Upcycling
(Sinitta modeling an upcycled dress created by From Somewhere , alongside host Lucy Siegle, at the Start Garden Party, Clarence House)
It is time to realise the possibilities of upcycling and dispose of this throw-away culture…
It seems very few of us are willing to lead ascetic lifestyles any more, and why would we when each day news bulletins impel us to keep buying for the “sake of the economy” and people without smart phones are treated like modern day lepers. Yet, whilst it is tough to combat the problem of mass consumption at the source we can try and limit its damage, upcycling is proving to be a great method of doing so.
Upcycling was a term first coined in 1994, if Wikipedia is to be believed, though it has probably been practiced since civilisation began. It refers to the process of converting a would-be waste product into a new product of equal or higher value. It may involve someone ingeniously turning a can of beans into a sellable piece of art but is usually something more practical, like turning left behind tents from music festivals into waterproof jackets - to be worn when it inevitably rains the following year.
Upcycling is not some idealistic fad; it is an efficient and practical way of cutting down on landfill waste and as well as being inherently environmentally sound there are actually many commercial perks to upcycling. Businesses can be built on the sustainable simplicity of upcycling whilst consumers can now sell many of their unwanted goods off to be upcycled, a practice becoming increasingly common – we all like a financial incentive it seems.
However, most people still remain in the dark on the unique possibilities that upcycling offers and whilst it is pleasing that recycling has been taken into the mainstream – complete with its own green box – it is clear that much of the contents of these boxes could and should be upcycled instead.
Don't get me wrong, recycling is a better form of disposal than just piling waste in some out of sight landfill that we can all pretend doesn't exist, but it requires a lot of energy to recycle at the best of times so when there is evidence suggesting our recycling is being sent to other continents it hardly seems like the best option.
The other problem of course with the ubiquitous green boxes is that they perpetuate the lazy attitude which seems to exist towards household material; chuck it in the green box and all will be right with the world seems to be the mantra.
When clearly everything is not all right with the world. Our landfills are full to the brim with rotting waste, resembling hellish graveyards to a culture of mass production and over consumption. Graveyards that attract scavengers to pick the bones out of the tundra for scant financial reward, an unseemly practice that nonetheless demonstrates that much of our waste carries a value.
(We are producing enough waste every two hours in the UK to fill the Albert Hall)
Domestic waste though, is just the thin end of the wedge, with much of the blame surely resting on the shoulders of the corporations, businesses and governments doing so little to encourage re-use and upcycling.
At present, a lot of artificial packaging is unfit for upcycling or even recycling due to the toxicity of the ink used, compounding the ridiculousness of manufacturers over packaging their products.
The building industry is also a culprit, relying on skips rather than finding better uses for stray nails and excess lumber, whilst the notoriously ephemeral nature of mainstream fashion essentially promotes the discarding of clothing after only a few wears.
Until governments or regulatory bodies tackle these issues through regulation or hefty levies on serial offenders, whatever we do as individuals may prove fruitless in the grand scheme of things.
The good news though is that things are finally looking up (excuse the pun). Retail behemoth Wal-Mart has recently released a range of pet products made from upcycled plastic bottles while Starbucks have announced plan to make their take away cups reusable by 2015. It is a start, and as the old saying goes 'old habits die hard', therefore, it is up to us to ensure that corporations such as Walmart and Starbucks continue to improve their green policies at a steady rate, after all, isn't that what capitalism is about, incessant progress and evolution?
Upcycling is a practical and creative way of cutting down on landfill fodder. Yet, crucially, it also encourages thought about what constitutes waste in the first place. So next time you hover over a bin, or indeed a green box with a piece of litter in hand, take a moment, there could just be a better place for it.
Upcycling and THTC
THTC has long since been switched on to the possibilities of upcycling, collaborating with two designers to create four ranges of upcycled clothing lines – two with My Only One clothing company and two with Good One clothing company. This has involved creating women’s clothing out of classic THTC hemp tees, trackpants and hoodies and were modelled by artist and friend of THTC, Aruba Red.
THTC was asked to showcase its line of upcycled clothing at the Start Garden Party, Clarence House, taking part in four days of seminars at the venue with pop legend Sinitta, who modeled some upcycled versions of her classic eighties outfits redesigned by From Somewhere and Junky Styling. The event was hosted by prominent environmental journalist Lucy Siegle (who also set up the Observer Ethical Awards) and was attended by Prince Charles among others.
Above - Singer / Songwriter Aruba Red
Upcycling labels
- On the 1st of July a new scheme will be rolled out in Britain which will see people being rewarded for recycling, THTC will be one of 6 clothing brands involved in the scheme - www.recyclebank.com/
Related links
www.en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PET_bottle_recycling
To find out more about the human cost of landfills watch the Oscar nominated documentary Wasteland
By Isaac Parham
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