Upcycling is becoming an increasingly popular practice with the rise in discussions around sustainability. Unbridled consumption and pollution caused by the fashion industry are problems that open dialogues and seek solutions to reduce environmental damage. More than creating sustainable materials, it is necessary to break paradigms and rebuild consumer attitudes and the industry as a whole. There needs to be a deceleration of large-scale productions, as well as a shift towards the better use of existing materials.
The practice of upcycling is the adaptation and readjustment of existing materials and products – differing from the recycling process, which uses chemical processes and machinery to transform discarded materials. Compare this with the upcycling process which is carried out mostly by manual work. The trend emerged in the 1990s, gaining more traction only in recent years – especially with the rise of social media. On social networks such as TikTok and Instagram, the upcycling hashtag already has more than 6.5B views and 4.2M posts respectively.
Our Cash & Carry is made
out of upcycled materials
Upcycling, in fashion, is not restricted to clothes. Accessories are also a part of this - be they bags, shoes or even jewelry. It is possible to create unique, exclusive and sustainable pieces using materials that could be discarded. Working with upcycling is more than just making clothes and accessories. The technique appears as an alternative to the linear and ephemeral production system. It is increasingly necessary to think about reducing waste, recycling, repairing, reusing and repurposing - that is why more and more new types of businesses focus on upcycling and slow fashion. It is expected that even rental and resale platforms are expected to gain the spotlight in the coming years.
We at Clutch Bags New York are committed to sustainability and we create our products from upcycled materials. Visit our store now to see our products.