A Refash listicle of brands to upcycle your old clothes
If you’re reading this, you probably already know that Refash is the world’s first platform for upcycled fashion, accessories and lifestyle products. But, we’re so much more than just that.
At our very core, our values are to be sustainable and to put out more good in the world. Ever since Refash’s inception, we have grown, evolved and changed for the better. Our mantra is: “Waste is not waste until we waste it.” - and we rework, restore and minimise waste to the best of our capabilities in all spheres of life. We encourage our ever-growing family to take to upcycling as a lifestyle - one ethical purchase and/or one DIY project at a time.
It gives us immense pleasure and pride to work with brands who forward this same motto. Majority of our brands use completely sustainable and plastic-free packaging, follow fair trade practices, rework organic, deadstock, surplus fabrics as per their niche and more. Our circular fashion army provides support to all who may need it - be it in terms of funds and donations or by closing the loop to minimise wastage.
Some of the brands listed with us go beyond just upcycling pre-production and post-production waste to create stunning fits. Apart from the upcycled products that they make, they also offer other upcycling services wherein they take in post-consumer waste and/or stitched garments for custom upcycling as well! Thus, in case you were looking for collection centres for donating clothes or fabrics that you want to part with or were waiting to get some custom upcycling done - this curated guide is for you!
Punah: translates to ‘afresh’ which means - in a different way. They channel the same philosophy into their pieces and produce one-of-a-kind clothing. The sustainable, slow fashion brand, although known for its bespoke denim pieces, also uses several other textile handicrafts to revamp each and every outfit. They work with skilled artisans who restore and customise these pieces according to the client’s wishes.
They also take in donations of old denim pairs and t-shirts that you can’t find use for anymore. The brand uses these pieces to create yet a new piece of wearable art , thus preventing it from ending up in a landfill. In exchange for the donation, Punah: offers the client a 10% discount coupon which is redeemable on the purchase of any existing garment or an upcycling service offered by them.
Doodlage is a well known name in the Indian fashion industry. They upcycle factory waste into limited edited collections. They create contemporary, season-less, well finished garments made for longevity. Whatever waste is generated during their production process is further segregated and converted into accessories, soft furnishing products and paper to make their packaging and various other stationery products.
Clients can also get in touch with the brand via a simple email and connect with them for customizing their pieces. One can upcycle existing garments and transform them into something completely different or even use upcycled fabrics to create garments of their choice - as per availability and viability offered by the brand.
Oh Scrap! was started as a passion project to breathe new life into fabric scraps. Over time it has transformed into a line of zero waste products that add colour and fun to our mundane dailies. The founders, Dominique Lopez and Priyanjoli Basu, aim at bringing high-quality, handmade, sustainable alternatives to everyday lifestyle products. In addition to the same, Oh Scrap! also empowers socially and economically backward women by providing them with work, additional skills and financial resources.
Their most recent “Door-to-Door” upcycling initiative turns an old saree of a client into two gorgeous kaftans or overlays at a very minimal price. Their new catalogue also enables the client to send them their old fabrics and get something upcycled from the same.
Dwij means second life in Sanskrit. The brand upcycles post consumer and post industrial denim fabrics and gives them a new life by turning them into trendy and multi-functional backpacks, tote bags and sling bags. The founder, Soumya Kalluri believes that “a minimalist lifestyle is at the core of sustainability, and needs to become the new norm in society.”
Dwij takes in donations of all things denim and refashions them into one of a kind patchwork bags. They even accept corporate and community donations by arranging pick ups in Mumbai.
Pomogrenade is an ethical fashion brand that puts the fun in functionality. They focus on creating garments that fit all body types; clothes and accessories that one can wear for a lifetime. Their upcycled collection is made using post production waste from their own studio or sourced from their network partners.
The brand’s core principle is to reduce the amount of fabrics that end up in landfills. In an attempt to achieve a circular economy, they take back pre-loved Pomogrenade pieces that old customers may want to part with. If a customer wants to donate their old Pomo clothing, they can simply send a mail to the brand with the subject line “PRE-LOVED” and they will receive a redeemable coupon code for their next purchase in return.
Founder and Creative Head, Sanah of Label Sanah Sharma, started the brand in an attempt to bridge the gap between the sustainable and the fashionable. As a conceptual designer label focused on making aesthetic clothing that is intelligently engineered for better sustainability indices, they make ethical pieces for the women of today and tomorrow. Their most recent upcycled collection - Revival has been handcrafted using textile scraps and pre-loved sarees, giving them renewed hope and life without leaving any scraps behind.
The label recognizes that consumers, owing to their place in the supply chain, are called end users. This makes it increasingly difficult to forward a circular fashion economy. To change this, the brand encourages all clients and potential clients to contribute sarees, bedsheets, curtains or any other fabrics that they haven't found good use for in a while. The process is simple and can be initiated by just filling a form available on their website.
Refash proudly lauds the efforts that so many brands put in everyday to ensure and normalize a circular fashion economy. Upcycling, although a practice that has been passed onto us for generations, seems to have become a rarity. But with conscious brands and labels making sustained efforts, repurposing is gaining momentum. Join and help us close the loop, help save a loved garment from ending up in a landfill. Check out your nearest collection centre, and get some bespoke pieces made - which may one day become heirlooms for your family!
-
Sanandita Ghanty, for Refash.
Hi would like to donate some sarees. All in good condition. Please do connect with me . I am based in Pune but also visit mumbai often. Awaiting a reply. Thank you
Leave a comment