Upcycling and repurposing

Oh my goodness! I LOVE upcycling! I honestly get a rush when I’ve recreated something and given it a new life and purpose. Not only are we keeping items out of landfill but were also saving money, minimising our impact our natural resources and creating one of art pieces. In a time where over consumption and over production impact most consumer choices, it’s important to truly make a difference by establishing a way to rejuvenate or reinvent what we already have laying around. 

Fast fashion represents 10% of the worlds co2 emissions. Brands are becoming more aware of consumers wanting more sustainable garments and are choosing to be more ethical by product material, working conditions, product packaging and environmental impact. For an average cotton shirt it takes 2,700 litres of cotton to produce. By upclycing what we have were putting less strain on our natural resources to sustain our consumer behaviour. 

We’re starting to see massive corporations highlighting the importance of upclycling. London Fashion week has previously touched on topics such as poverty and whilst it’s not a direct title it absolutely highlights the importance of second hand stores and how to recreate looks for fashion, giving both a purpose for one another. In 2019 this made title waves and arguably set fashion as a whole in the spotlight for its environmental impact. 

Op shops are a personal favourite of mine, an amazing opshop which has since closed down is Orbit in Burleigh. I recently purchased brand new designer swimwear (It’s crazy what people will throw out). I got all my pieces for $2.50 each. Absolute bargain and obviously it kept everything out of landfill and a new life with me. Personally I never buy anything new and if I do its from recycled goods. My last purchase from a fashion store (over 5 months ago) was made from recycled plastic bottles, its actually one of the softest fabrics I own despite more than 80% of the garment being plastic. 

An example of a big brand that is attempting to do better if Princess Polly. They have created Earth club which is a sub category (we said they were trying to do better, they’re not quiet there yet) and it has a range of clothing and items that have been made from recycled material and fibres. They have also changed their packaging to compostable mailers, slowly but surely brands are doing better. Here’s a link to their mission statement for their Earth Club. https://www.princesspolly.com.au/pages/earth-club Whilst its not perfect is definitely a step in the right direction if upcycling or recycling isn’t available then at least they are offering a sustainable alternative to general consumerism. 

I recently up cycled an electric mixer that was handed down to me. I love to use what ever is about to go off and bake up something delicious. There was nothing wrong with my mixer, it works an absolute treat however it had over the years before I received it, discoloured from the elements of sitting on a kitchen bench. My apartment is a minimalist industrial theme so I thought it was only fitting the mixer should be black. Also it was left over spray paint from a tap I repaired and repainted, so to keep the waste low I just used what I already had. I love the results and whilst its not to everyones taste its to mine and ties into my apartment theme nicely. 

Another perfect idea of up cycling is the amazing Byron Bay based company, Retyred. The concept is simple and the end result is stunning. Each year the world collectively accumulates 1.5 billion tyres and almost all of these end up in landfill. Retyred is trying to battle this statistic by repurposing raw materials like old tyres into every day furniture like chairs, tables, pots and mirror frames. The results honestly speak for themselves with their flawless and elegant finishes. I fell in love with their store at our local Burleigh markets. Check them out at https://retyred.com. I guarantee you won’t be disappointed. 

As well as purchasing delightful furniture from the amazing team at Retyred you can also utilise tyres as swings, foot stools, garden beds, wishing well and heck ive even seen a christmas tree made out of tyres! The possibilities are endless as your imagination. 

I could dream up ideas of how to upcycle just about anything so i’ve compiled a list of a few fun up cycled items that I’ve previously seen, which may spark some creative juices for you and inspire your next project.

• One half of suit case with the other half with a sowed in cushion, creating a foot stool.
• A skateboard with light bulb/s (think of where the trucks go, the lights go instead).
• Mason jars or beer bottles turned into drop lights with a bit of jute twine. 
• A claw stand bath thats been cut and sealed with a cushion, creating a couch.
• Simply painting items (as I did with my mixer). A fun project I’ve seen was a white fridge that was painted blue and white clouds. The whole kitchen instantly changed and turned a dull area into a funky vibe.
• Shirt cushions! A quirky way to add some colour and a talking point into any conversation. 
• Pallet bed frames. My goodness I love a good pallet frame. My spare room has one, I picked it up from our local industrial area. Just make sure you ask before you take anyones pallets!
• TV pet bed! Yes you heard right. Imagine an old school tv with the screen removed and a pet bed in its place! Ideal for cats or ferrets.
• Barrel’s as bar tables. This one you’ve probably seen plenty of times at your local market or alternative bar. They’ve become more and more popular with weddings too.
• Old guitar shell converted into a shelf. Ideal for keep sakes and displays that you want on display. 
• Body scrub. This an old faithful of mine and I swear by it! Coffee grinds, coconut oil and a dash of essential oil for your very own body scrub. Absolutely perfect and super easy to make.

There is so many possibilities with upclycing and its a fun way to put your own slice of personality into your pieces. Wether it be a household item, a piece of clothing or tools that are laying around in your shed, there are so many creative directives to explore and reinvent the most simplest of pieces into art. Not only is it a fun way to pass some time and maybe create a new hobby or two but it allows planet earth to breathe a bit more with less greenhouse gas emissions, and a reduction in air and water pollution. 

Everyone really benefits from upclycling, so tell me what’s your next project going to be?

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