What is Upcycling and why it matters?
Hi everyone!
First and foremost, I wanted to introduce myself. My name is Petra, I'm a 25-year-old from Finland, currently living in Barcelona, Catalunya. Ever since moving here, I’ve become interested in all sorts of new things — one of them being sewing.
After I started making my own clothes and practicing sewing, I realized how good it feels to create something myself rather than participate in fast fashion. I made a decision: from now on, if I need something, I’ll try to make it. That was four months ago, and I’m still sticking to the challenge!
As I got into sewing, I also started learning more about the fashion industry. I became curious: Which fabrics are more sustainable? How can I continue sewing without always buying new materials? That’s when I discovered upcycling.
To upcycle means to repurpose something into a higher-quality item with the intention of extending its lifespan. It’s different from recycling, which breaks materials down into raw form. In my opinion, using what we already have to make something “new” is one of the only truly sustainable ways forward in fashion. It also makes us rethink how and why we shop.
Here’s a bit of background on why I feel this is so important:
The Environmental Impact of the Textile Industry
The textile industry contributes heavily to climate change, biodiversity loss, and pollution. Here's a simplified breakdown of how clothing is made — and some of their impact at each stage:
1. Fiber Production
Natural fibers like cotton, linen, and wool require large areas of land and are often grown using pesticides, herbicides, and fertilizers that harm biodiversity. Synthetic materials like polyester and nylon are made from crude oil, releasing large amounts of carbon emissions. Both natural and synthetic fiber production also consumes massive amounts of water.
2. Yarn Preparation & Fabric Formation
This step — turning fiber into thread — uses a lot of electricity and water. Chemicals like sizing agents and lubricants (especially for synthetic fibers) are also added to help the yarn run through machines smoothly.
3. Textile Processing
This includes bleaching, dyeing, and finishing fabrics. These steps involve soaking fabrics in chemical baths, which require a lot of water and energy. The chemicals used (oxidizing agents, enzymes, detergents) can contaminate water sources. One infamous example is the Citarum River in Indonesia, often called the “world’s most polluted river,” due to untreated wastewater from textile factories.
4. Consumption: Distribution, Retail & Use
Finished garments are shipped all over the world — by truck, ship, or even air — which creates more CO₂ emissions. Packaging and in-store distribution also contribute to the environmental footprint.
5. End-of-Life: Disposal or Recycling
Most clothes end up in landfills or are incinerated. Even recycling has environmental costs, as it often requires high energy and water use. In many cases, clothes are dumped illegally in countries like Chile and others in the Global South.
Some Facts:
The textile sector emits 2–8% of the world’s greenhouse gases annually, uses the equivalent of 86 million Olympic-sized swimming pools of water, and is responsible for 9% of ocean microplastic pollution.
(Source: UN Environment Programme)85% of textiles end up in landfills or are incinerated each year — and many are illegally dumped. (Source: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency)
The fashion industry emits more CO₂ than international aviation and shipping combined.
(Source: Ellen MacArthur Foundation, Earth.org)
Why Not Just Recycle?
While recycling is important and has its place, only 1% of clothes are actually recycled into new clothing. In the EU, 87% of garments are either burned or sent to landfill (Source: Ellen MacArthur Foundation & European Parliament). Recycling fabric into new fabric consumes a lot of energy — high heat is needed, and in some cases, water and harsh chemicals are used.
That’s why I’m especially fascinated by upcycling.
Upcycling
Upcycling extends the life of clothing and reduces the need to produce new garments, cutting down on waste and emissions. There’s so much potential in an old piece of clothing — and there are so many amazing artists and creators already working this way!
I want to help shine a light on these upcyclers and encourage people around the world to choose upcycled clothing whenever they’re looking for something new. I also want to share tips on:
How to wash clothes more sustainably
How to repair clothes and cover up stains in creative ways
How to shop as locally as possible, since transportation adds to emissions
I truly encourage you to explore local upcyclers near you — you might be surprised by the talent and creativity around the corner. And before donating or throwing away that “broken” piece of clothing, take a second look. Could it be fixed, patched, or turned into something new?
Join Upcy!
So here’s where Upcy comes into the picture.
This all started from a challenge — one I gave myself, and maybe it’ll inspire you too: Only buy used or upcycled clothing when you truly need something new.
Here at Upcy, my goal is to inspire you with the possibilities of upcycled fashion — and I’m so glad you’ve made it this far. I’d be truly happy if you decided to stick around.
Welcome to the community!
Let’s explore new ways of consuming — ones that are more sustainable and creative.
With love,
Petra
