One purpose of art is to disrupt. By creating works outside of the constraints of fit and function required by businesses in the apparel industry, artists play a vital role in expanding the visibility of upcycling. By incorporating used and often worn-out fashion items into their works they propose new possibilities for functionality of materials and new meanings they might take on in their second life. These works offer a novel opportunity to appreciate the beauty of differentiations caused by use and wear. At the same time, these artworks draw attention to the problem of wasteful consumption and production practices.
Puma Goalie Goal Jacket
Nicole McLaughlin
@nicolemclaughlin / nicolemclauglin.com
Designer Nicole McLaughlin is perhaps the most famous upcycler in the United States. Her work, which regularly combines ingenuity with humor, serves to recontextualize materials labeled as unwanted. Her surprising transformations create new items that have uses very different from their original purpose. The garment features numerous used Puma goalie gloves sewn into a jacket. The back of the garment even features a zippered pocket that holds an additional pair of gloves. McLaughlin has collaborated with brands such as Hermes, Vans, and Arc’teryx, to name a few.
“Sidewalk Chalk” and “Blue Egg” Wall Hangings
Eileen Fisher Waste No More / Elisabeth Sandler
@wastenomore / wastenomore.com
Eileen Fisher Waste No More
These felted wall hanging are created with textiles gathered through Eileen Fisher’s garment takeback program. These are often made from parts of the reused garments that are too worn out to be mended. The differentiation in colors and opacity come from combining textiles of various thickness and fiber content. Elizabeth Sandler, the designer of this “Sidewalk Chalk” wall hanging, has compared the process of creating these wall hangings as being similar to painting with watercolors. Her wealth of experience with felting has led her to understand what varying fibers are likely to do during the adhesion process. However, she states that there remains a certain bit of surprise in what the composition will ultimately look like when it is finished. Using a wide range of textiles in a felting machine requires patience and many more passes than typically needed when felting only wool. Because the wall hanging “Blue Egg” is created from reclaimed sweaters, it has a bit more of the fuzzy nap that is typical of the felting process. When viewing this wall hanging from the backside, strips of the sweater materials display the wide variety of colors integrated in to this piece.
