If you're interested in eco-friendly fashion, you may have heard the unusual term " upcycling ." Inspired by, but not entirely similar to, recycling, this manufacturing process is said to be the future of fashion, avoiding the waste of raw materials and energy. So, what does it actually mean? And what can you buy in upcycled fashion? Find the answers in this article.
What is upcycling?
Upcycling is an eco-responsible manufacturing process that is becoming increasingly popular among fashion designer brands. Coming straight from the English word “upcycle” or “surcyclage” in French, this manufacturing method gives new life to old fabrics or clothing so as not to lose anything , “but to transform everything.” We bring real value to the recycled object without degrading the raw material. With upcycling, there is no waste: from the scraps of a fashion collection, a new one can be born, made from scratch from the “leftovers” of the previous one. We are definitely talking about zero-waste fashion here.
The appeal of upcycling for brands or fashion designers is that there's no need to find new raw materials : they already have them on hand. What's more, upcycling challenges them to be more creative: with fewer fabrics and unique pieces, they need to know how to design and manufacture a collection of clothing or textile accessories that's sufficient to be profitable.
The advantage for customers is that upcycling leads to limited edition collections , which are more original than fast-fashion pieces. There's no risk of ending up with the same dress or bag as your neighbor: upcycling allows you to create almost unique pieces, with incredible added value.
What's more, upcycling is a manufacturing method that's part of eco-responsible fashion : we create while being mindful of the planet, because by reusing fabrics or already manufactured clothing, we save water, electricity, and carbon emissions. The environmental impact is therefore less.
Why does Madame Melon upcycle?
Since its inception, Madame Melon has been an ethical fashion brand, committed to respecting human rights and the planet.
After creating jewelry and accessories collections around the world, using local and indigenous sources, it was time to take on a new challenge. This challenge arose because of, or thanks to, the pandemic: how to create a new fashion collection in Barcelona, without being able to travel?
Thanks to scraps of wax fabrics (recovered in Senegal ), old Mayan fabrics (Guatemala ) and old LEVI'S jeans (found in Barcelona), Madame Melon has created an upcycled collection of modern and practical tote bags, fanny packs and purses, 100% eco-responsible.
Discover a collection of upcycled and creative bags
All the bags in the Made in Barcelona collection are made from recycled denim on the exterior and colored Mayan or wax fabric on the interior. These reversible textile accessories will accompany you wherever you go, whether you're traveling, going to the beach, or going out for a night out.
Designed by Madame Melon and manufactured in Barcelona by the TOP MANTA association, which campaigns for refugee rights, this collection of upcycled bags is part of a truly zero-waste and activist approach.
