Paper clothing makes fashion statement

With paper as the core and "invitation" as the concept, these pieces feature a blend of Chinese and Western cultural elements, as well as traditional and modern techniques, including sunmao (mortise-and-tenon) joints, paper cutting, paper folding, laser cutting, lanterns, church, pagodas, dragons, irises and the white magnolia — Shanghai's city flower.

Zhang introduced that Tyvek eco-friendly paper and washable kraft paper are the main materials used, making them light, durable, waterproof, sustainable and environmentally friendly.

Instead of using glue or sewing the pieces, Zhang's team skillfully chose traditional Chinese sunmao joints as the main method to make the clothing. Sunmao was often used in ancient Chinese architecture to connect materials without glue or nails. While different from wooden pieces, it has been challenging for the design team to implement the method.