What Is Fashion Upcycling?

Ximena Corcuera sheds some light on the current global trend of design sustainability

Ximena Corcuera (@ximenacorcuera) is a fashion designer who, from an early age, has been interested in experimenting as a way of life. She is an expert in fashion, and in design that is sustainable and experimental. She is passionate about responsible fashion, so we decided to talk to her to find out more about the concept of upcycling, and how to embrace a trend that is gaining more and more strength in the design world.

What is upcycling and what do you do with it?

Upcycling is a recent term and it is used to describe the techniques that encompass the idea of transforming residues or refuse to create new items of value. It can be applied to all sorts of designing or manufacturing: furniture, garments, textiles, decorative objects. etc.

Why is upcycling particularly important at the present time when the fashion industry is under so much scrutiny?

We have reached a historically crucial moment, in which functioning in the accelerated and excessive way that we are accustomed to is no longer sustainable. We need to change our way of going about things, now more than ever.

Upcycling is an ideal tool to start creating changes in our consumption habits.

It’s an excellent starting point to give a second life to stuff and promotes a circular economy where nothing is discarded. As for how to upcycle, this depends on your imagination!

How did you come across upcycling?

During my stay researching in Spain, I had time to investigate processes, designers, and sustainable techniques, and in this time I was able to formally learn about upcycling.

If I really think about it, it’s always been present in my life: I used my father’s trousers to make suitcases or backpacks, and my bed’s foam mattress to make costumes with latex. As a child upcycling was a tool that allowed me to create and to play with the stuff I already had, without the need to buy anything extra.

Who can practice upcycling?

Anyone with imagination, an interest in the subject, and a wish to have fun with it.
You can approach the experimental nature of upcycling in various ways. The most important thing is to consider both the original piece and the objective to create new pieces from what we would think was unserviceable or disposable.

My course does not require any previous knowledge. It takes you, step by step, from theory, which is a very important part of this process, to a detailed technique that does not require knowledge of pattern designing, fashion, textiles or other.

The methods are all hand-based and there is no need for any special materials or technical know-how. The idea is to teach a technique that helps us generate awareness and gives us a tool to spread a conscientious and sustainable way of living.

Are all materials suitable for upcycling in fashion? What are your favorites?

Because the term is quite wide, the range of materials that can be used is extremely varied. The aim is to be able to use old, second-hand, leftover or rejected objects to work into new pieces.

Generally speaking, the materials go from metal, wood, plastic, and acrylics to textiles and threads. Anything that can be of use to construct a new outfit.

In my Domestika course in particular, as the focus is applied to reinventing garments and textile items, the recommended materials are scraps, leftover fabric or any old piece of clothing that contains some type of lycra or spandex.

You will need scissors, pencil, rubber, a sheet of manila paper, rulers, masking tape and, as mentioned, an adequate quantity of spandex-rich garments such as leggings, jeggings, cloth, throws, t-shirts, pajamas, sportswear, socks. Anything you can find is useful: whatever you have needn't be all in the same color or material, as long as there is spandex to produce the desired effect.

For their end result, I definitely favor colored or textures socks, and fleece fabric, which gives a padded finish. We can play with different widths to get a thick weave with a chunky look.

The method I teach does not require any previous knowledge of any kind. However, if you do have some technical ability in embroidery, knitting or pattern designing, it will help you develop further and take the course to another level.

You do not need a large space or any particular equipment, simply somewhere comfortable such as a table or even the floor.

What are your tips for someone who wants to take up upcycling?

First of all, I would praise them for wanting to take part in this quest for a more conscientious lifestyle.

Secondly, I definitely believe that the best habit is to never stop learning. I think that wanting to teach yourself continuously is a very important value to hold. If you don’t want to you can never learn… Leave excuses behind and work for what you want to achieve, starting from within yourself, and don’t copy the rest. Turn your story and reality into a challenge and let it motivate you to create.

Thanks to our own resources and personal circumstances we have a unique vision and perspective, each connected to our own history. We have different tools to create and find solutions. Upcycling is a creative tool to reinvent what already exists. Let’s get rid of our fear to get it wrong; let’s jump into the process and enjoy it. That’s when the best ideas take place.

To learn everything about upcycling and to create your first project, enroll in Ximena Corcuera’s course Sustainable Fashion: Get into Upcycling.

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-Introduction to Weaving Wool Felt, a course by Déjate Querer.