Upcycling in fashion is transforming an old or unwanted garment into a new and different garment that is wearable and fully functional. For example creating a skirt from a shirt.
If you have old or unwanted clothes that my have stains or rips that are unsuitable to donate to a charity or a clothing bank, you definitely should consider upcycling your clothes as it reduces the impact on the environment. Instead of just throwing that garment away and buying a new garment to replace it.
Make do and mend is slightly different to upcycling and it started during the Second World War, when they had to start rationing clothes due to shortages. This initiative is encouraging people to repair there old clothes and to try and ensure they last as long as possible.
Make do and mend should still be encouraged today and although we don’t have to ration our clothes it is still very important to have the skill be able to repair your clothes that my have worn out slightly or torn to last as long as possible. As each garment that is made has an environmental impact so the more you repair and upcycle your clothes the more you reduce that impact.
I have previously attempted to upcyle a family members old pair of jeans into a new denim top. However, I did not finish it as denim is such a thick material my sewing machine would not feed the fabric through.
Here are photos of how far I got.
Bibliography
Make Do and Mend
(Victory Living)
Unpicking Fashion 