an eco-responsible trend that gives new life to our old clothes

For a few years now, upcycling has been all the rage. The idea? To give a second life to our old clothes by transforming them into new pieces.

For a few years now, upcycling has been all the rage! The idea? To give a second life to our old clothes by transforming them into new pieces. Upcycling therefore means recycling, but not just anyhow…

Upcycling old clothes, or the art of making something beautiful out of something old

In the word upcycling there is the prefix “up”, which means that upcyclerit is not only recycling, but recycle by reusing the original partThe new clothes created are therefore each time unique pieces whose style and functionality have evolved.

This trend appeared in the 90s, in a concern for respect and protection of the environment. In fact, each year several million tons of textiles are thrown away, a waste which contributes significantly to the environmental pollution. Upcycling thus makes it possible to respect the planetbut also to reduce manufacturing times for designers and reduce their budget.

In France, clothing upcycling has begun to emerge in recent years and many designers are putting their talent to the service of this new trend, using different processes.

The different techniques of clothing upcycling

There are three techniques used in clothing upcycling.

The first is to working on existing clothesrecovered from second-hand stores or garage sales in order to transform them into new pieces. For example, a pair of jeans can be transformed into a top and worn-out pants into a t-shirt. patchwork. When it comes to upcycling, anything is possible. creativity has no limits! Clothes are deconstructed and then completely rebuilt in order to be brought up to date. Each of us can therefore try this technique, provided that we have some basic sewing skills: you will find many tutorials on the internet for transform your old clothes and give you a new wardrobe.

The second upcycling technique used by the creators consists of: use unsold fabricshousehold linen or even vintage fabric scraps to create clothes. Nothing is lost, everything is transformed!

Finally, the last process consists of recycle an existing material to make a new material, because almost all textile materials can be recycled, so why not? In addition, recycling an existing material is much more economical in terms of water and energy than creating a new one from scratch.

Economical, environmentally friendly and original, upcycling is pushing many designers to invest in this technique…

© Cat Act Art Shutterstock

Independent creators

We introduced you to Lili Zig Zag some time ago, but she is not alone in this market:

Gaëlle Constantine created her eponymous eco-responsible brand in 2009. This Parisian designer finds pieces in thrift stores or second-hand shops in order to transform them and thus create a 100% responsible clothing line. The models remain the same, but each piece is unique in the fabric, a very long work which requires around 35 hours per piece.

For more information: www.gaelleconstantini.com

Monia Sbouaï launched its brand of clothing for women and men in 2016, Super Market. It consists of a line of transformed and reworked pieces as well as a line of recovered clothing. By creating her own brand, this young designer wanted to entrust the sewing work to people in a situation of professional integration: “Super Marché was born from the desire to use already existing clothes to offer a modern wardrobe that fits into a notion of social and solidarity economy ».

For more information: visit the brand’s Instagram account

The big brands

Created in 2012, Ecoalf offers a collection of clothing, but also shoes and accessories, made from recycled materials. Plastic bottles, fishing nets, tires and coffee grounds are recycled to create new materials. The brand also manages the entire process, from waste collection to recycling, then design and production. By succeeding in this challenge, its founder Javier Goyenecheproves to us that it is not necessary to exhaust the Earth’s resources to produce clothes.

For more information: www.ecoalf.com

Created in 2009 by Yael Aflalo, Reformationa high-end brand, has managed to place ecology at the heart of the design of his clothing line, while relying solely on l’upcycling. The fabrics used are sustainable or from unsold stock. The vast majority of the pieces are designed and produced in the same place, in Los Angeles, in responsible and ecological premises.

For more information: www.thereformation.com

Other brands, such as Loptworks, Episode or even Kiliwatch Paris storealso offer more environmentally friendly clothing, resulting from upcycling.

A trend to follow

It is true, l’upcycling allows to reduce the impact of the textile industry on the environmentavoiding waste and recycling everything that can be recycled. However, it is a technique that requires a lot of time from the creators, which explains why the prices are, most of the time, well above market prices. A trend to follow and encourage, hoping that in a few years, we will be able to obtain pieces upcycled at more affordable prices.

Article republished.

Banner illustration: Upcycling old clothes, an eco-responsible fashion – © PEPPERSMINT Shutterstock.