THE 10 BEST UPCYCLING IDEAS FOR CLOTHING!
Knowing 80% of an item's impact is decided during its design process, we realize the importance of eco-conception. The way you will use it, wash it, discard it, recycle it if possible, all can be anticipated when designing the product and deciding about its components.
In other words: you, as a consumer and a buyer, are also responsible for this impact regarding the way you treat your stuff. Every year, tons and tons of trash end up in the landfill. It costs a lot of money to be sorted, transported and, sometimes, destroyed or burned. Not to mention the loss of material that could be useful... This is where recycling and upcycling are entering the picture. Upcycling is the process of converting old or discarded materials into something useful. This way, you save time and ressources in order to produce a new item out of "trash" material. And creativity blossoms...
People (myself included) often mix upcycling with recycling, here's my attempt to make the difference. When you recycle, you actually destroy the old material and reuse it under a new form. Example: paper, plastic, glass.
When you upcycle on the contrary, you keep the old material in it's original form, but convert it into a new use. Between creative brands and DIY ideas, examples: down here!
1. Elvis & Kresse upcycles broken fire hoses into accessories like ipad cases, wallets, beauty bags or ...cufflinks! The brand was created in 2005 when the founders discovered that fire hoses were simply ending in landfill if damaged. Falling in love with this highly resistant, fire and water-proof material, they refused this reality and mounted a rescue operation, giving them a new life. Additionnally, 50% of their profit goes to the Fire Fighter Charity.
2. Freitag is a Swiss brand upcycling old truck tarps into bags. Their 6 truckspotters are continually on the hunt for the best tarps and gather 350 tons of them a year. After being washed with rain water in Zurich, the tarps are transformed into highly resistant bags thanks to Lara (:-) ) and her team of designers, creating unique pieces of Swiss quality!
3. In the same vein, 959 upcycles safety belts into bags, laptop cases and ...flower pots! Each single piece of the collection was born in Italy: the research of the used seatbelts, the cleaning and the handicraft cutting, sewing and assembling.
4. Lonie & Lois is a Dutch brand, upcycling old jeans into lamps (two sizes: 8 or 16 old jeans) and bow ties. You can send them your own old jeans to make the products!
5. Wear a Story is a Belgian brand creating unique clothes today with yesterday. Hunting second hand interesting fabrics, Lauriane transform discared clothes into new, modern and graphic pieces. Don't miss her next sale and keep informed on her facebook page.
That was about what you can buy to support upcycling. But the main way to upcycle is finally to D.I.Y. Do it yourself: each time you are about to send something to the trash, try to think about ways of reusing it (if like me you don't know: type it in google or pinterest and you'll discover marvels).
6. Upcycling and old unworn scarf into a camera strap
7. Gathering your old buttons and make a bowl. How? here.
8. Building your own rod with copper tubes. In case this one is too hard, available here.
9. Holes on the sleeves? Transform his shirt into a dress for your little girl
10. Stains on your tablecloth? Reuse it to make a lovely market backpack. Instruction here.
...And because it is too good to be true, here's a bonus...Pure genius found on the instructables: upcycled t-shirt into a cat tent!
