Modular Patterns

The message of the project

To use as little paper as possible and to develop a technique to optimise the use of resources for all future home sewers. 

The idea behind the project

Modular Patterns is inspired by the desire to make at-home DIY sewing more sustainable and adaptable for a wide range of passionate at-home sewists.

TAUKO and THE FOLD LINE discovered an opportunity for innovation in developing, distributing, and communicating at-home sewing patterns. Together with their DIY sewist community, they created a way to make sewing patterns more modular, less material demanding, and hence more sustainable, while preserving the spirit of creating and the handcrafted personal wardrobe.

Building an updated method of using and sharing patterns, the partners analysed and assessed patterns, how consumers use them, and how they are delivered and shared. This project strives to make patterns more ecological and user-friendly by paying specific attention to the quantity of paper often used in printed patterns, whether at a copy shop or at home.

TAUKO Magazine is a trailblazing independent print journal for home sewers worldwide. It includes sewing patterns as well as interviews and essays from worldwide authors.

The Fold Line is an award-winning online sewing pattern retailer. They provide a large selection of paper and digital PDF sewing patterns, as well as copy shop printing services and global delivery.

Karsten Schuhl is a freelance designer and expert in precision manufacturing. He collaborates with artists, academics, and SMEs to create ideas and technology, supervising the creation and execution of creative and innovative designs.

What next?

The project provides a new technique to substitute and finally replace paper patterns with a toolkit that enables sewists and creatives to design potential patterns directly on cloth. Inspired by the zero-waste pattern-making approach and modular design thinking, they want to develop and build a prototype set of instructions and tools that will allow them to make an entire wardrobe in various size ranges using as little paper as possible.