Upcycling: 10 Fashion Influencers to Follow
In recent years, the fashion industry has experienced a growing focus on sustainability and eco-friendly practices. Reduce, reuse, and upcycle seems to be the new mantra.
Upcycling involves transforming old or discarded materials into new, stylish creations, giving them a new lease of life. Instagram has emerged as a powerful platform for showcasing upcycled fashion and inspiring sustainable style choices.
In this article, we've curated a list of 10 talented fashion Instagrammers who are leading the way in upcycling and showcasing their innovative creations.
Get ready to be inspired by their unique styles and learn how you can embrace upcycling in your own wardrobe.
Upcycling and Sustainability
Upcycling is important for the environment as it reduces waste and promotes sustainability.
By transforming old or discarded materials into new creations, upcycling prevents them from ending up in landfills.
This practice extends the lifespan of garments and accessories, reducing the need for new production and conserving resources.
Upcycling also minimises the carbon footprint associated with manufacturing and transportation.
By embracing upcycling, we:
- actively contribute to a circular economy
- reduce pollution
- lessen the environmental impact of fast fashion.
- promote reuse, creativity, and conscious consumption, making it a vital practice in protecting our planet and creating a more sustainable future
10 Upcycling Instagrammers to Follow
1. @fourbirdsnest
Patricia Gamache creates beautiful colourful upcycles. She buys materials from thrift stores such as Goodwill, Salvation Army or Instagram resellers. After organising scrapes into piles, she starts sewing sustainable designs. Check out her Instagram for sewing tips!
2. @isitdanidawks
Dani Dawks is our next favourite fashion influencer who uses repurposed materials. She can upcycle anything from an IKEA bag to our Vintage Levi’s Jeans. Her motto is: “Be authentically your Extra Selves!”
You can read/listen to more about Dani on our website or Spotify.
3. @mindful_mending
Lily Fulop, an author of Wear, Repair, Repurpose, is an upcycler that deserves to be in our favourites. According to Lily, her mission is to save clothes from the landfill. Her inspirational posts make you want to have a go yourself!
4. @vintagestockreserve
Upcycling is not just a trend amongst women. Tommy and Jordan are two friends who met in high-school and became passionate about thrifting, and eventually started creating sustainable designs. Today they are fashion Instagrammers who fight against fast fashion. Beware, their optimism is contagious.
5. @nicoletiandesign
Another upcycler to admire is Nicole Tian. She is a fashion designer who creates minimalist and contemporary clothes. If you are looking for chic inspiration for repurposed materials, she is the one to follow.
6. @yolandainthecity
It is clear that Yolanda has a bold style and that is why we admire her. She is a great inspiration for your upcycling journey. She loves doing thrift roulettes-taking clothes from thrift stores blindfonded, and using them in her designs later. Challenge yourself by doing her thrift roulettes!
7. @annamo.1
Anna Molinari can certainly make a statement…both fashion and ecological. She said that our thrash is our fossil; this is a 100% recycled look of what we are leaving behind to the next generations. Follow this fashion influencer for more interesting designs made out of recycled waste.
8. @littletoh
Tiffany Toh is an upcycler that adores floral spring and summer outfits. She says that she loves taking old forgotten items and giving them a new life. This lovely influencer likes doing thrift-flip challenges. The rules of the game are simple: $10 budget to thrift one or multiple items that you have to flip into a new outfit. Her end results are always astonishing!
9. @conceptsbynikki
If you are looking for an upcycled bag inspiration, this is the account to follow. Nikki creates wonderful sustainable designs, using many repurposed materials. From bandanas to plastic coffee bags, there is no end to Nikki’s creativity.
10. @rbonneynola
Last but not least, R’Bonney Nola. She is an American model who won Miss Universe in 2022. Gabriel loves travelling and spreading awareness about sustainable fashion in the world. She does her own upcycling designs to inspire others to do the same. Follow Miss Universe for great ideas!
Tips for embracing upcycling
Embracing upcycling in your wardrobe is a creative and fulfilling way to incorporate sustainable fashion practices. Here are some tips on how you can embrace upcycling:
- Explore your existing wardrobe: Take a look into your closet; there might be clothing garments you forgot about. Find those pieces and try to think of some ideas how you could transform them.
- Learn basic sewing skills: Acquiring new skills today is easier than ever. With the power of YouTube or other social media, everything is possible.
- Repurpose and reimagine: Go outside the box with your old or thrifted items. Transform a dress into a stylish top, convert jeans into shorts, or combine different fabrics to create unique patchwork designs.
- Mix and match: Why take only one piece of clothing and transform into something new when you can take multiple pieces? Experiment with combining different items or layer clothing in unexpected ways.
- DIY projects: You can brainstorm many ideas or find inspiration online- from dyeing a wedding dress and turning into a prom dress to turning your denim jeans into a bag.
- Thrifting and swapping: Visit thrift stores or swap clothing with your friends or family. Those are great way of finding pre-loved items that you can use for creating a stylish upcycle.
- Attend workshops and classes: You can attend workshops or online classes to boost your upcycling skills. As sustainable fashion is becoming trendy, you should be able to find them with ease. They will provide you with great guidance on your upcycling journey.
- Support upcycled fashion brands: Look into fashion brands that specialise in sustainable/upcycled clothing. By supporting these fashion brands, you are increasing the demand for sustainable clothing and shifting the fashion industry to more sustainable practices.
- Share your journey: Encourage other people to start upcycling on your social media or start a blog. You can create a lovely community of like-minded individuals with whom you can exchange ideas.
- Follow upcycling influencers: Of course, you can follow the influencers that we suggested above. They share great tips and tutorials on upcycling in bite-sized videos.
Remember, upcycling is a process that encourages creativity, individuality, and conscious consumption. By embracing upcycling in your own wardrobe, you can reduce waste, express your personal style, and contribute to a more sustainable fashion industry.
FAQ
Is upcycling still trendy?
Upcycling is more trendy than ever! The rising number of fashion Instagrammers shows the popularity of it. We hope that it will become a timeless trend and save more clothes from landfill.
Is upcycling slow fashion?
Fast fashion is about following the latest trends and overconsumption, while slow fashion advocates for more environmentally-conscious fashion choices. For example, extending the lifecycle of our clothes or buying second-hand clothes. Therefore, upcycling is an aspect of slow fashion. By using old clothes and upgrading them, you are definitely partaking in the slow fashion movement.
Why is upycling so good?
Fast-fashion has a heavy impact on our planet; producing the clothes, transportation, and ending up on the landifill very quickly. By upcycling, you are going against the current patterns of consumption, which are damaging to nature, animals and us humans. Reducing the waste is certainly good for protecting the planet and all of us.
3, 2, 1, Upcycle!
Upcycling is an exciting and creative way to reduce fashion waste and embrace sustainable style. The 10 fashion Instagrammers mentioned above are leading the charge when it comes to upcycling, showcasing their innovative creations, and inspiring their followers to think differently about their wardrobe choices.
By following their accounts and trying our tips, you'll gain valuable insights, learn new techniques, and discover innovative ways to repurpose old clothing and accessories.
Let their creativity and our tips motivate you to embark on your upcycling journey and contribute to a more sustainable fashion industry.
Together, we can make a difference, one upcycled garment at a time.
*Cover photo by Eliza Alves
