The History and Revival of Upcycling in Fashion

Upcycling in fashion has roots in wartime necessity and counterculture movements, but the term itself was coined in 1994 by engineer Reiner Pilz. During World War II, Britain's 'Make Do and Mend' campaign promoted clothing reuse due to fabric rationing from June 1, 1941. In the 1960s-70s, hippies advocated buying less but better, echoing Mies van der Rohe's 'less is more.' Punk later normalized vintage and second-hand wear. The practice resurged in 1980s-90s Britain amid recession, with designers like John Galliano and Alexander McQueen reusing fabrics. Dapper Dan in 1990s Harlem pioneered luxury-brand upcycling by repurposing logoed leather from bags. Today, brands like Stella McCartney use vegan leather Mylo from mushroom mycelium, and Orange Fiber extracts textile fiber from citrus waste. Despite growing sustainability awareness, fast fashion's low costs hinder recycled materials adoption. The article notes 80-150 billion garments are produced yearly, with 10-40% unsold and landfilled.