Upcycling – From Trash to Treasure

About 92 million tons of clothing are discarded worldwide each year, and solutions are urgently required. Revitalizing discarded clothing with new designs, known as upcycling, is one approach, although it’s not a completely new idea. For about 400 years, people in Japan’s Tohoku region have been reusing old garments like this in the traditional craft of sakiori. Today, some modern sakiori workshops even collaborate with famous brands. This approach is also being promoted in Tokyo with fashion shows featuring upcycled clothes and events teaching people how to remodel old clothes for dress-up dolls.