Stretchable clothing that grows with children to reduce waste

Former aerospace engineer Ryan Mario Yasin has developed a design for stretchable children’s clothing, inspired by technologies used in satellite structures, with the aim of extending the usable life of garments and reducing waste caused by size changes as children grow.

CNN reported that Yasin founded the company Petit Pli in London, which is developing clothing based on flexible, expandable structures that allow the garments to adapt to children’s growth and reduce the need for frequent replacement.

Yasin explained that his background in aerospace engineering, particularly in designing expandable structures for small satellites, inspired him to apply principles derived from the art of paper folding, origami, to create fabrics that stretch as the child grows. He noted that large quantities of children’s clothing are discarded annually due to size changes, and emphasized that the project aims to help curb this type of waste by extending the lifespan of the garments.