Upcycling 101
In a world with far too many clothes (it's estimated that between 80 and 100 billion pieces are produced each year), it’s becoming increasingly important to utilise what we already own.
*enter upcycling* the perfect solution to our craving for new clothes and the damage of climate change driven by overconsumption.
Get a newness fix from items you already own when you spice them up with a little upcycling. Whether that's sewing on a patch, changing the cut/the crop, adding a different patterned panel or reworking deadstock vintage into something new- upcycling your clothes rather than buying new is a sustainable move.
Upcycling fashion ideas
Stuck for ideas? There's plenty of creative upcycling plans out there if you fancy getting creative.
Brands that upcycle
If you don't have the skills to upcycle yourself, don't worry. There are so many brands out there doing the work for you.
More brands are starting upcycled sub-brands (although a lot of them are fast-fashion so we won't mention them on here- it is not enough to only have a side line that’s sustainable when you're a major player in the fast fashion industry. Do better *cough* Asos *cough* Zara *cough* ).
Here are some that are more renowned in the reused textiles industry that you may already have heard of.
Patagonia
This (originally outdoors) brand started its ethical production way back in 1973 (ahead of its time, big slay). In 1993, they started using recycled plastic bottles in production for their garments, and they still do this for their Re\\\collection.
What’s even cooler is that you can also bring clothes that you can’t (or aren’t bothered to/ don’t know how to) repair to their shops, where they will recycle them for you and make sure that your items are reused responsibly.
RubyMoon
The brand is dedicated to circular economy, and just like Patagonia RubyMoon has its own take-back scheme where you can send used swimwear pieces to be reused (and get a discount for your next purchase). Their activewear is created from used fishing nets and plastic bottles retrieved from the ocean. By turning polluting waste into beautiful garments, they have reduced their carbon footprint by 42%.
FanFare
By only releasing one collection per year, UK-based Fanfare secures its spot as a real slow fashion brand. They redesign used clothes into fun new pieces and ultimately promotes prolonging clothing’s life cycle. They also upcycle distinctive vintage pieces alongside embroidery and embellishment off-cuts and production waste, converting them into something unique and lavish.
Antiform
Founded in 2007, this English brand based in Bristol focuses mostly on knitwear but also takes reclaimed materials and mixes them with traditional heritage crafts.
Re-Roupa
If you’re into edgy clothes with a hippie flair, Re-Roupa is the one for you. They use raw materials which are delivered to them directly, instead of scouring for specific materials all around the world.
Denim upcycling brands
Denim is one of the best materials to upcycle. There are so many ways to restyle it and it's very durable. So of course, we has to include some brands for you denim lovers:
Re/Done
Re/Done jeans are made using water-conserving methods minus the harsh chemicals. The outcome? One-of-a-kind jeans handmade using vintage pieces that were taken apart to remake into something new.
Think Blue
If you stumble upon their website, you’ll see all the different bits of denim used in the making of their pieces. This Brazilian brand from Rio de Janeiro creates their collections from good old worn-in jeans. They always disclose the amount of water used to produce each garment, the amount of hours the seamstress spent on it, as well as how many pattern pieces it took to create it- a win for sustainability! We need more brands to be as transparent.
Comas
This brand produces their garments from clothing with small imperfections- items that don’t make it to the conventional market because of minor defects. They also organise DIY workshops (currently on their Instagram and website), make sure you check those out for some great upcycling tips.
Why we love Upcycling
What’s not to love? Upcycling saves natural resources and allows for more creativity, which means we don’t have to forgo our undying love for fashion as a tool for self-expression.
As consumers, we have the responsibility to become more actively involved in minimising the waste produced by the fashion industry and create less demand for fast-fashion. Big companies show no (or minimal) signs of slowing down, so we need to take control of the situation- with upcycling!
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