What does “Upcycling” mean in the fashion industry?
Upcycling is a neologism that keeps together two concepts that not always go hand-in-hand
First, the idea of recycling and second, the idea of improvement and quality, even though you are using discarded materials. Thus the prefix “up”.
In a Circular Economy the aim is to create less waste by making the most out of every possible material and fabric involved in the production process.
Upcycle process is less impactful in terms of energy consumption, waste production, water usage, CO2 emissions and it is a new frontier for ecologically-responsible fashion, giving new purpose to otherwise discarded precious materials.
ImbotexLab Upcycle Project, that involved CAMELUXE and LUXEPAD, is carried forward under the aegis of the Global Recycling Standard, a certification promoted by Textile Exchange, an established non-profit institution, that for over 15 years has been supporting responsible and sustainable product development in the textile industry.
