VOGUE CALLS UPCYCLING THE BIGGEST TREND IN FASHION
Upcycling has always been a huge part of Spark*l and in the products we create. We try to advocate and incorporate upcycling and sustainability in everything we do!
We came across this article that we thought would be awesome to share! This article is from Vogue and it talks about the recent trend of upcycling in fashion.
Due to the pandemic, designers had to start turning to stock they had locally and on hand instead of shipping from else where. With these limitations, fashion houses and consumers also had to come face to face with the reality of the dead stock that would have been wasted: $170 billion to $195 billion worth of stock. If the fashion designers were not forced to use this stock, it would have been subject to the unethical and the wasteful practice of burning to preserve their brand value.
This new process of fashion houses assessing and using what they already have on hand is a difficult process, but a necessary one. It forces them to be less wasteful both in the production and the purchasing processes.
These pieces created by using dead stock also brings a certain exclusivity, which is what most luxury collectors crave. Each piece is unique and may not look exactly like what is pictured. With that uncertainty, also makes the product one-of-kind and generates its own value.
Even though fashion designers and companies have a long way to go in terms of wasteful practices that are harmful to our environment, this is a step in the right direction. These retailers, especially now faced with changing consumer ethical purchasing behaviors and the pandemic, they can’t avoid the new normal of upcycling.
Not to brag, but we’ve been upcycling since 2015! Upcycling is huge part of the sustainability practices we incorporate into our business, but we also have sustainable leathers and use recyclable packaging,
We love to show this graphic as a way to convey the problems that our society has with sustainability and what we at Spark*l are doing to help.
How can you help?
We want you to feel good about buying from Spark*l, so all of our handcrafted items are high quality, and nearly all our accessories incorporate an element of sustainability. If you want to feel good about your purchase, look for our Shibori collection, which is made from all scrap leather from a company that hand dyes their leather using traditional Shibori techniques. You can also take a look at our Safari collection, where 10% of proceeds go to support the Chipangali Animal Orphanage. They’ve been able to build new enclosures and expand their sanctuary from our donations. As always, our designer collection is made from secondhand, 100% authentic designer goods that were ready for a new life. Shop below!
SHOP SHIBORI
SHOP UPCYCLED
SHOP SAFARI
Stay tuned for future collaborations we have coming that incorporate sustainability and upcycling. We’re so excited!
If you’re a customer or a brand and you have old bags that you don’t know what to do with, then we’d love for you to join us in our upcycling journey! We will accept most authentic designer goods and partner with any designer loving people!