When I make a pattern, I of course engineer it to fit on the least amount of fabric possible. That is part of what makes a good production pattern. It works hand in hand with the fabric width for an efficient yield.
Zero-waste patternmaking, though, aims to create a pattern that uses the fabric fully – leaving no leftover cut waste at all. Like tetris, the pattern pieces nest together perfectly on the fabric.
In my opinion, though, zero-waste patternmaking often sacrifices tailored fit in its pursuit. I’d rather carve out a dart or shape a seam line to get a better fit even if it means “wasting” that odd shaped off-cut.
Note that the total yield may be the same. A zero-waste pattern may take 2yds of fabric and use 100% of it. In contrast, a more contoured pattern might also require 2yds, but will leave some scraps because the curved pieces won’t nest as tightly.
Instead of purely focusing on zero-waste patternmaking, I look at the bigger picture of production waste. How can a style accomplish the design in the least amount of fabric? How can we use the cut waste scraps for another product? Can any unusable pieces be recycled or reused in another way? How can we nail the fit so that it sells to happy customers and you aren’t left with any unsold inventory at the end of the season? Zero-waste production is bigger than simply a zero-waste pattern.
In the end, as long as the off-cuts are being used for something and not being thrown away, it is not my goal to make every pattern in itself zero-waste.