Upcycling - An analysis of opinions within the fashion industry - Axel Lehtinen - Degree thesis - Theseus
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Upcycling – An analysis of opinions within the
fashion industry
Axel Lehtinen
Degree thesis
International Business
2021
DEGREE THESIS
Arcada
Degree Program: International Business
Identification number: 7677
Author: Axel Lehtinen
Title: Upcycling – An analysis of opinions within the fashion
industry
Supervisor (Arcada): Linn Hongell
Commissioned by:
Abstract:
Upcycling refers to the practice of creating a product made from of products, components
or materials which have reached the end of their lifespan, whose quality and/or value is
higher than the original element. The process allows for increased longevity of the product,
thus reducing the overall need for newly produced raw materials and products, as well as a
reduction in overall resource and energy consumption. By utilizing upcycling on a larger
scale, industries could greatly limit environmental harm through the reduction of emissions
from production and shipping of new products and materials. Given these theoretical
benefits, upcycling has received more recognition as a sustainable alternative to traditional
production in recent years.
The purpose of this thesis was to gain an insight into the thoughts and opinions held within
the fashion industry in regard to the topic of upcycling. The primary data used to achieve
this goal was collected by conducting semi-structured interviews with professionals at
companies with differing levels of upcycling adoption. A qualitative approach was chosen
so as to gain a deeper understanding of each participants’ thought on the matter. In this
thesis, the different ways upcycling is utilized by companies will be discussed, as well as
other initiatives taken by companies to mitigate environmental pollution. The results show
that while production waste-based upcycling is a viable option for reducing general waste,
large-scale end-of-life based upcycling is not yet viable.
Keywords: Upcycling, circular economy, sustainability, recycling
Number of pages: 33 (+appendices)
Language: English
Date of acceptance:
2
EXAMENSARBETE
Arcada
Utbildningsprogram: International Business
Identifikationsnummer: 7677
Författare: Axel Lehtinen
Titel: Upcycling – An analysis of opinions within the fashion
industry
Övervakare (Arcada): Linn Hongell
Uppdragsgivare:
Sammandrag:
Upcycling hänvisar till processen att skapa en produkt från produkter, komponenter eller
material som nått slutet av deras livslängd, var slutproduktens kvalité och/eller pris är högre
än det originella elementet. Denna process ger den originella produkten en förlängd livstid,
vilket minskar behovet för nyproducerade råmaterial och produkter, likväl som en
reduktion av allmän resurs, -och energikonsumtion. Genom att använda sig av upcycling
på en större skala kan industrier potentiellt minimera miljöförorening genom
förminskningen av utsläpp från produktionen och frakten av nya produkter och material.
Med tanke på dessa teoretiska nyttor har upcycling sett ökat intresse som ett ekologiskt
alternativ till traditionell nyproduktion.
Målet med denna avhandling var att få en insikt till modeindustrins tankar och åsikter kring
upcycling. Basinformationen som användes för att nå slutsatserna i denna avhandling
samlades in under semi strukturerade intervjuer med professionella individer vid
modeföretag på olika nivåer av ibruktagande av upcycling processer. En kvalitativ empiri
valdes för att kunna få en djupare inblick i de individuella respondenternas tankar kring
konceptet. I denna avhandling diskuteras olika former av upcycling processer använda av
modeföretag, likväl som andra ekologiska initiativ företagen använder för att minimera sin
klimatpåverkan. Resultaten visar att trots att upcycling baserad kring produktions svinn är
ett positivt sätt att minimera allmänt svinn, så är upcycling baserad på förfallna produkter
inte ännu möjliga på en större skala.
Nyckelord: Upcycling, cirkulär ekonomi, hållbarhet, recycling
Sidantal:
Språk: Engelska
Datum för godkännande:
3CONTENTS
1 Introduction ............................................................................................................. 5
1.1 Purpose; aim and research questions ........................................................................... 6
1.2 Limitations ...................................................................................................................... 6
1.3 Expected results ............................................................................................................. 7
1.4 Structure ......................................................................................................................... 7
1.5 Definitions ....................................................................................................................... 7
2 Theory....................................................................................................................... 9
2.1 The linear economy ........................................................................................................ 9
2.2 The circular economy ................................................................................................... 10
2.3 The 7R model for a circular economy .......................................................................... 11
2.4 The origin of upcycling ................................................................................................. 14
2.5 Upcycling in the fashion industry ................................................................................. 15
2.5.1 Collection .............................................................................................................. 15
2.5.2 Sorting .................................................................................................................. 16
2.5.3 Raising the value .................................................................................................. 16
2.6 Traditional production ................................................................................................... 18
3 Methodology .......................................................................................................... 19
3.1 Choice of method ......................................................................................................... 19
3.2 Sample selection .......................................................................................................... 20
3.3 Interview process ......................................................................................................... 21
4 Results.................................................................................................................... 21
4.1 Individual views on upcycling ....................................................................................... 22
4.2 Impact of upcycling measures...................................................................................... 23
4.3 Plans of upcycling implementation. .............................................................................. 24
4.4 Other sustainable initiatives ......................................................................................... 25
4.5 Sustainable brand image ............................................................................................. 26
5 Conclusion and closing discussion ................................................................... 27
5.1 Recommendations for further research ....................................................................... 29
References .................................................................................................................... 30
Appendices ................................................................................................................... 34
41 INTRODUCTION
In the post-industrialized world, there is one thing that has been constant for most western
economies: consumption. With global trade and mass production capabilities, the layman
now has access to products which would have been inconceivable to him 50 years ago.
The access to these new products, along with the rise of the global middle class, has
allowed for a consumer society to take root.
This constant access to any product or service has brought its own issues with it, namely
in the form of a climate crisis. To take Finns as an example, by the 3rd of April 2017, we
had consumed our share of global resources for that year (WWF Suomi, 2017). And were
everyone to consume at the same rate as the average American, we would require 4,1
earths to meet global demand (De Chant, 2012). As is evident by these numbers, our
current way of life is highly unsustainable.
Given these factors, as well as researchers at IPCC suggesting we only have until 2045
before Earth’s Co2 budget is depleted, and the global average temperature increases by
2*C (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, 2018), a solution is required. And
while a consumer level, the adoption of ecological consumption habits is a good area to
start focusing on.
There are many varied ecological consumption habits that one can adopt: Buying locally
produced products, recycling one’s trash, making use of public transport or other
ecological means of transportation. But one habit which has gained popularity in recent
years makes use of old products and raw materials, in order to create new products of
higher quality and value: upcycling.
By reusing old material in products and giving them new life, producers greatly reduce
the amount of CO2 required to produce a product, as compared to one created directly
from raw materials. This reuse of materials is a cornerstone in the concept of the circular
economy, which is a theoretical framework with the aim of creating a semi-infinite
5lifecycle for products, with only a minimal number of fresh resources required for each
new iteration.
While this practice may yet be in its infancy within the industrial sector, it has seen a
naissance in the fashion, - and clothing industry. Here, companies such as Lindex and
H&M gather up clothing items at the end of their lifespans and repurpose them into
entirely new items for sale to their customers.
But how does the fashion industry view upcycling? Do industry actors wish to minimize
their environmental impact, and do they perceive any value in selling upcycled fashion?
Furthermore, what drives companies to adopt upcycling measures into their production
pipeline? The aim of this paper is to find an answer to these questions.
1.1 Purpose; aim and research questions
The purpose of this study is to analyse the perception of upcycling among clothing
companies at three stages of implementation in the production cycle.
The aim of this study is to find out what main driving factors may spur a clothing company
to adopt upcycling into their production pipeline.
The main questions this research paper aims to answer are:
1. What drives companies to implement upcycling measures?
2. What kind of upcycling initiatives do they employ?
3. Do companies see upcycling as a viable step in production long-term?
1.2 Limitations
In order to give this study relevance, as well as to avoid writing too broadly on the subject
of upcycling, the research and theory of this paper will mainly be focusing on the fashion
industry, as most existing material on the subject comes from within this sector.
As this paper was the researchers’ first foray into academical research, there may be issues
in the implementation of data collection or the formulation of the aim of the study.
6Furthermore, as this research was conducted over a short time span with a limited
geographical reach, these factors should also be considered.
1.3 Expected results
The researcher’s hope is to obtain tangible results on fashion companies’ thoughts and
perceived interest of ecology and sustainability in the form of upcycling. In achieving this
outcome, this paper could be used to further research within the subject of upcycling, thus
allowing for a deeper understanding of its benefits and limitations, as well as the
marketability of products made using this process.
1.4 Structure
This paper will be structured in accordance with international standards for research
papers. As such, chapter one consists of the background, the aim of the research and the
research questions. Chapter two consists of the literature review section, where the
theoretical basis of this paper is established, the current circular economy landscape is
laid out and common terms are further elaborated upon. In chapter three, the method,
along with its justification is explained in detail. Chapter four consists of the gathered
results from the interviews; with chapter five discussing these and chapter six consisting
of the researcher’s own conclusions. At the end of the text, references and appendices
will be listed, along with the initial survey sent out to interview participants.
1.5 Definitions
Recycling
The act of taking a product or material at the end of its lifespan and reusing its core
materials in such a way that the end product is of a similar value or quality as the original
item. For example: Melting down iron bolts in order to create new, identical ones.
Upcycling
7The act of recycling a product or material at the end of its lifespan in such a way that the
end product is of a higher value or quality than the original item. For example: Using old
parachutes to sew sturdy backpacks.
Downcycling (part of traditional recycling process)
The act of recycling a product or material at the end of its lifespan in such a way that the
end product is of a lower value or quality than the original item. For example: Breaking
down old plastic bottles into carpeting material or fleece fibres.
Circular economy
An economic system whose main aim is the elimination of waste as well as a continual
(circular) use of resources. By utilizing upcycling, repairs, recycling and sharing, one
creates a closed-loop system, which minimizes both the requirements of new resources
and the creation of excess waste products and pollution.
Linear economy (traditional economy)
An economic system whose main mantra is “take, make, dispose”. A traditional product
cycle would be taking raw resources or materials and using them to create new products.
Then, once they have reached the end of their lifespan, they are discarded in their entirety.
This creates excess material waste and pollution.
Fast fashion
An approach to fashion which emphasizes the quick and cheap creation of garments with
ready availability to the consumer. Large companies such as H&M belong to this
category.
Slow Fashion
The opposite of fast fashion. The small-scale production of garments, made from
materials sourced locally, and produced with the fair treatment of people, ecology, and
animals in mind. Local producers such as Marja Rak (prev. Noolan) are examples of this.
82 THEORY
Upcycling as a concept within economic theory, and especially the circular economy, saw
its conception in the mid 90’s. However, the concept of reusing discarded items in order
to create something entirely new has been around for a lot longer than that. For example,
within the early 20th century artworld, the concept of practical reuse saw its conception
with artists such as the famed Pablo Picasso inventing the artform of the collage and
utilizing it in some of his greatest works.
Of course, the practise of reusing things has been around for a lot longer than that, as
resource scarcity has required people to utilize products at the end of their lifecycle in
order to produce new items since ancient times. A good example of this are the smooth,
outer limestone casings of the pyramids in Giza, which have been removed and reused in
building projects around Egypt through the millennia. (Gilli, B. 2009)
But what of upcycling’s rise in popularity? Is the movement, started from a fleeting
mention in an interview for a recycling magazine, just a fad destined for failure? Or is it
a movement which may prove vital to future production given growing resource scarcity
and fears of climate disaster? In order to gain a clearer picture, an analysis of the current
state of affairs on the topic will be given in this paper, as well as discussions on the
different theories within the production economy.
2.1 The linear economy
When talking about the issues of climate change, pollution, and resource scarcity in the
modern world, one would be remiss to not mention the biggest source of these issues: the
model of the linear economy.
The model (Figure 1), which was adopted by manufacturers and consumers at the
beginning of the 18th century, begins at resource extraction and ends in the disposal of the
product. The focus in this model lies entirely on capital gains whilst ignoring everything
related to recycling or waste reduction. This has resulted in great societal issues such as
9material scarcity and pollution, as well as the destruction of natural habitats and many
other global problems.
Basing all past production off fresh resource extraction, throwing caution to the wind
when it comes to environmental impact and waste accumulation, has resulted in the need
for more drastic environmental measures in modern times. One way in which these
measures are taking shape, is in an entirely new way of thinking about consumption and
production.
2.2 The circular economy
The concept of the circular economy is one with many deep roots from various periods,
and as such is not traceable to one singular conception. When it comes to its practical
application however, its usage within industrial processes and economic systems has risen
steadily since the late 70’s, where a handful of businesses, scholars and thought leaders
strove towards wider application of the concept. (Ellen McArthur Foundation, 2017)
Figure 1 A comparison between the concepts of the linear and circular economy.
The central aim of the circular economy is to reduce waste and pollution by prolonging
the lifespan of products and materials, thus reducing the material requirements for
constantly creating things using fresh raw materials. This is achieved in a number of ways,
such as planning ahead in the creation of products and creating processes by which
10industries can effectively reuse and repurpose discarded products into new and different
ones.
Many entities have worked to establish frameworks for how to effectively establish a
circular economy, one notable effort in this endeavour being the Finnish investment fund
Sitra, who in 2016 drew up the world’s first national roadmap to a circular economy.
(Järvinen, Sinervo 2020)
However, simply adapting a circular mindset on an industry-wide scale is not something
that can be achieved overnight. In order to achieve this, a gradual move over to industrial
processes which facilitate a closed-loop system is required. These gradual changes are
best achieved by following a theoretical framework, one of which, the 7R’s of the circular
economy, will be discussed in the following chapter.
Since its conception in the 90’s, upcycling has also become quite popular amongst the
general population, in the form of DIY (Do It Yourself) projects. Here, the layperson uses
old or discarded materials to create new products, such as for example furniture or
clothing. (DIYVinci, 2017) Websites, such as for example Pinterest, are full of people’s
ideas for creative reuse of waste products, giving them a longer life as new, useable
products.
Individual upcycling has not been proven to have a measurable impact however, as most
evidence is anecdotal or consists of limited empirical evidence. (Kyungeun sung, 2014)
2.3 The 7R model for a circular economy
When trying to define the way in which individuals and companies should approach a
circular consumption cycle, it is beneficial to have a framework around which to base
these new lines of thinking. This is where the R’s of sustainability come into the picture.
Originating with the founding of the circular economy movement in the 70’s in the form
of the 3 R’s: Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle, the list has grown and fluctuated in the decades
since. According to Erica Eller (2019) who looked into the spread of the R’s since the
conception of the term, found that the range had broadened into 28 different R’s, as well
as an S.
11Thus, in order to give a better model framework of a circular economy, we will be
analysing van Ree’s 7R model, in order to get a better picture. This model was developed
by merging the 3R model, Lansink’s Ladder, and the EMF model. (van Ree, H.J, 2016)
Figure 2 The 7R model, designed by Hermen Jan van Ree, 2016.
Rethink
Within the economic framework, rethinking means a fundamental change in how we view
consumption and ownership. Instead of blindly consuming new products without a
thought of their origin, we could start consuming with an ethical mindset. Furthermore,
we could turn away from individual ownership towards a sharing economy. Companies
such as Uber and Airbnb already permit consumers to share their own property with
others in need, whilst also turning a profit.
Reduce
In this context, reduce means the reduction of resource consumption. Reduction could
take place at many stages of the product lifecycle, but one of the most opportune places
to do this would be in production. Reducing the material requirements of new production
by minimising material loss or overuse, limiting packaging materials or switching to a
more sustainable alternative are some ways this could be achieved.
12Repair
Many things in today’s economy are produced with the purpose of becoming redundant
within a short time span. On top of this, companies such as Apple explicitly limit the
possibility of repairing their products, in order to force consumers into buying entirely
new products every year. Instead of continuing on the track towards fast electronics, we
should focus on making repair more easily available, thus prolonging the lifespan of
products. (Droemann, M. 2021)
Reuse
Reuse is one of the points at which upcycling comes into the picture. Goods which have
reached the end of their lifespan can be reused in new production, in order to limit the
need of virgin resources whilst prolonging the lifespan of the product.
Refurbish
Refurbishing products is also a form of upcycling. By taking a product which has reached
the end of its usage and restoring it to a useable state, one can greatly limit resource
consumption. This practise is especially popular within the furniture industry, where
consumers take old pieces and restore them or refurbish them into a complete state. On
the industry level, companies such as Swappie take old and discarded iPhones and
refurbish them for resale.
Recycle
According to a report on the textiles industry by the Ellen McArthur Foundation (Morlet,
A et al. 2017), only 13% of material input across the industry are recycled annually. As
such, there is ample room for improvements within this industry alone. Utilising recycled
fibres in production can help greatly reduce pollution.
Recover
As certain products, such as Styrofoam, are as of yet non-recyclable, sometimes the only
feasible way to reuse these items is to break them down for energy recovery. In Finland,
99% of municipal solid waste is already being recovered for either energy, - or material
recycling, with 56% of all MSW being recovered as energy in 2019. (Statistics Finland
2019)
132.4 The origin of upcycling
Upcycling as a concept was first given its name in 1994 by German engineer Reiner Pilz.
Being interviewed by the monthly publication Salvo, he stated:
“Recycling…I call it down-cycling. They smash bricks, they smash everything. What we need is
upcycling. where old products are given more value, not less.”
This comment was made in response to the European Union’s Demolition Waste Streams
Directive, whereby they break down construction materials at the end of their lifespans
and use them in new constructions, such as for example the road outside of Pilz’ premises.
The concept was further developed by the German economist Gunter Pauli (1998) in his
book Upsizing in 1998, also called Upcycling in the original print in which he further goes
into details on how to achieve the goal of zero emissions production, by utilizing different
industrial and societal measures, one of which being the reuse of products at the end of
their lifespan in the creation of new things.
The first true pioneers in industrial upcycling, however, were McDonough and
Braungart, who in 2002 published their first collaborative work on the topic of waste
reduction in the form of the book Cradle to Cradle. In CTC, they outline the fact that
Everything is a resource for something else, and how instead of leaving things at the end
of their lifespan to rot, we should instead reuse them, and as such give them a rebirth or
a new cradle if you will.
Following the establishment of the concept, the practice of upcycling has slowly grown
in popularity over the years. And the industry which has seen the most growth in the terms
of practical implementation of upcycling has been the fashion industry. As the industry
itself contributes 8-10% of global CO2 emissions annually and is the 2nd biggest
contributor to ocean plastic after non-durable household goods (Niinimäki, 2020), the
opportunity for upcycling is there.
142.5 Upcycling in the fashion industry
Upcycling garments is not quite as simple as gathering them up, sewing them together
into new pieces and shipping them off to sell. In order for old clothing to be turned into
new pieces, it first needs to go through several processes which aim to prepare the fabric
for reuse.
2.5.1 Collection
The collection of used textiles in Finland is currently mostly carried out by charity
organizations, such as the Finnish salvation army. (Pelastus Armeja, 2021) These
charities collect, clean, hand out and resell donated clothing to help those in need. In 2012,
Finland produced 71,300 tonnes of textile waste, 23% of which were recycled by charity
organizations. In total, 1,15 million kilogrammes of the textiles were utilized in recycling
efforts while the rest of the textiles all ended up as mixed waste. (Dahlbo et al. 2015)
This may all change quite soon however, as companies such as I:CO, who collect textiles
and utilize them in new production of items such as clothing, footwear, home textiles etc.,
are becoming more common. I:CO also provide their textile collection system for fashion
companies such as H&M, who in 2019 collected 29,005 tonnes of textiles globally.
(H&M Group 2020) But while H&M may be one of the top textile collectors in the world,
concerns have been raised regarding their utilization of recycled fabrics, as they claim to
only utilize around 5,81% recycled materials in their production line in their 2020
sustainability report.
But private enterprise and charity organizations may not be the only ones who help in
recycling textiles in the future, as Finland has plans on beginning large-scale textile
collection as soon as 2023. Such a move will require a systemic change in all actors, as
well as in the Finnish infrastructure as a whole, as the operations would consist of
systemic collection, -sorting, -and textile waste plants. (Laaksonen et al, 2018)
152.5.2 Sorting
Textile sorting is quite possibly the most important part of textile recycling in all its forms.
This is because different textiles have different tensile strengths and tolerances, and
accidentally mixing two different materials together could lower the quality the recycled,
- or upcycled product. The sorting process can be done in three different ways: manual,
semi-manual and automated sorting. At this stage, the most common form of sorting is
to do it manually by hand, as the technology for automated sorting still remains
underdeveloped. The manual process creates further issues, as workers are required to be
able to make quick and proper decisions when it comes to each individual clothing piece.
However, new technologies such as near-infrared spectroscopy (NIR) are being tested as
possible solutions to the automation issue and have been showing fibre recognition rates
of up to 97%. This speed and accuracy of sorting could help to greatly speed up and grow
the spread of the sorting and recycling process. (Zhou et al, 2019)
At current time, researchers at VTT have concluded that the best way of proceeding with
textile recycling is to utilize a mix of automation and manual sorting. This would entail
the charity organizations separately gathering garments suitable for direct reuse, while
materials best suitable for recycling are handled by the local municipalities. This would
mean textiles collected by municipalities could be processed much the same way as
plastics and cardboard is as of right now. (Hinkka et al, 2018)
2.5.3 Raising the value
This stage of the process is what sets upcycling apart from classical recycling. Here, the
manufacturers use different methods in order to bring the fabric back to a workable state,
thus raising its value and useability substantially. In order to raise this value, there are
generally five procedures which are employed:
Immediate recycling applies cases where the garment is already in relatively good shape,
and minimal work, such as e.g., a thorough washing is the only thing required before
sending it off for resale. Companies such as Beyond Retro and an average flea market are
good examples of this.
16Renovation May for example be required in cases where a garment has a large area of
damage, but in a place where it is non-disruptive to the garment as a whole, or if the piece
is a slightly odd shape. In cases like these, companies can resew the piece to either cut
out the damage or alter the shape or size of the piece to better suit today’s trends. While
this trend may not be quite as usual in large scale production, companies such as Beyond
Retro do offer clothing renovation with their LABEL brand, the form of adjustments to
existing styles, in order to modernize them. (Beyond Retro, 2021)
Reparation is usually not done on an industrial scale, as the practicality and revenue of
such an endeavour is not worth the cost of labour, and as the quality of the clothing items
themselves may often be quite low. A handful of sustainable companies such as
Patagonia, however, have started offering a buy-back option for their customers.
According to Patagonia’s VP Rick Ridgeway in an interview in Fast Company, customers
can trade in their worn or damaged clothing for in-store credits, whereupon Patagonia can
repair the garment and resell it under their Worn Wear brand. (Peters, A. 2017) According
to Ridgeway, this model would likely not work if Patagonia did not design their clothing
to last.
Reconstruction entails breaking down garments to their component fabrics and utilizing
these pieces in new production. This is the most common definition of upcycling
companies use, as the process creates very distinct garments with a more rugged look. An
example of this is Patagonia’s ReCrafted brand, which reworks unrepairable clothes by
breaking them down, taking the useable scraps, and utilizing these in the production of
e.g., down jackets and vests. (Engle, E. 2019)
Downcycling is also what is known as traditional recycling. In this process, clothes are
broken down to their base fibres or threads and are then used to produce either new
clothing pieces or other fabric-based items such as carpeting. The clothing recycling
company I:CO recycle 35% of the garments they collect, and utilize them in the
production of e.g., padding and cleaning items. (Agro & Matteis 2018.)
172.6 Traditional production
Within the world of traditional production, the fashion industry is one of the biggest
offenders when it comes to pollution and resource waste. According to a report by the
carbon trust from 2011, the fashion industry produces 330Mt of CO2, nearly 10% of
annual global emissions, with consumer usage of clothing being responsible for an
additional 530Mt of CO2. These numbers combined result in the fashion industry being
ranked as the 3rd most polluting in the world. (Howell, B.)
With the growth of fast fashion following its conception in the 90’s, the impact that the
increased consumption has had on global scale has been growing exponentially.
According to a chart on world fibre production by Tecon OrbiChem (Figure 3), fibres
used in clothing, especially polyester, are predicted to hit a total production volume of
over 130 million tonnes by 2025. This, alongside the annual global apparel fibre
consumption hitting 100 million tonnes, (Figure 4) shows a worrying trend in
environmental pollution and water waste. This is in part due to the production of any 1
kilogram of textile fibres require 100-150 litres of water. (Common Objectives, 2018)
Figure 3 World fibre production 1980-2025 Source: Tecon OrbiChem
18Figure 4 Global apparel fiber consumption 1992-2016 Source: World Apparel Fiber survey 2013 & World Fiber
reports 2011-2017
3 METHODOLOGY
In this chapter, the methods used to conduct the research are described. The choice of
method, sample selection and the general research process are the main focus, as well as
the materials used, data gathering, - and analysis.
3.1 Choice of method
The purpose of this paper was the study of professionals, -and companies within the
fashion industry in relation to upcycling: what ethical values and driving
factors influence their decisions to implement or disregard upcycling in their pipeline? In
order to collect data that was both relevant and varied, it was decided that a semi-
structured interview with executives in different fashion companies would be most
advantageous. Furthermore, in order to get a broad view of the industry as a whole, it was
19decided that the interviews would be conducted with industry
professionals from companies at different levels of implementation of upcycling in their
production pipeline. These professionals were individually interviewed and were given a
handful of starting questions around which the interviews were built.
This option was chosen as opposed to e.g., a quantitative survey or focus group, as it
offers more freedom and clarity in each individual participants’ answers. Prior to the
selection of this method, a few others were considered, such as a quantitative customer
survey and qualitative focus groups consisting of participants the researcher knew to be
knowledgeable in fashion and sustainability.
3.2 Sample selection
The participants chosen for this study all stem from a background in the fashion industry.
They all currently work either as the owner of, - or the sustainability lead within their
separate companies. Interview one consisted of the sustainability lead, as well as an
upcycling project lead within an international fashion company, who have experimented
with an upcycling project in the past. The second interview was conducted with the head
of a smaller scale ethical swimsuits manufacturer, who utilize scraps from production in
upcycled hair scrunchies. And finally, the third interview was conducted with the head of
a local producer of ethical higher-end fashion pieces, with no prior utilization of
upcycling in their production line.
The thought process behind the selection was that each participant had extensive
experience within the fashion industry, but not that all of them necessarily have any
experience with upcycling. By choosing participants at different levels of upcycling
adoption, the researcher wished to find out if views on the subject differed upon having
attempted to utilize the process, as opposed to not having done so.
The participants were each contacted via email or through referrals from contact persons
within their companies. The interviews were all organized through Zoom, and a pdf file
with the questions, as well as a confidentiality statement, was emailed to each participant
prior to the date of the interview. Furthermore, this statement was read at the beginning
20of each interview, ensuring that each participant knew how the interview was going to be
processed.
The researcher prepared for the interview by reading through each companies’ websites
and mission statements, as well as by preparing the questions which were going to be
asked.
3.3 Interview process
Because of the qualitative nature of this research aimed at industry professionals,
participants were selected using purposive sampling. This selection was conducted by
utilising LinkedIn, as well as outreach through individual companies’ websites to reach
the desired professionals. As the researcher worked under a limited timeline, the number
of participants was limited in order to afford proper analysis of each response. Due to
issues with NDA’s, as well as lack of time within larger fashion brands, the scope of the
research was further limited.
The individual responses were first transcribed utilising speech-to-text software, after
which the generated text was cross-referenced with the recordings, and the transcription
was further refined. Finally, findings and conclusions were reached based on this material.
4 RESULTS
In this chapter, the primary data collected during the individual, semi-structured
interviews will be discussed. As one or more participants have requested that their
identities, as well as their companies remain anonymous, the data will be discussed
without any identifying markers.
Furthermore, in order to keep the data from individual interviews separated and legible,
the researcher decided to sort the titles according to each main interview question, and
to label each interview participants according to the interview in which they partook.
E.g., Participant 1 partook in the first interview, whilst participant 2 partook in interview
2 etc.
21The interviewed parties in interview 1 were the head of circularity and sustainability; as
well as the upcycling project lead from an established producer in the fashion industry,
who have previously experimented with a limited upcycling collection. Interview 2 was
conducted with the founder of a swimsuits company, which focuses on the sustainability
of their products, and also upcycle their waste fabrics in the production of new
accessories. The final interview was conducted with a small-scale producer of higher end
clothing pieces, who has been active in the industry for the last 21 years. This producer
has not been intentionally utilizing upcycling in their production line, however upon
review, we concluded that they, in fact, utilized upcycling by producing tote-bags from
scraps left over from production.
4.1 Individual views on upcycling
In order to measure how familiar each participant was to the concept of upcycling; they
were asked question one: How would you define upcycling, and how do you see it used
in your everyday life? Each respondent defined upcycling much in the same way:
“Upcycling is the act of taking a product with little to no value, and introducing new value, compared
to downcycling, where you lessen the value of the product, but still utilize the material in some way.”
“in my experience, it means to give a new life to some existing object or material.”
Respondents who wanted to give further context to their understanding and how they
perceive the importance of upcycling went on to discuss their utilization of it.
Participant 2 was of the opinion that they applied the concept quite readily in their day-
to-day life, especially where clothes were concerned. They also utilized it when it came
to furnishing their new apartment, as they liked the look of old furniture over the modern
“foam-core” variants.
Participant 3 did not observe upcycling being used in her everyday life. And while she
often buys furniture and some clothing items second hand, she did not do this with
upcycling in mind.
224.2 Impact of upcycling measures
To try and establish the impact of upcycling measures for different companies, the
participants were asked question 2: in what way have your upcycling measures impacted
your revenue, as well as your customer loyalty and happiness? Each respondent was of
the opinion that their upcycling measure had a positive effect on their customer
satisfaction. The discussions surrounding this question tended to veer off into discussions
of other sustainability measures, which will be accounted for in question 4. Further,
participant 3 was instead asked in what way their sustainability measures had impacted
them, as they had no previous or current experience.
Participants in interview 1 had seen a lot of curiosity from outside of their usual
customer group, this likely stemming from them being one of the earliest large-scale
adopters of the process on the market. This interest came especially in the form of articles
and blogs praising their initiative. They also indicated that their customers showed
enthused interest for the project, however no customer surveys were conducted
surrounding this temporary collection. They did notice that the most expensive, high-
fashion pieces were the ones which sold out the quickest, likely due to them being
produced in such a small scale (30 pieces in total).
Participant 2 indicated that they received positive feedback from customers for “using
recycled materials” and “making things sustainably” on a near daily basis. However,
specific comments on the utilization of upcycling measures were not indicated in the
interview. According to participant 2, it has been difficult to measure whether their
growth in recent years has been natural, or whether it had been spurred on as a result of
their sustainability measures. In regard to their customer base, they were of the opinion
that their customers were quite engaged when it came to the companies’ sustainability
goals, to the point where they would send them suggestions for textiles and other materials
for them to utilize in their production line.
In the case of participant 3, they had indicated that they did not utilize upcycling
measures within their production line, nor that they had previously. However, upon
further discussion, it was discovered that they in fact did upcycle their fabric scraps post-
23production into tote bags and pouches. This was in part due to both the owner and the
main producer disliking material waste.
4.3 Plans of upcycling implementation.
As every participant had not indicated that they utilized upcycling measures before the
interview, question 3 was asked: If you do not currently have any upcycling measures
in place, are you planning on implementing any such processes in the future? Why/
why not? In part, this question was asked in order to measure the participants’ level of
interest in upcycling implementation in their production, as well as to conclude what
different kinds of initiatives are available for companies interested in implementation.
Participants in interview 1 had conducted a test run at their factories, where they created
upcycled bags from production scraps in order to create a larger production volume.
Creating products on a large scale from old garments has proved challenging, and
solutions for innovations at such size, especially when it comes to upcycling, have proven
difficult to find. Participant 1 did however mention that they were working on other
solutions for a circular business model, which they are hoping will be scalable in the
future. For example, they currently offer customers the possibility of returning their used
clothes for an in-point store system, after which the company washes and refurbishes
them for resale in their own second-hand shop. Further implementation of upcycling
measures can also prove difficult, as certain fibres are more difficult to recycle than
others. As they feel they have a responsibility as a producer however, they plan to increase
their re-collection efforts.
Participant 2 also wishes to attempt a customer return policy in regard to their swimwear
in the future, however due to the current inability to properly recycle swimwear in
Finland, participant 2 views this to just be a potential “greenwashing” stunt. The main
reasons given for this were the materials used and the fact that swimwear and underwear
are banned from garment collection stations due to health concerns. The main culprit in
the fabric which makes recycling impossible is elastane, which cannot be processed a
second time.
24Participant 3 was also very enthusiastic about the possibility of offering return policies
for customers’ old clothing, which they either had stopped using due to age or
deterioration. According to the participant:
“garments that get discarded due to wear and tear are often just damaged in a few specific areas, while
the rest of the fabric is more or less completely intact.”
As the participant only creates products in pure, high-quality wool, their garments are
essentially perfect for every form of recycling. A test-run had been conducted using
scraps from production, where the result was a high-quality garment, however, due to the
participants’ company during that time going under, this project did not proceed any
further. Likewise, the hope of utilizing customer returns in order to create recycled
garments is, as of this moment, quite unrealistic, given the difficulty in scaling up such
an operation.
4.4 Other sustainable initiatives
As upcycling is only one of many possible ways of reaching the goal of becoming fully
sustainable, question 4 was asked: Do you have any other eco-friendly initiatives
implemented within your manufacturing loop? By asking this, the hope was to bring to
light alternatives to upcycling, which may have similar or even greater benefits in regard
to sustainability.
Participant 1 has a few large sustainability goals: They are aiming to utilize 100%
recycled or sustainably sourced materials within 5 years, with the intention that all the
garments produced by this time should be designed for longevity and/or circularity.
Within the same timeframe, they are also aiming to entirely remove the release of
hazardous pollutants from within their supply chain, as well as to measure the water
consumption from each of their factories. And finally, they are aiming to reduce their
CO2 emissions by 50% by the end of the decade, from a baseline of 23 000 tonnes
annually.
Participant 2 has been working diligently with keeping their environmental impact and
emissions to a minimum. All of their products and packaging are made within the same
25nation. When it comes to packaging, they primarily package their swimwear in tiny, see-
through pouches made from biodegradable plant fibres. In fact, apart from some of their
textiles being made from recycled bottles and similar waste, they have entirely removed
plastics from their production cycle. Secondary packaging consists of either a small
cardboard box or a simple, thick paper envelope. As their products don’t take up much
space in general, the paper envelope was chosen in order to further save on material waste.
As the textiles used in their products is concerned, most are made from recycled materials,
and the rest are mostly made from sustainable fibres. Participant 2 justified this by stating
“especially with swimwear, there are so many good fabrics available that stem from
recycled sources, and they're pretty much identical looks, -and feel wise. As such, I do
not know why I would go back to using something else, because it's not financially that
much different either.” Finally, they are also considering working together with a local
producer -who utilizes textile waste left outside by locals in order to spin new threads -
and utilizing this yarn in the production of non-swimwear accessories.
Participant 3 has been working sustainably since before the concept was known in the
common consensus. Having started out in the early 2000’s by utilizing high-quality wool
and linen sourced from nearby countries, participant 3’s long-term goal has been to
produce timeless, high-quality, long-lasting garments. The garments are also mainly
produced per-request, meaning they have mitigated the need for warehouses and storage.
They also indicated an interest in utilizing wood-based textile fibres developed by Metsä
Group in the future, as these textiles use substantially less water and are locally produced.
4.5 Sustainable brand image
In order to measure the participants’ own perceptions of their outward image, the final
question was asked: Does your company wish to uphold an eco-friendly image amongst
consumers? The thought behind this was to gauge the participants’ sincerity in their
beliefs, and to have them reflect on whether there were any sustainability-related points
they had forgot to mention.
Participant 1 was of the opinion that while the customers have seen the efforts, they have
put into becoming more sustainable, they may not be fully content as of this moment.
26Participant 1 is still striving towards their sustainability goals however, and while it is not
something that can be achieved overnight, they are hoping to reach them within the
allotted timeframe. In regard to reaching full sustainability, participant 1 said: “I do not
think anyone can ever reach that goal, but we are constantly striving towards bettering
our processes, and I believe a lot of what we have achieved they (the customers) can
admit”.
As participant 2 has been working from a sustainable standpoint since the beginning,
their customer base has formed in large part due to these commitments. They believe in
showing their commitments in their actions rather than encouraging words, and always
working to further improve their sustainability. By openly discussing where their
materials are sourced and their garments produced, they are attempting to remain
transparent towards their customers. The main contention customers have with participant
2 is that their materials and products are not being produced locally, but these contentions
are few and far between.
Participant 3 has seen the interest in sustainability amongst their customer base rise
within the last 3 years, but before this they did not feel the need to advertise the measures
they were taking. They have attempted to always remain transparent in regard to the
materials used and where they are sourced however, and their customers have begun to
indicate appreciation for their sustainable production since then. This trend has especially
been prevalent amongst the younger generation. In participant 3’s eyes, it has been better
to say less and act more, as they do not wish to come off as to be green-washing their
products.
5 CONCLUSION AND CLOSING DISCUSSION
The research of this paper was conducted as semi-structured interviews, where the
measuring of upcycling interest amongst fashion companies was the main object. The aim
of this paper was to find the main factors which drive companies in the fashion industry
to adopt upcycling measures. Furthermore, this research aimed to find out what specific
upcycling measures companies are likely to employ, and whether they view upcycling as
a viable step in their production pipeline. All results and insights gathered from the
27conducted interviews can be used both by companies interested in upcycling adoption
and by researchers who wish to further study this field. An extra benefit of this study is
that it may give consumers inspiration for upcycling their own garments, thus reducing
the need for new production. This discussion is presented according to each main research
question.
The perception of sustainability amongst consumers has been evolving rapidly in the past
5 years. Individuals who previously might not even have considered where, -how, -or
with what materials their clothing was produced, have now started demanding fair and
ecological products on a substantially larger scale. Companies who may not previously
have put much consideration into these practises have had to make sweeping changes to
their production line and create new sustainability goals, while companies who started up
with these questions in mind have been able to continue unhindered by the need for
change.
What drives companies to implement upcycling measures?
The results from the conducted interviews showed that, for the most part, upcycling
measures were adopted as a result of wishes to mitigate material waste in the production
line. Both participant 2 and 3 made accessories from the textile waste created from their
main production. Participant 1 was the outlier, having conducted a short upcycling
campaign in order to measure interest and try out a new production style. Customer
interest also drive companies to further cut down on waste, as the rise of sustainable
thought in society at large, as well as pushback for companies not keeping up with the
times, can be swift and show an effect on companies’ bottom line.
What kind of upcycling initiatives do they employ?
In general, the upcycling measures employed by the three participants came as a result of
production waste, meaning each company creates either new garments or accessories
from the left-over material resulting from new production. The companies all considered
utilizing customer return policies in order to collect their old garments in a large enough
scale to where up, -or downcycling them would be a viable option. However, each
company ran into different issues in this regard. Both participants 2 and 3 had concluded
that, as of this moment, buying back their own products on a large scale simply was not
28viable due to their relatively small size and the time and resources required for such an
undertaking. Participant 2 also did not wish to collect their old garments yet, as there are
no viable ways to recycle or resell old swimwear due to hygiene concerns as well as the
elastane used to give the textiles their stretch. And finally, participant 3 had concluded
that creating end-of-life upcycled garments at a large enough scale to satisfy their
customer base was as of yet unviable due to the limited number of garments they could
realistically gather.
Do companies see upcycling as a viable step in production long-term?
Neither participant 2 nor 3, being the only ones actively employing any upcycling
measures within their production, indicated no plans of removing these in the near future.
As the utilization of production scraps in new products does not create any extra costs for
the respective companies, and in fact earns them a bit of revenue from the sales of these
products. Participant 1 only utilized upcycling for a short while in order to test the waters
and concluded that while the publicity value of the campaign was quite respectable, the
monetary value was trending towards the negative.
5.1 Recommendations for further research
Given the nature of upcycling in its current form; that being mostly theoretical or in the
testing phase, further research of both the theoretical and practical kind would be
beneficial. Based upon the small sample size used in this paper, the findings are
inconclusive at best, and as such, it is my opinion that further large-scale research should
be conducted into opinions within the fashion industry, and whether upcycling is a viable
solution to reducing pollution from textile production, or whether better alternatives exist.
Further research outside of this methodology could for example be large-scale focus
groups of consumers, where consumer interest in garments made from upcycled materials
could be researched. A second option would be a general customer survey, looking into
whether certain customer groups have a greater interest in sustainability than others. And
finally, a deeper dive into the practise of upcycling production waste could be
illuminating to the greater fashion industry as a whole.
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