A Designers Story – WHAT IS UPCYCLING? by Bonzie

Bonzie is a fashion and wedding dress designer in
Southern Ireland. She was kind enough to share her passion and process
with us in celebration of Indie Weddings Month. This is part one in a
series written from Bonzie's point of view.

In an age of mass production and disposable clothing, there is a shift
for the greater toward sustainable design. For many, the term
eco-friendly still conjures up visions of recycling, taking something
worn out and reusing it all over again until it's even more disheveled. But I have a different approach, and I like to call it upcycling. For me, upcycling means to breath new life into something
old and used, and therefore thus reinvigorating it, and keeping it out
of the waste stream.

Many of my designs featuring used and vintage materials which I find
from many different sources. I make regular expeditions (as I like to
call them, as they are always a feast of discovery) to charity shops
and thrift stores for items. I consciously support organizations in
need, thus passing on the spirit of care and ethical practices. Family
and friends are also a great source of raw materials for sewing and
design. Boutiques are also a fun way to collect buttons and trim, with
many stores finding that they often have a surplus of buttons left from
clothing over the season, it can be a great idea to leave in a
collection jar to pick up the odds and ends every so often. Most people
associate an item that has a broken clasp or missing stone as waste but
to any designer with an appreciation for sustainability they know that
these are just more beads to play with!

To see more of Bonzie's line head over to her lovely shop.  We'll be back with part two of this four part series by Bonzie this week.

{All contributed content/photos in this feature © Bonzie Please do not copy or redistribute without permission}.