Darja Zlindra- Background

I was born in Slovenia a beautiful county in the heart of Europe. My parents owned a wooden toy and accessories manufacturing shop. I learned from my father what it takes to create products from wood base material into the final products.

The idea of creating something from nothing inspired me. I have chosen my career in Textile Technology as this way I can prove to my father I can do the same.

The textile industry all over the world was always challenging as it required large textile machinery to create final products. Variety of textile fields of technology required different processes. The clothing itself was manufactured in sewing factories. I truly respect workers’ values, dedication, and hard work in creating garments that people wear.

My Education and Career Path

I studied at the University of Textile technology of Ljubljana Slovenia for 5 years and completed a Bachelor of Science in Textile Technology Degree.

After completing the degree, I worked in a Textile Woven Mill in Slovenia where I was creating soft ply blankets with animal weaves. I truly have been inspired by the amazing possibilities that jacquard looms can create using technical expertise. I created numerous designs and the final blankets have been exported to many countries in the world.

I continued my career in Canada by adapting my expertise to the Garment industry. I have completed Fashion Art Certificate diploma and this way I even gain more knowledge in the fashion world. I feel happy and privileged I have established a new life in Canada by having everything I most wanted, family and my business.

It seems easy to write a summary, but it was not easy to integrate into the lifestyle and system in another country. The language was still a barrier for me, but I concur with it well. I worked at the textile Mill for 3 years and after that Textile industry faced hardship in the western world. Factories were closed one after another and main manufacturing moved to the 3 rd world countries.

Different Aspects of Textiles

I’ve been privileged to adapt to many different aspects of textiles in Vancouver such as fabric screenprinting, creating garments for the movie industry and I become even a sales associate in a high-end fashion store

I kept inspired by my parent’s business and my initial idea of creating something out of nothing. After all the aspects of textile, I find love in digital pattern making on computer.

I worked with many fashion brands and created their collections. I have possessed all the knowledge in pattern making, grading marker making, and sample making. And I feel proud I have been in service to many companies for so many years. They have been my long-lasting clients that I prone to serve them as long they exist. Loyalty was the secret of my success, perhaps I was also influenced by my eastern European upbringing as we did not like the changes.

Creating Made-to-Measure Products

The most challenging was creating made-to-measure products when I performed adjustments to custom-made suits for 7 years.

I discovered that only working with 2D patternmaking will not give me sufficient results as bodies are so different and grading patterns by size increments will not give me a satisfactory result for each individual.

For that reason, I invested in the 3D software program and started to prototype, side by side 3Ddesign approvals, and execute 2D patterns. With this concept, I have eliminated the gap of the unknown when creating something out of nothing.

After Covid, the 3D industry flourished on a wider scale. And I feel happy that 3D had become more accepted and recognized. But there was still missing something.

Online stores have been created, and E-commerce has become vast and overwhelming, and expensive to promote the brand. Local stores were closed as too expensive to keep. Products were ordered and shipped directly to the consumer.

Again, this caused additional pollution and increased global warming that is causing now more and more natural disasters.

In choosing the fashion products to fit everyone the biggest problem is sizing and fit as bodies are so different. When looking online in body size chats where you belong, you can not find accurate information about the drape of product for your shape. All you do is guess.

So the result of the outcome is now people are buying and returning garments that do not fit as a never-ending cycle. It is sad seeing we are making products that get disposed of and they fill up our planet with waste and cause global warming and natural disasters.

Changing Online Store Shopping

So, my dream is I create the model for an online store shopping to demonstrate the concept which can open possibilities for other brands to follow

The initial concept I created is to provide personal customer service and determined sizing on spot via virtual meet with personal consultation via Zoom or Teams to determine your size

The products are initially created on 3D on avatars that match model measures. The sample proto itself is tested for fit on a real model as well. Then ease between body and cloth is established that allows the freedom of comfort and drape. All information is captured in my database and from this concept I created the avatars that are replicas of yourself in your dimensions. When your body measures are captured, I can actually create you as a 3D avatar s showing fit before you purchase the garment.

This is the model I would like to create and move forward to sustainability. This model I will apply to other brands so they can benefit themselves as well. It does take expertise to make this happen. This product will be moved into future metaverse I want to be a contributor and this development will open new possibilities

Regards,

Darja