashion industry.

At SXD, our mission is to bring fabric waste down to zero while maximising beauty within constraints. We reduce carbon emissions by eliminating material waste through the transformation of leftover fabrics and materials into beautiful zero waste designs. This involves effectively addressing waste from both the past (by utilising leftover deadstock materials) and preventing waste in the future (by producing zero waste products without leaving any scraps behind).

Additionally, SXD provides direct support to climate refugees from major manufacturing countries, such as Bangladesh. By hiring seamstresses and offering them wages 2-4 times higher than the local average, we aim to assist them in rebuilding their lives. For one of our climate refugee seamstresses Jhorna, working with us meant that she can now send her children to school instead of having them work at people’s houses as help for extra income. For another climate refugee seamstress Kulsum, it meant that her ailing parents could finally retire.

What was the trigger that led to this award-winning innovation?
Shelly Xu: Combining great design with bleeding-edge technology. Before starting SXD, I was a creative director at one of the largest technology companies. While I loved the intersection of design and technology, I saw that in the fashion industry, technology was often used incrementally—AR filters made clothing look cooler, but I felt that there was an opportunity to apply technology fundamentally, to improve how clothing designs are made from the start.

I also realised that within the fashion industry, design and engineering tend to work in silos. But we know that in order to make zero waste the new standard of fashion, we need great design—because anything that isn't well designed to be loved and worn is just more waste - and great technology—because we need to scale zero waste across the industry to reduce gigatonnes of carbon emissions.

I remember going to the Dean of Engineering at Harvard and asking for the best talents to help SXD automate zero waste designs at scale. We are fortunate to have the technical team he recommended working on SXD today, including industry leaders like Tuanfeng Wang, our founding scientist, who has worked with Adobe Research and pioneered state-of-the-art work in sketch-to-garment construction using deep learning; Takeo Igarashi, our technical expert, who is a professor of Creative Informatics at The University of Tokyo and is known for the development of a sketch-based modelling system (Teddy) and an as-rigid-as-possible image manipulation technique; and James Cheong, our product and software backend lead, who was part of the Disney+ launch team. On the design side, we have award-winning creatives from Prada to Nike.

TAGS

Company:

Shelly Xu Design

Country:

United States

Individual:

Shelly Xu

Sector:

Design

Subject:

Waste

External Links

Shelly Xu Design

The SXD mission is to reduce carbon emissions by eliminating material waste through the transformation of leftover fabrics and materials into beautiful zero waste designs.

reduce carbon emissions The SXD mission is to reduce carbon emissions by eliminating material waste through the transformation of leftover fabrics and materials into beautiful zero waste designs. SXD

What are the challenges faced this far?
Shelly Xu: We're disrupting century-old pattern-making traditions. SXD's design-tech product directly changes standard design patterns by turning pattern pieces into puzzle pieces that fit together in the most efficient way without material waste. This seismic shift can be uncomfortable for industry veterans.

Our change and impact are so drastic that brands must witness it to believe it. However, when they do, the results are incredible. Recently, we conducted an initial test with a European brand and reduced up to 46% of fabric consumption from their iconic product while maintaining consistent style and key fit measurements.

This year, we plan to introduce multiple products developed in partnership with our fashion brands, including a collaboration with an iconic multi-billion dollar brand and a line of zero waste merchandise developed for one of the largest global record labels.

Please elaborate on your technology.
Shelly Xu: Fabrics contribute to the vast majority of carbon emissions and water waste in clothing that is produced today, while also being responsible for 92 metric tonnes of waste each year.

Our technology is designed to eradicate both past waste—through innovative zero waste designs that repurpose deadstock materials—and future waste—by producing designs that utilise every inch of fabric, leaving no room for scraps and enhancing material utilisation.

Furthermore, we collaborate with other creators of impactful sustainable solutions, such as material innovations, and bring them onboard our platform. They can then seamlessly plug their products into our algorithm, facilitating the creation of zero waste designs that utilise these innovative new materials.

The cutting down on waste — Could you explain as it were how you would to a lay person?
Shelly Xu: Our technology is what generates our innovative method of zero waste pattern-making. Our designs maximise desirability while acknowledging the limited resources on our planet by using leftover fabrics and not wasting anything, and designing within the boundaries of the existing fabric dimensions.

Think about it this way: just like how you might carefully arrange puzzle pieces to fit perfectly together, SXD does something similar with fabric. Our technology uses machine-learning and AI to create patterns that use every bit of fabric efficiently, leaving no waste behind. While today’s technology has features such as nesting attempt to pack amorphous fabric shapes as tightly as possible to minimise waste, our technology enhances the fabric shapes themselves to become puzzle pieces that fit perfectly together without any waste in between to begin with.

A designer inputs a simple design or sketch into our programme and the technology then works to generate a pattern that maintains the aesthetic appeal and design intent of the initial sketch while making the best use of the fabric available and leaving zero waste.

Our technology can then automate that same zero waste design across sizes, fabrics and adjacent styles, creating additional value for our users.

By adopting this new methodology, we’ve demonstrated that we can make a significant impact. Through the projects we’ve worked on, we’ve been able to show ~80% reduction in carbon emissions and save up to 46% of the materials that would normally go to waste.

Two main areas drive the SXD business and support its overarching KPI and goal. The first involves converting merchandise items to zero waste that can be sold across various categories at scale. The second involves helping fashion brands convert their popular product categories to zero waste.

Key Drivers Two main areas drive the SXD business and support its overarching KPI and goal. The first involves converting merchandise items to zero waste that can be sold across various categories at scale. The second involves helping fashion brands convert their popular product categories to zero waste. SXD

Please take us through the process.
Shelly Xu: Our approach centres around reducing material waste, a pivotal aspect of sustainability. According to our calculations, if all products in the fashion industry were made into zero waste designs, using leftover materials and not wasting any of it, we could potentially reverse climate change in just 5.4 years. This approach can result in a 5% reduction in total emissions, equivalent to 2.4 gigatons of CO2 annually.

Our primary key performance indicator (KPI) is to convert as many products as possible into SXD zero waste designs. In addition, we endeavour to inspire brands, designers, manufacturers, and the broader public with the possibilities presented by zero waste design.

Two main areas drive our business and support our overarching KPI and goal. The first involves converting merchandise items to zero waste that can be sold across various categories at scale. The second involves helping fashion brands convert their popular product categories to zero waste.

What is the feedback like from brands?
Shelly Xu: We are proud to collaborate with leading-edge brands that are eager to embrace circular fashion from the earliest stage: design. Our partnerships include an iconic multi-billion-dollar American brand and one of Europe’s leading fashion brands. This quarter, we are working with one of the largest global record labels to transition their merchandise offering to zero waste designs.

Through the implementation of our technology and expertise, we have achieved reductions of up to 46% in material waste. This is more than 10x greater impact than what is achieved by any other technologies such as nesting, which reduces about 4% of material waste. During a collaboration with a top European brand, we turned four of their best-selling SKUs to zero waste, which translated to 41,671 metres of fabric savings in just one season.

The prototypes we have designed for our partners have demonstrated a carbon footprint 80% smaller per unit than a typical product.

What are the changes that they have demanded since you started? What are the certifications that you have gone for?
Shelly Xu: Our partners are keen on implementing zero waste designs that do not compromise on quality or style, and they expect us to help them achieve these objectives seamlessly through our technology and our manufacturing partners.

Regarding certifications, we are actively developing our proprietary zero waste certification. This certification will serve as a symbol of stewardship within the fashion industry, highlighting our commitment to sustainability and waste reduction. Obtaining this certification will codify an authentic zero waste design and highlight a dedication to environmental responsibility and innovation.

Through our agreements with brand partners and manufacturers, we require zero waste production processes, sustainability principles and ethical labour practices. Our manufacturing partners adhere to our code of ethics and hold certifications themselves such as Fairtrade certification.

Shelly Xu

Founder/Designer

Shelly Xu Design

I also realised that within the fashion industry, design and engineering tend to work in silos. But we know that in order to make zero waste the new standard of fashion, we need great design—because anything that isn't well designed to be loved and worn is just more waste - and great technology—because we need to scale zero waste across the industry to reduce gigatonnes of carbon emissions.

A designer inputs a simple design or sketch into the SXD programme and the technology then works to generate a pattern that maintains the aesthetic appeal and design intent of the initial sketch while making the best use of the fabric available and leaving zero waste.

How it works A designer inputs a simple design or sketch into the SXD programme and the technology then works to generate a pattern that maintains the aesthetic appeal and design intent of the initial sketch while making the best use of the fabric available and leaving zero waste. SXD

What drew you to this field?
Shelly Xu: One of my earliest memories is sitting on a refrigerator dining with my parents in a 70 sq ft home. We could only fit one table or one bed at a time, so we rearranged furniture throughout the day to make living work. That was how I learned about creativity under constraint—finding beauty in a room full of limits. This is the same principle that maximises the beauty and efficiency of SXD designs under resource constraints.

In recent years, clothing rentals and second-hand marketplaces that address post-consumer waste have risen in popularity. However, the pre-consumer waste that comes from pattern design in fashion has remained a problem for centuries. I wanted to tackle this problem with creativity under constraint—the design principle that I've followed since I was a child.

How did you start?
Shelly Xu: For SXD, no matter how sustainable a product is, if it’s not used and loved, then it’s just more waste. Therefore, I launched the company by designing a collection of zero waste designs to prove the desirability of the products, photographed myself and my friends wearing the pieces, and created an anonymous Instagram account to showcase the concept. The account quickly gained traction, amassing over 20,000 followers, and the collection immediately sold out. I personally hand-sewed the pieces for my first 200 customers.

The demand confirmed that there was a market for zero waste design, and we began leveraging our initial designs as training data for our algorithm to teach it to automate zero waste designs across sizes, fabrics, and adjacent styles.

As our demand continued to grow, we started working with climate refugees in Bangladesh, where we were able to transfer the cost savings we were realising from our zero waste designs to pay them ~2-4 times the local wage and help them resettle and rebuild their lives.

Where did the seed money come from? How much did you invest?
Shelly Xu: We initially bootstrapped SXD with the ~$250K of awards and grants that we had won. Last year, we closed our oversubscribed pre-seed fundraising round. We feel grateful that our investors include our first customers and industry experts.

The focus today is on transparency across the supply chain. How do you ensure that?
Shelly Xu: We ensure transparency throughout the supply chain through various measures that we have put in place.

Firstly, we work closely with both brand partners and manufacturers on the implementation of zero waste production processes, our steadfast commitment to sustainability principles, and the practice of ethical labour standards throughout the supply chain. Our manufacturing partners are bound by our established code of ethics, and many also possess certifications or their own such as Fairtrade certification.

Additionally, as mentioned above, we actively contribute to the well-being of climate refugees from major manufacturing countries, like Bangladesh.

Right from the outset, we've designed our products to generate zero fabric scrap waste. This commitment is unwavering, and we collaborate closely and intensely with our partners to ensure the full implementation of our zero waste methodology.

Our partnerships extend to material sourcing as well. We prioritise deadstock materials whenever feasible and make certain that the materials we use are not only ethically sourced but also aligned with sustainable practices, especially in cases where deadstock materials are unavailable. This comprehensive approach ensures that transparency and sustainability are central to every aspect of our operations.

SXD provides direct support to climate refugees from major manufacturing countries, such as Bangladesh. By hiring seamstresses and offering them wages 2-4 times higher than the local average, it helps them to rebuild their lives.

For Climate Refugees SXD provides direct support to climate refugees from major manufacturing countries, such as Bangladesh. By hiring seamstresses and offering them wages 2-4 times higher than the local average, it helps them to rebuild their lives. SXD

What is the cost of employing the SXD method of zero waste for a brand? What is the process? How does it work?
Shelly Xu: We deeply value win-win solutions. We realise this through our process and pricing. In terms of process, at the beginning of our brand collaborations we deliver a clear before and after with impact metrics to immediately prove the value we bring with Zero Waste Design. We calculate and track the environmental and business benefit we enable at each stage of the collaboration. Our pricing model is based on initial co-investments followed by a fraction of the cost savings we enable for our brand partners—we do not benefit until the brand benefits.

W.r.t to the GCA, you would have worked on the application. In hindsight, what is it that you think that you got right about the entire thing?
Shelly Xu: While there can be many gray areas in sustainability, we commit to zero waste, zero compromise. From day one, we have only created products with zero fabric scrap waste by design. This clarity cuts through the noise and inspires our audience.

Collaboration is also a cornerstone value across everything we do, from how we’ve built our technology, to the relationships we foster within the industry and with our brand partners. We are eager and excited to expand our collaboration through the Global Change Award community.

SXD AI has been thoughtfully designed for seamless adoption, encouraging partners in material innovation to integrate their products into our platform. In addition to being able to fully use leftover/wasted fabrics, SXD AI also unlocks the potential to utilise new innovative materials across our zero waste designs, offering substantial cost savings through efficient design, thus increasing the accessibility of these sustainable materials that can at times be quite costly.

We forge close partnerships with brands to convert existing products to zero waste, and create zero waste designs that encapsulate the essence of their brand DNA. In doing so, we introduce a new paradigm of material efficiency, enabling enhanced margins through substantial cost reductions and contributing to our mission of bringing fabric waste down to zero.

Richa Bansal

RICHA BANSAL has more than 30 years of media industry experience, of which the last 20 years have been with leading fashion magazines in both B2B and B2C domains. Her areas of interest are traditional textiles and fabrics, retail operations, case studies, branding stories, and interview-driven features.

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