Upcycling is the recycling of clothing and other items in such a way that the resulting product is of a higher value than the original items used to make it. Generally created from post-consumer waste, which is waste produced through the disposal of manufactured goods, the process of upcycling requires the re-contextualisation of the wasted materials as resource, rather than surplus.
The average American purchases more than five garments a month and discards about 30 kilograms of textiles a year. Between 50 and 75 per cent of textiles end up in landfills, despite the fact that these are almost completely recyclable. The average lifespan of a piece of clothing is generally considered to be around three years; with fast fashion, this is considerably less, meaning a significant percentage of waste sent to landfill is discarded clothing. Even if you donate your unwanted clothing to a charity shop, the chances are you are only delaying the inevitable. Less than 20 per cent of donated clothing is actually resold.
Clothes sent to landfill constitute a significant environmental problem. The wasteland takes up valuable space, and causes air, water and soil pollution, discharging carbon dioxide and methane into the atmosphere, and chemicals and pesticides into the earth and groundwater. The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development estimates that by 2020 we could be generating 45 per cent more waste than we did in 1995. It identifies recycling and reuse as one of the main waste-management principles, and has a long-term goal to avoid waste and use unavoidable waste as a resource wherever possible – the basic principle of upcycling.
There’s been a lot of focus on recycling of late, as China recently banned the import of trash from other countries. For decades, it has been the single largest importer of other people’s rubbish, which they sorted and recycled, but which was also the cause of major pollution. The ban forces countries that are used to exporting their waste to now deal with it locally.
There is a lot of work being done globally to draw attention to our problems with consumption and the rubbish it generates. One of the agencies drawing attention to garment waste in particular is Redress, an NGO from Hong Kong working to reduce textile waste in the fashion industry. Redress runs a number of programmes to highlight the negative impacts of fashion, with the intent of driving a more sustainable industry, and by working directly with designers, government and consumers.
The annual Redress Design Award is the world’s largest sustainable fashion design contest. The competition challenges participants to transform textile waste into stunning, scalable and commercially viable collections, and creates an international spotlight for designers working with upcycled materials.
There are, of course, some incredible designers working with upcycled materials that defy the fact that they work with unwanted fabric and garments. One of those brands is Bottletop, which produces a luxury collection of bags created in part from discarded aluminium ring pulls from soda cans. Based in the United Kingdom, the label works with disadvantaged communities in Africa and Brazil to create a sustainable livelihood for those who collect and wash the ring pulls, as well as for the highly skilled craftsmen that produce the bags.
In 2009, Yves Saint Laurent launched New Vintage, a capsule collection of limited-edition designs recycled from past collections and cut from leftover fabrics. It was an initiative of then creative director Stefano Pilati to combine sustainability with iconic YSL designs. The collection was sold through Barney’s New York and across YSL flagship stores worldwide. Sadly, the initiative only lasted a couple of seasons, and is now just a distant memory of a remarkable undertaking by a brand as influential as Yves Saint Laurent.
English designer Christopher Raeburn started his career working exclusively with recycled materials. Known for creating original outerwear from re-appropriated military textiles, the brand specialises in garments that are functional, intelligent and proudly remade in England. While the collection is no longer 100 per cent produced from recycled materials, they remain at the core of the brand ethos. The label is a pioneer in this space, and is known for working with such unexpected materials as military camouflage, army snow suits, air force flying suits and hot-air balloons.
Emi and Eve produce a collection of jewellery and purses made entirely from recycled bullet and bomb casings from Cambodia. The collection is the outcome of a trip to Cambodia, where founder Cassandra Postema met a family who recycled landmines and artillery shells to make jewellery. The brand supports female Cambodian bomb disposal officers known as The Landmine Girls, who serve a vital need. As a result of 30 years of war, there are an estimated five million unexploded landmines still in existence in Cambodia, which stop locals from farming land and feeding their families, and children from playing in the fields.
So, the next time you think of purchasing a new piece of clothing, you might want to consider something upcycled that keeps textiles out of landfills, while simultaneously satisfying your need for something new.
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Read more from Sass Brown:
Countering consumption with a new-look approach
In the future will we all be wearing lab-grown leather and mushroom skin?
Is the fashion industry finally becoming more inclusive?
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The rules on fostering in the UAE
A foster couple or family must:
- be Muslim, Emirati and be residing in the UAE
- not be younger than 25 years old
- not have been convicted of offences or crimes involving moral turpitude
- be free of infectious diseases or psychological and mental disorders
- have the ability to support its members and the foster child financially
- undertake to treat and raise the child in a proper manner and take care of his or her health and well-being
- A single, divorced or widowed Muslim Emirati female, residing in the UAE may apply to foster a child if she is at least 30 years old and able to support the child financially
The specs
Engine: 3.0-litre six-cylinder MHEV
Power: 360bhp
Torque: 500Nm
Transmission: eight-speed automatic
Price: from Dh282,870
On sale: now
Real estate tokenisation project
Dubai launched the pilot phase of its real estate tokenisation project last month.
The initiative focuses on converting real estate assets into digital tokens recorded on blockchain technology and helps in streamlining the process of buying, selling and investing, the Dubai Land Department said.
Dubai’s real estate tokenisation market is projected to reach Dh60 billion ($16.33 billion) by 2033, representing 7 per cent of the emirate’s total property transactions, according to the DLD.
Electric scooters: some rules to remember
- Riders must be 14-years-old or over
- Wear a protective helmet
- Park the electric scooter in designated parking lots (if any)
- Do not leave electric scooter in locations that obstruct traffic or pedestrians
- Solo riders only, no passengers allowed
- Do not drive outside designated lanes
Nayanthara: Beyond The Fairy Tale
Starring: Nayanthara, Vignesh Shivan, Radhika Sarathkumar, Nagarjuna Akkineni
Director: Amith Krishnan
Rating: 3.5/5
Secret Pigeon Service: Operation Colomba, Resistance and the Struggle to Liberate Europe
Gordon Corera, Harper Collins
The White Lotus: Season three
Creator: Mike White
Starring: Walton Goggins, Jason Isaacs, Natasha Rothwell
Rating: 4.5/5
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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%3Cp%3EThe%20Royal%20Navy%20raid%20is%20the%20latest%20in%20a%20series%20of%20successful%20interceptions%20of%20drugs%20and%20arms%20in%20the%20Gulf%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EMay%2011%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EUS%20coastguard%20recovers%20%2480%20million%20heroin%20haul%20from%20fishing%20vessel%20in%20Gulf%20of%20Oman%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EMay%208%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20US%20coastguard%20vessel%20USCGC%20Glen%20Harris%20seizes%20heroin%20and%20meth%20worth%20more%20than%20%2430%20million%20from%20a%20fishing%20boat%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EMarch%202%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Anti-tank%20guided%20missiles%20and%20missile%20components%20seized%20by%20HMS%20Lancaster%20from%20a%20small%20boat%20travelling%20from%20Iran%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EOctober%209%2C%202022%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ERoyal%20Navy%20frigate%20HMS%20Montrose%20recovers%20drugs%20worth%20%2417.8%20million%20from%20a%20dhow%20in%20Arabian%20Sea%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ESeptember%2027%2C%202022%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20US%20Naval%20Forces%20Central%20Command%20reports%20a%20find%20of%202.4%20tonnes%20of%20heroin%20on%20board%20fishing%20boat%20in%20Gulf%20of%20Oman%C2%A0%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
David Haye record
Total fights: 32
Wins: 28
Wins by KO: 26
Losses: 4
The specs
AT4 Ultimate, as tested
Engine: 6.2-litre V8
Power: 420hp
Torque: 623Nm
Transmission: 10-speed automatic
Price: From Dh330,800 (Elevation: Dh236,400; AT4: Dh286,800; Denali: Dh345,800)
On sale: Now
WIDE%20VIEW
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WHAT IS A BLACK HOLE?
1. Black holes are objects whose gravity is so strong not even light can escape their pull
2. They can be created when massive stars collapse under their own weight
3. Large black holes can also be formed when smaller ones collide and merge
4. The biggest black holes lurk at the centre of many galaxies, including our own
5. Astronomers believe that when the universe was very young, black holes affected how galaxies formed
NO OTHER LAND
Director: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham, Rachel Szor, Hamdan Ballal
Stars: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham
Rating: 3.5/5
Specs
Engine: Dual-motor all-wheel-drive electric
Range: Up to 610km
Power: 905hp
Torque: 985Nm
Price: From Dh439,000
Available: Now
What went into the film
25 visual effects (VFX) studios
2,150 VFX shots in a film with 2,500 shots
1,000 VFX artists
3,000 technicians
10 Concept artists, 25 3D designers
New sound technology, named 4D SRL
Skewed figures
In the village of Mevagissey in southwest England the housing stock has doubled in the last century while the number of residents is half the historic high. The village's Neighbourhood Development Plan states that 26% of homes are holiday retreats. Prices are high, averaging around £300,000, £50,000 more than the Cornish average of £250,000. The local average wage is £15,458.
Manchester United v Liverpool
Premier League, kick off 7.30pm (UAE)
'Shakuntala Devi'
Starring: Vidya Balan, Sanya Malhotra
Director: Anu Menon
Rating: Three out of five stars
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League last-16, second leg:
Real Madrid 1 (Asensio 70'), Ajax 4 (Ziyech 7', Neres 18', Tadic 62', Schone 72')
Ajax win 5-3 on aggregate
How to watch Ireland v Pakistan in UAE
When: The one-off Test starts on Friday, May 11
What time: Each day’s play is scheduled to start at 2pm UAE time.
TV: The match will be broadcast on OSN Sports Cricket HD. Subscribers to the channel can also stream the action live on OSN Play.
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
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