A top that is also a bag: one Ukrainian brand makes clever multi-purpose clothes

A shirt or trousers that can also be worn as a bag, a dress that can also work as a skirt or tote… Conceptual Ukrainian brand DZHUS has launched a collection of multi-purpose garments inspired by packaging in a bid to make fashion more sustainable.

DZHUS hopes that their multi-purpose transformer garments can help shoppers build a versatile wardrobe with just a few items. “Now that sustainable consumption is more relevant than ever, DZHUS has created a collection inspired by a variety of packaging, to draw attention on the importance of recycling,” the brand says. “The SS21 designs interpret the visual and structural peculiarities of boxes, packages and wraps.”

Set up by Ukrainian designer Irina Dzhus in 2010, the brand is trying to boost its sustainable credentials by producing clothes on demand only at their small studio in Kyiv, and packaging them in reusable textile tote bags, rather than plastic. While they use non-animal materials, DZUS admits that it’s hard to track how eco-friendly Ukrainian materials are, due to the country’s little developed eco-infrastructure. At the same time, the designer says she doesn’t want to import wholesale volumes of certified fabrics, since that would not match DZHUS’ zero-waste principle, as well as their practice of making individual clothes on-demand.