Personalised Circular Fashion, From Leftover Fabric to Unique Garment
PRAGMA is a circular fashion project by Studio AMA. It is at the crossroads of sustainable fashion, social economy and technological innovation. The project received support from the BBBC programme, through which the FPS Public Health aims to encourage circular innovation with funds from the European recovery plan. As such, the project can focus on its core mission: rethinking the way we design, produce and experience clothing.
A New System for Conscious Clothing Production
The first objective is to produce based on demand, not stock. To make this a reality, the company works with a produce-to-order system: the team starts making clothes as soon as a customer places an order. The ordering process is an interactive experience where customers assemble their garment step by step based on type, model, fabric and size. A digital platform shows which fabrics are available and offers personalised tips for making conscious choices. After ordering, the team assigns each garment a unique QR code, which is linked to a digital product passport with photos, updates, shipping information and maintenance tips.
Transparency in Every Garment
With this digital product passport, PRAGMA is responding to the European Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR). This new legislation will gradually impose ecological design and information requirements for almost all product categories, including textiles. In the future, products will have to meet criteria such as repairability, reusability, recyclability, use of recycled materials and efficient resource and energy consumption. The product passport acts as a transparent identity card for each garment, so that consumers, producers and authorities can make informed and sustainable choices.
From Fashion to Other Sectors: a Flexible Model
Pragma makes smart use of local and renewable resources, mainly residual streams from textile manufacturers. As such, these small offcuts get a second life, instead of being left unused. At the same time, the project fosters local social employment through collaborations with social employment companies.
The business model is flexible and suitable for both social employment companies and conventional clothing companies. PRAGMA draws up clear manuals that break down the production of each garment into manageable steps, so that different employees can each perform their part. Soraya Wancour, founder of Studio AMA and the initiator of the PRAGMA project, "I will visit the social employment company myself to give live demonstrations of how to make a garment. In addition, employees are given written workflows, and we create videos that they can re-watch while carrying out the work. Moreover, our methods and processes are designed so that other companies can easily copy them, including the associated software, production flows and formats."
The core approach - working with existing materials, producing locally and actively involving users - is not limited to fashion. It can also be applied to other sectors such as furniture design, interior design and food. It all starts with reconnecting: with materials, makers and conscious choices.
Circular Innovation, Thanks to Federal Support
Thanks to the support of the BBBC Fund, funded by the European Recovery Plan NextGenerationEU, PRAGMA had the chance to digitise its entire value chain. As a result, the company can scale up its production, even beyond its own collection. In a short space of time, PRAGMA has launched its first remanufacturing model, the first orders have come in, and the team continues to build a strong showcase of circular manufacturing methods.
The BBBC Fund supports projects that develop and implement innovative circular solutions in a range of sectors, including clothing, interior design, food chain logistics and machinery for professional use. PRAGMA's project is concrete proof of how this support can lead to sustainable production, smart reuse of materials and an accelerated transition to a circular economy in Belgium.
