Zero Waste Daniel: Upcycling Fashion Goes Mainstream

Daniel Silverstein's label Zero Waste Daniel (ZWD), based in Williamsburg, New York, has gained media attention, including a feature in The New York Times. Silverstein, a 30-year-old Fashion Institute of Technology graduate, opened a store-laboratory in 2017 with his husband Mario De Marco, using materials from Big Reuse, a Brooklyn nonprofit. ZWD uses 100% of its fabrics, producing no waste. Silverstein works with post-production textile scraps from manufacturers, creating unisex garments like hoodies, pants, t-shirts, and jackets, priced from $25 to $595. His deadstock jacket is made from a former New York City Department of Sanitation tent. Upcycling is gaining traction among designers like Marine Serre, Emily Bode, Gabriela Hearst, and brands like Patagonia's WornWear program. However, the fashion system lacks economies of scale for such practices. Silverstein's philosophy emphasizes valuing all resources, zero waste, fair wages, and transparent narratives.