I loved them because her clothes made me feel powerful and seen. When she passed away, I clung to that memory. It set me on the path towards making textiles my profession.
My early textile and fashion education in Pakistan exposed me to a stark duality in the industry. On one hand, the massive local textile industry catered to the domestic market. On the other hand, most of these industries had an export wing which supplied garments in mass surplus for global fast fashion and sporting brands. During factory visits, I was confronted with the harsh reality of the industry – chemical stench, water contamination, vast amounts of byproduct and waste and routine dismissals of environmental concerns. My Bachelor of Fine Arts training experience was filled with questions about sustainability that went unanswered. My brief stint working in the Pakistani garment industry didn’t reconcile the glamorous front-end image with the wasteful back-end practices. The tragic Rana Plaza disaster in Dhaka, Bangladesh, that claimed the lives of over a thousand garment workers, compelled me to return to school to seek answers – especially regarding the social and ecological impact of the Global West’s textile demand on the Global South.
My perspective on design as a reaction to consumer demands changed during my Master of Fine Arts study at Virginia Commonwealth University’s Qatar campus in 2015, when I was introduced to speculative design thinking. For the first time, I learned that design can be approached as a mode that can explore questions and possibilities for challenging the norm. This revelation pushed me towards speculative material and experimental textiles research, leading me to consult in fabric and leather research and development in the Netherlands post-graduation. It brought me face to face with the problem of petrochemical-based materials in fitness and athleisure clothing – a journey that eventually brought me to Australian higher education.
MFA thesis work – In-flight slippers and hospitality accessories made with upcycled denim, sisal and hemp paper (Photo Credit: Wajiha Pervez & Abdul Rahman Anwar)
My academic research in Australia has been a transformative experience. For the first time in my design career, I aligned my studio practice towards the UN Sustainable Development Goal no. 12, to ‘ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns’. Through my practice, I question the petrochemical-based materiality of athleisure clothing and the underlying problem of uncapped production coupled with exponential financial growth. It contrasts sharply with my production-focussed training. However, it aligns more with my craft-based cultural and family history. My studio practice makes space to dissect and reimagine the relationship between athleisure clothing and the active human body. It allows me to question everything from fitness trends to the concept of an active female body, and cutting-room waste to the materiality and production sustainability of athleisure clothing.
Image 4: MPhil research – Zero-waste experimental hand-smocked linen athleisure garments. (Photo Credit: Romon Yang)
In my ongoing PhD research I work with generative AI, seamless knitting, and natural materials such as linen and Australian merino wool to develop zero-waste, designer-led, on-demand athleisure production. The collaboration with generative AI enables me to reverse the linear fashion production model that relies on trend forecasting towards informed surplus production to an on-demand circular, zero-waste model that relies on user engagement before the garment is made. By using Australian merino wool, a naturally sweat-wicking and compostable material, I also question the athleisure materiality and reliance of the industry on petrochemical blends which have documented environmental and health concerns.
100% Merino wool digital athleisure garment prototypes made in collaboration with generative AI. (Render Credits: Wajiha Pervez & Midjourney)
Through years of navigating the complexities of global textile and fashion systems, academia and research, I have come to see research as a space to ask pressing questions about sustainability, materiality and ethics. It is also a space to test and reimagine assumptions about design and production. Witnessing large-scale pollution, exploitative labor practices, and excessive textile waste in Pakistan firsthand highlighted the urgency for systemic change to slow down the waste and climate emergency perpetuated by excessive textile and fashion production. In Qatar, my work shifted towards a speculative approach. I relied on my consumption patterns and the community to access waste streams in a country where textile waste remains invisible mainly due to restrictive policies.
My research in the Netherlands centered on material development, particularly in sustainable textiles and leather. I engaged with the ongoing debate on the acceleration of vegan materials to lower the environmental stress caused by the cultivation and processing of natural leather, cotton and silk. Realising the paradox of plastic-based alternatives and their further potential to perpetuate uncapped clothing production and health concerns, I started engaging with the concept of degrowth. Drawing from my Pakistani background, where bespoke garment production and body-inclusive tailoring are deeply ingrained, my research practice aims to shift everyday athleisure clothing from unchecked expansion to a cycle of degrowth and regrowth – degrowth in pollutive and exploitative practices and regrowth in compostable materials, responsible production methods, and a more mindful relationship between clothing and the human body.
Wajiha Pervez is an experimental textile designer, artist, and academic with a strong focus on environmental sustainability and circular economy in apparel and textiles. Her work has been showcased globally, including Australia, Dubai, Qatar, Italy, Russia, the U.K., and Iran. She has been an artist in residence at Qatar Museums, where she explored traditional weaving techniques. She has also curated exhibitions and taught at various institutions in Qatar, the Netherlands, Poland and Australia. Her work has received grants from Qatar Foundation, Qatar Science and Technology Park. She has received media recognition for her research with generative AI and athleisure clothing from the Powerhouse Museum, Sydney Morning Herald, Arts hub and UTS Lx Lab.
Main image: 100% Merino wool digital athleisure garment prototypes made in collaboration with generative AI. (Render Credits: Wajiha Pervez & Midjourney)