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The Guardian - AU
The Guardian - AU
Lifestyle
Lucianne Tonti

Old cloth, new clothes: six designers creating beautiful upcycled garments

Backstage at Romance Was Born fashion show, Fashion Week, Sydney, 31 May 2021.
Backstage at a Romance Was Born fashion show in Sydney in May 2021. The Sydney label produces an upcycled range called RWB Forever. Photograph: Jessica Hromas/The Guardian

Making something new out of old clothing is a technically complex process. Sourcing, cutting and re-sewing textile waste requires more time, creativity and skill than constructing a garment from a bolt of new fabric.

Though the process is more expensive, upcycling has significant environmental benefits. It also gives people who struggle to find vintage – due to size or accessibility – a chance to shop secondhand.

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