MaterialDistrict

Petit Pli: origami-inspired outerwear that grows along a child

Children grow about 7 sizes in their first 2 years on Earth, which results in a lot of wasted clothing as well as high costs. Of course, you could go to your local thrift store for new garments, but what if you only had to buy one pair of clothing? Petit Pli, designed by Ryan Mario Yasin, are versatile, origami-inspired shells that are pleated in such a way that they grow bi-directionally to custom fit a range of sizes, adjusting to a child’s growth spurts.

Petit Pli is designed from the ground up for children, rather than being miniaturised adult clothing. Designed for motion freedom and being long-lasting, the material has an auxetic structure through the use of permanent pleating. The pleats move in both directions, either folding together or expanding. Heat treatment fixes the pleats permanently in place, even through washing cycles.

The garments retain a defined silhouette at different stages of expansion, whilst simultaneously custom fitting children of a wide age range. The expanded shape is directly determined by the packing ratios of the material structure.

Because the garments grow up to 7 sizes, parents are buying 1, not 7 different garments. This amounts to less (material) waste, less labour, less costs and less transportation.

The outerwear garments are machine washable, breathable, ultra-lightweight, rain- and windproof, and recyclable. In addition, they can be folded to fit into your pocket.

The clothing has been designed in such a way that they fit children from 4 months to up to 36 months. For now, the collection consists of 2 jackets, the Tie Wind Shell and the Mild Shell, and 2 types of trousers (Elastic and Stirrup), in various colours.

Petit Pli is patent pending, and recently won a James Dyson Award in the national round. Yasin aims to have the clothing on sale in the UK within months at a competitive price, ensuring everyone along the supply chain is paid ethically.

Photos: Petit Pli

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