Over one hundred first-year students at the Faculty of Fashion Design at Buddha College in Karnal, Haryana, spent seven hours transforming discarded fabric into colorful art objects using a Japanese art form known as Kintsugi. During this process, neither needles nor threads were used.
The students inserted fabric scraps into indentations cut along sketches, creating original compositions that included flowers, landscapes, animals, and abstract patterns. Their instructors, Harshita Singh and Komal, guided the process, utilizing fabric collected on the campus grounds to demonstrate how waste can gain new value.
Transforming Fabric Scraps into Works of Art
Before starting work with the scraps, the students studied color theory, determining which shades, textures, and patterns harmonized with each other before finalizing their concept. After the design was approved, it was transferred onto a polystyrene sheet, and grooves were carefully cut along the contours. Then came the task of bringing the sketches to life.
The students sifted through the discarded fabric looking for suitable fragments. Each piece required resizing and firm insertion into the grooves, with special attention paid to every curve and angle. Even a small adjustment could change the appearance of the pattern or the neatness of the fragment's fit.
For Rhea, a first-year fashion design student from Tamil Nadu, this assignment became an opportunity to experiment with an unfamiliar art form. She decided to create an image of a geisha with a lantern using fabric collected on campus. Rhea noted: 'By creating a piece from recycled fabric obtained on campus, I have a product that I am truly proud of.'
Jhanvi, another first-year student from Jaipur, enjoyed the opportunity to experiment with various colors, textures, and patterns. According to her, this exercise helped her view art from a completely different perspective.
Learning Through Practice
This activity integrated several aspects of fashion design within a single session: color theory, understanding textures, material selection, and the patience required for working with fine details. Harshita Singh, a fashion design instructor, aimed to help students apply theoretical knowledge gained in class while simultaneously providing them space to realize their own ideas.
Harshita Singh emphasized: 'As a mentor, I value their patience, dedication, and creativity because art is not just about creating something beautiful; it is about patience, passion, and enjoying the process itself.'
This session also reflects Buddha College's emphasis on practical learning. This institution, affiliated with Kurukshetra University, encourages students to develop their skills through projects and assignments alongside classroom instruction. According to Director Abhinav, the broader goal is to help students become self-reliant by developing practical skills they can use after graduation.
From Classroom Assignment to Millions of Views
The finished pieces found an audience far beyond the classroom. Videos of the students' work garnered over 3.5 million views on Instagram, giving the first-year students an unexpected chance to share their creativity with a much wider public. Rashmi, a student from Bangladesh, reported that this assignment allowed the class to express its creativity by working with waste. Lakshmi from Odisha initially found the technique difficult but said that with practice, it became easier and more enjoyable.
These pieces were created as part of a coursework assignment and are not intended for sale, nor are they related to commercial activity or social missions. The main focus was on mastering a new methodology, experimenting with materials, and understanding how fabric can be creatively repurposed. By the end of the seven-hour session, the students had transformed fabric remnants into individual works of art, each shaped by their choice of color, pattern, and design. And without using a single stitch, they found another way to work with material that might otherwise have been thrown away.