What is Upcycling you ask? Upcycling is the
process of converting an industrial nutrient (material) into something of
similar or greater value, in its second life. Upcycling clothing is a way to
give new life to a garment that has long been forgotten while also reducing
textile waste.
process of converting an industrial nutrient (material) into something of
similar or greater value, in its second life. Upcycling clothing is a way to
give new life to a garment that has long been forgotten while also reducing
textile waste.
Urban Retread is at the forefront of recycling men’s, women’s and children's apparel. Designer Shelly Westerholt has pioneered an innovative approach to designing current and relevant apparel for the modern eco-minded consumer. By recycling garments, she is using less new raw materials. Since she does everything within a small footprint, she is also
reducing her company’s manufacturing impact. Shelly says that it is her belief
that fashion does not have to be predictable or follow certain trends in order
to be in style. Most of the labeling, packaging and shipping matter is also made from recycled materials.
Shelly spends hours at local thrift shops looking for the perfect pieces and old garments that she can give a breath of new life. I had the great pleasure of visiting with Shelly and asking her a few questions about why she chose Eco Chic and what Upcycling is all about.
reducing her company’s manufacturing impact. Shelly says that it is her belief
that fashion does not have to be predictable or follow certain trends in order
to be in style. Most of the labeling, packaging and shipping matter is also made from recycled materials.
Shelly spends hours at local thrift shops looking for the perfect pieces and old garments that she can give a breath of new life. I had the great pleasure of visiting with Shelly and asking her a few questions about why she chose Eco Chic and what Upcycling is all about.
How did you get started
as an Echo Chic fashion designer?
I initially got started in designing men's Eco Chic fashion around 5 years ago.
While shopping with a close girlfriend we stumbled onto a boutique that was selling men's jackets with embellishments for an outrageous price. We were saying to ourselves we could totally do that, however we did not want to buy new jackets and have all that money wrapped up in the base garment. We decided to team up and hit the second hand stores and buy used men's apparel and re-make the garments into current and relevant fashionable pieces. We showed the newly created line under another label at 2006 Portland Fashion Week and soon after, we went our separate ways. I continued to frequent the local thrift stores for pieces of inspiration and began working with women and children's clothing.
What inspired you to start Urban Retread?
After working for a few years making recycled clothing almost exclusively, it
became clear that this was my niche in the fashion world. I wanted to re-brand
myself and work under a name that was a direct reflection of what my designs
are all about. I love to find a dress that most people who otherwise pass by
and make it into what a dear friend of mine coined as a "work of art"! To me, that is the ultimate compliment and inspiration to continue on this path.
What is the most important thing you would like people to know about your
designs and upcycling?
The more I work with old discarded garments and give them new life, the more
passionate I have become about the role up-cycling has in our society. It is
important to look at the impact we make on the planet and in our own lives. It
is true what they say about doing just one thing to reduce your carbon
footprint. This is one of mine. I am really into the idea that up-cycling garments have a very low impact on the environment. Each garment's original carbon footprint has already been accounted for. In fact, statistics show that around 4% of solid waste in the municipal waste stream is from clothing and other textiles.
On a design standpoint, every time I go to my regular second hand haunts, I get
excited about the challenge that lay before me to find pieces that deserve a second chance.
Can clients bring in their own pieces and have you re-vamp them?
One of my favorite challenges is when clients bring me their own pieces that
they want re-worked. I had a client once who had an armful of old bridesmaid’s
dresses that she had no clue what to do with. I deconstructed them and made
them into new separates that she was able to integrate back into her existing
wardrobe. The best part was that it cost a fraction of what it would have paid
to go to the mall and buy that many pieces new. One dress alone I was able to
make into three well fitting new garments.
Shelly has certainly
grabbed the attention of the Portland, Oregon fashion scene. She will be
featured at the 2011 Better Living Show, where she will unveil some of her new
designs. She was also recently featured on The Green Economy TV show.
If you would like to see more of the designs of Urban Retread and how you can
contribute to upcycling your fashions you can visit the website at http://www.urbanretread.com/
as an Echo Chic fashion designer?
I initially got started in designing men's Eco Chic fashion around 5 years ago.
While shopping with a close girlfriend we stumbled onto a boutique that was selling men's jackets with embellishments for an outrageous price. We were saying to ourselves we could totally do that, however we did not want to buy new jackets and have all that money wrapped up in the base garment. We decided to team up and hit the second hand stores and buy used men's apparel and re-make the garments into current and relevant fashionable pieces. We showed the newly created line under another label at 2006 Portland Fashion Week and soon after, we went our separate ways. I continued to frequent the local thrift stores for pieces of inspiration and began working with women and children's clothing.
What inspired you to start Urban Retread?
After working for a few years making recycled clothing almost exclusively, it
became clear that this was my niche in the fashion world. I wanted to re-brand
myself and work under a name that was a direct reflection of what my designs
are all about. I love to find a dress that most people who otherwise pass by
and make it into what a dear friend of mine coined as a "work of art"! To me, that is the ultimate compliment and inspiration to continue on this path.
What is the most important thing you would like people to know about your
designs and upcycling?
The more I work with old discarded garments and give them new life, the more
passionate I have become about the role up-cycling has in our society. It is
important to look at the impact we make on the planet and in our own lives. It
is true what they say about doing just one thing to reduce your carbon
footprint. This is one of mine. I am really into the idea that up-cycling garments have a very low impact on the environment. Each garment's original carbon footprint has already been accounted for. In fact, statistics show that around 4% of solid waste in the municipal waste stream is from clothing and other textiles.
On a design standpoint, every time I go to my regular second hand haunts, I get
excited about the challenge that lay before me to find pieces that deserve a second chance.
Can clients bring in their own pieces and have you re-vamp them?
One of my favorite challenges is when clients bring me their own pieces that
they want re-worked. I had a client once who had an armful of old bridesmaid’s
dresses that she had no clue what to do with. I deconstructed them and made
them into new separates that she was able to integrate back into her existing
wardrobe. The best part was that it cost a fraction of what it would have paid
to go to the mall and buy that many pieces new. One dress alone I was able to
make into three well fitting new garments.
Shelly has certainly
grabbed the attention of the Portland, Oregon fashion scene. She will be
featured at the 2011 Better Living Show, where she will unveil some of her new
designs. She was also recently featured on The Green Economy TV show.
If you would like to see more of the designs of Urban Retread and how you can
contribute to upcycling your fashions you can visit the website at http://www.urbanretread.com/
