The Alchemy of Flaws: Transforming Machine Errors in Pre-Consumer Garment Waste into Visual Story and Design Prototypes

Abstract

This research investigates how machine-induced errors in pre-consumer textile waste—specifically seam puckering, misalignment, and distortion—can be transformed into design assets rather than production flaws. Based on data collected from Bangkok-based factories, the study uses computational analysis and visual methods to classify these defects and reinterpret them as part of new aesthetic systems. The outcomes include a short film, a series of physical prototypes, visual documentation, and design flowcharts that demonstrate the transformation of flaws into sustainable fashion concepts. This project contributes to creative reuse strategies and offers a practical model for integrating error-based design into contemporary textile practices.

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