Adaptable baby clothes are threading the way to sustainable fashion. Young children outgrow their clothes quickly, compelling parents and guardians to buy new items and causing copious amounts of waste. But Ryan Mario Yasin has designed childrenswear that stretches with kids as they develop. “We create a specific fabric with an auxetic property which means that as it expands along its length, it grows along its width,” the aeronautical engineer says. With his material technology company Petit Pli, Yasin makes durable garments which help people of all ages reduce their environmental footprint.
“One of our major aims is really to nudge people's behaviour to value the clothes that are on their bodies every day,” he says. Their garments can expand up to seven sizes at different stages of development, preventing the need to consume more. Backed by a team of multi-disciplinary designers, Yasin curbs waste from manufacturing to distribution and use. Petit Pli creates eco-friendly fashion for kids and adults made from upcycled plastic bottles using green energy from solar, biomass, water or wind. When the garments are delivered, they are folded into packaging made from cardboard, and the clothes themselves can be recycled again after use.
By prolonging the life cycle of clothing, Yasin is instilling the values of slow fashion for both children and parents. "There's a saying that we have at Petit Pli, and that is, ‘Our earth isn't inherited from our elders but it's actually borrowed from our children’,” Yasin says. Combining sustainability with style, he's preserving the planet for generations to come.
Footage and photos by Petit Pli were used in the creation of this film.
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