Our clothes at Conscious Apparel are about slow fashion – they are elegant, luxurious and timeless pieces. We are also firmly committed to the practice of upcycling. Up cycling, or ‘creative reuse’, effectively means taking something no longer in use and repurposing it. Through cutting, stitching and refashioning, to upcycle something grants it a second life and a new function. Upcycling is not the same as recycling and it does not break down an item’s base material, but rather refashions an existing item to create something even better. This ethical practice plays a key role in the fashion industry and helps to reduce the environmental impact of consumer goods at large. By transforming otherwise discarded materials into new and wearable pieces, upcycling conserves valuable resources, reduces waste, and supports a circular economy. In essence, when engaging in upcycling, no new items of clothing are added to the excess already in the industry and in our landfill sites. It is this rapidly paced fast fashion cycle of clothing production that sends an estimated 92 million tonnes of clothing to landfill each year.
A disastrous reminder of the impact of fast fashion is the mound of discarded clothing, often unworn, that is currently in the middle of the Atacama, a desert in the north of Chile. Weighing between 11,000 and 59,000 tonnes, the garment mountain is the equivalent to one or two times that of Brooklyn Bridge. Chile has long been a hub for clothing that is unwanted and unsold in other parts of the world. Having passed through countries such as China and Bangladesh, as well as parts of Europe, Asia, and the USA, Chilean locals are tasked with the disposal of our unwanted clothing. At least 39,000 tonnes of unwanted clothing that cannot be resold end up in rubbish heaps like the one in the Atacama.
It is this devastating state of affairs that Conscious Apparel works to fight against with its commitment to the practice of upcycling. The transformation of unwanted clothes into beautiful new garments is symbolised by our butterfly logo.
Vintage Crafts, who we work with, operate under a zero waste policy that ensures that every inch of the saree or garment has the potential to be reused and re-worn in different ways. Smaller remnants are used to make hair accessories and silk jewellery. Conscious Apparel also works closely with Ruth Claydon, the fantastic mind behind jewellery company Moth & Magpie. Each piece is inspired by nature and made from objects that have been found and repurposed into exquisite pendants, necklaces, and earrings. Ruth’s pieces often begin life as unlikely treasures discovered in UK river beds before being transformed into timeless wonders that will shine for years to come.
