Reviving Heritage Through Handloom: A Sustainable Fashion Collection Inspired by Sri Lankan Traditional Puppetry

Category: Apparel

"Remembering the Roots" is a fashion collection that uses handloom fabrics and cultural storytelling to replicate the traditional Ambalangoda puppetry art of Sri Lanka. In keeping with the main goal of the WEVIN competition, the project embraces the principles of equality, sustainability, and environmentally sensitive design while showcasing the beauty of traditional crafts. The collection honors Sri Lanka's strong ties to nature, ritual, and identity via the expressive themes, vibrant colors, and organic shapes of traditional puppets. Traditional Sri Lankan cotton handloom cloth, which is biodegradable, environmentally benign, and requires less energy to weave, is used to create each garment. This approach promotes social justice and fair work while guaranteeing a low carbon impact, zero industrial waste, and support for local artisan communities, particularly rural women weavers. Pattern decoding, silhouette identification, and swatch experimentation were all part of the design process, which was driven by a dedication to waste minimization and slow fashion. There was no usage of fast fashion or synthetic fabrics. Conscious consumption was promoted by maintaining the focus on handcrafted techniques, natural materials, and classic designs that are independent of fashion trends. Beyond aesthetics, this project elevates underrepresented artisan practices and local heritage. By bridging the gap between the past and the future, it makes classic design applicable in a modern, global setting. The project's decision to use handlooms encourages a sustainable fashion option that benefits the surrounding communities and the environment. “Remembering the Roots” is more than a design, it’s a movement toward responsible, inclusive, and meaningful fashion that honors nature, culture, and people equally.

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