Articles | In-Depth Analysis | Sustainability

Upcycling the vintage treasure

Published: June 25, 2020

Author: Muthu

_{“The fashion industry is famous for its massive waste pollution. Fashion and textile business is famous for the 2nd largest polluting industry globally”. According to various studies done on fashion and textile industry, almost three-fifth share ends up in landfills (dumping grounds within a year it’s been produced some of the famous brands thrown away their clothing and other Textiles each year if they are not sold. It is a bitter pills to digest, these brands don’t want to sell their products at low prices. Therefore, they also feel that lowering their prices will effect their brand image. These are all alarms which our nature have started to give and some of the brand’s and designers are taking a front foot towards Sustainability, recycling and upcycling.}

_{Unfortunately, In today’s time fashion upcycling makes life little easier. Because, we are unsold or used only once or twice. It can be because of poor fir, quality or can not be used. And also it’s very easy to go out and quickly buy and same it’s very simple to buy new apparels easily. Due to excess demand and constant change in lifestyle, trends, colour, climate, income etc. The capacity has also increased.}

_{Upcycling is a part of sustainable fashion, one can also say upcycling is a second Life movement. Upcycling aims to make ones that are better than the original. Upcycling can be done with pre-consumer waste or post-consumer waste. Where the products manufactured using waste and leftover pieces, where as upcycling for post-consumer waste is done using garments that are old and discarded by the user. Upcycling helps to make wonderful clothes whilst showing down the industry.}

_{The garment workers should be taught a design techniques and a technical method for production and should also taught disassembling and reassembling and trained in ‘waste management operations’ who works with brands and manufacturers. Specially, who work in sourcing and production department. There should be different department who looks after recycling and upcycling of unsold and defective clothes.}

_{Upcycling fashion consists of upcycling garments such as pants, shirts, t-shirts, sarees, duppatas, etc. Upcycling can be done by reassembling the unused, old or discarded garments. The method that can be used for upcycling garments are redesigning into different products using techniques such as Stitching, sticking, patchwork, embroidery, quilting, smoking, beadwork, painting mirror work, etc. Example from a old vintage saree of grandmother and mother, we can design slawarkamiz, kurta, gown, shirts, pants, plazo, curtains, pillow covers, table mats wall hangings etc.}

_{I have come across many brands who are working on upcycling were there is this one startup name “REUSO” it’s a initiative with customisation of your old vintage garments into new look, new designs and unique stylings. We’re there tagline says it very clearly “Be a part of fashion solutions and not of fashion pollution”.}