• Journal of Fashion Business
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• v.28 no.3
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• pp.1-15
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• 2024

Christopher Nemeth is a designer who combines characteristics of a pioneering upcycle design and deconstructionist design with fabrics, waste clothing, and pieces of fabric recycled in the 1980s. By hommaging his work from the Louis Vuitton 2015 F/W collection, Kim Jones is once again becoming a source of design inspiration in an era where upcycling fashion is attracting attention. Accordingly, an upcycling design approach might appeal to the MZ generation. Christopher Nemes' design presented in this study as a representative fashion designer of dismantling upcycling is basically based on dismantling. It can also be interpreted as dismantling upcycling design because it uses used clothing, waste clothing, and discarded fabrics as materials. This study examined main techniques of upcycling fashion design and derived characteristics of Nemes design as "deconstructive techniques using free lines of construction," "recycling upcycling vintage materials and clothing accessories," and "using handcrafted techniques of artistic sensibility." By applying Nemes' dismantling upcycling technique, four designs were developed for men's top and bottom sets for targets in their 20s and 30s to suggest the commercialization possibility. This study is meaningful in that it proposes a methodical alternative to the new deconstructionist upcycling design that can show Nemes' aesthetic characteristics, creative perspective, and personality by modernly reinterpreting the deconstructionist upcycling technique extracted through analysis of fashion designer Christopher Nemes' design. In particular, by actually producing the work and confirming whether the design technique can be implemented, the value as a fashion product that can be sold is realized.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Costume
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• v.66 no.7
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• pp.109-123
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• 2016

The purpose of this study is to examine the expression techniques and methods of Upcycling fashion brands and designers who have focused on Upcycling, and have found success. The study used collected literatures, press releases, and Internet searches using the word, 'Upcycling' in order to investigate the design characteristics and to set up criteria to classify the material expression techniques found in Upcycling fashion design. The results are as follows: Firstly, according to the result of analyzing the product images of Upcycling fashion design, the most frequently used expression methods are deconstruction and reorganization, $d{\acute{e}}paysement$, and assemblage/collage. Deconstruction and reorganization is used to make most of the Upcycling fashion design products using recycled materials. It is one of the ways to create new value that transcends the value of the previous item. Secondly, Upcycling fashion design's expression techniques generally attempt to use recycling material diversely to complement the recycling material that is limited in some way to the purpose of clothing. In this process, we can find expression techniques used to bring out) the characteristics of Upcycling fashion design. Patching, adding, cutting, folding, or weaving is the technique mainly employed.

• Fashion & Textile Research Journal
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.111-117
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• 2014

This study investigated the perception of upcycling for sensitive university students in regards to fashion trends. It was conducted through questionnaires delivered to male and female college students who majored in clothing related subjects from June 2012 to June 2013 in Gwangju. The contents for this research are general details, seriousness of environmental resources, awareness of upcycle, and purchasing intention for upcycling products. Most of the respondents said that recycling of resources is absolutely necessary due to the impact of environmental pollution and the consumption of resources. On the contrary, the experience of the respondents which purchased recycling products was low. The awareness of also was low, upcycling, internal upcycling brands and internal consumption groups, however, the decisions for subsequent purchases were positive. The reasons for the unsatisfactory of upcycling of products were due to quality and price. The reaction for many upcycle goods had the best question response rate in daily supplies part; subsequently, this study suggested 3 items, apparel products, fashion accessories, and daily supplies. In addition, a group which contains people who expend more for clothing had a lower awareness of upcycle and purchasing intention than other groups that contained some people who expend less. The results of the study can be used in data that recognize the necessary of upcycle education for university students, and develop educational programs. It can also encourage the purchase of upcycle products that reduce the consumption of resources.

• Journal of Fashion Business
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.1-19
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• 2024

This study explores application of upcycling design methods in structural transformation of second-hand denim clothing, aiming to achieve sustainable design objectives. By drawing inspiration from Liu Qing's research methods in the field of circular utilization of denim clothing, this study collected and analyzed cases of structural transformation of used denim clothing from 2020 to 2023. It summarized structural transformation design methods for used denim clothing. Through the development of design works, this study aims to find out the best upgrading and renovation design strategy by applying the method of structural renovation design. This study aims to support the development of a sustainable fashion industry and promote recycling and upcycling of discarded clothing fabrics, thereby reducing resource waste and environmental impact.

• Journal of Fashion Business
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• v.27 no.5
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• pp.108-120
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• 2023

Recently, interest in eco-friendliness and sustainability has been increasing due to the rapid progress of fast fashion and the crisis of sudden environmental changes after COVID-19. This study aims to develop upcycling textiles and express product design using digital 3D to realize a sustainable fashion industry and present environmental aspects, diversity, creativity, and new directions in fashion industry design. The research method is to develop and pattern upcycling textile designs by applying weaving techniques with waste materials. It uses the developed upcycling textile design in digital 3D to incorporate it into clothing fashion and shows the utility and practicality of upcycling textile design. As a result of the study, the appearance is realistic when outputting DTP of upcycling textile design. It endures without loosening or tearing, making it a durable and creatively expressive fashion item. Texpro 3D mapping reduces the time and cost of making actual sample fabric. Upcycling textile design and 3D CLO virtual clothing are combined to produce actual clothing samples, resulting in zero waste reduction due to cutting and sewing. This study anticipates actively and continuously advancing the development of upcycling textile design and digital 3D in terms of ethics and the environment.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Clothing and Textiles
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• v.43 no.1
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• pp.95-111
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• 2019

This study is the 2nd report following "A Study on the Characteristics of Material in the Korean Up-cycling Fashion Brands (Part I)" that handled the development of upcycling props using the characteristics of upcycling material. The 2nd report analyzed product types and materials focusing on 21 foreign upcycling fashion brands. It analyzed the characteristics of upcycling fashion materials using the case analysis of coffee bean bag and waste denim based on external characteristics and internal characteristics. We then classified the external characteristics into environment/economic feasibility and availability/mixture and the internal characteristics into historicality/story and originality/scarcity. Five bags were designed and produced for the actual commercialization of fashion products based on such characteristics of materials, with the use of coffee bean bags and waste denim as upcycling materials. This study is differentiated from existing research by its suggestions for the utilization of fashion product upcycling coffee bean bags and waste denim. Also, upcycling fashion products could be competitive products in eco-friendliness and originality that can be a driving force for the sustainable development of fashion industry through the differentiation of existing fashion products.

• Fashion & Textile Research Journal
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.177-190
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• 2018

Fashion industry constantly produces and consumes, which leads to huge waste piles of perfectly usable textiles in landfills, as well as other negative effects of an exploitative and excessively rapid fashion process. Pollution created by making and dyeing clothes has pitted fashion industry and environmentalists against each other. In this context, upcycling is seen as an optimal way to solve the growing problem of waste in fashion industry. The first purpose of the study was to analyze the relationships between upcycling fashion products' perceived value, pro-environmental beliefs, attitudes, electronic word of mouth (eWOM) intention, and purchase intention. The second purpose is to verify the difference of perceived consumption value among the consumers' awareness level and purchase experience. A total of 258 valid responses obtained from a group of 20-30-year-old participants were collected through an online survey. SPSS 23.0 and Amos 18.0 programs were used for data analysis. The results of the present study suggest that there are significant effects of upcycling fashion products' perceived value on pro-environmental belief; furthermore, pro-environmental belief was found to positively influence attitude, eWOM intention, and purchase intention. In addition, there are differences of perceived consumption value among the consumers' awareness level and purchase experience. Taken together, the results of this study provide researchers and practitioners with a deeper understanding of consumers' values, beliefs, attitudes, and behavioral intentions towards upcycling fashion products.

• Journal of Korean Home Economics Education Association
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.89-99
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• 2014

Purchasing behavior for upcycled fashion products was examined along with analysis on environment consciousness, clothing recycling behavior, interest in fashion and awareness of upcycling. Students from middle schools, general high schools and design high schools participated in this research from August to September in 2013. 732 questionnaires were analyzed by SPSS WIN. Firstly the levels of environmental consciousness, clothing recycling behavior and interest in fashion of students were high, low and mediate respectively. Female students showed higher environmental consciousness compared to male ones and clothing recycling behavior were found to be higher in students of design high schools than those of general ones. The level of interest in fashion was found to be higher in students of general high school than those of middle school, and this was higher in design high school students than those of general ones. Secondly, more than half of students were unaware of upcycling. Female students and students of design high schools were highly aware of upcycling. Students who were aware of upcycling showed high level of environmental consciousness, clothing recycling behaviour and interest in fashion. Thirdly, students had low experiences in purchasing upcycled fashion products and the reason was lack of awareness of upcycling. The reason that students purchased upcycled fashion products was the uniqueness and design. Students who purchased upcycled fashion products showed high environmental consciousness, clothing recycling behaviour, and interest in fashion.

• The Research Journal of the Costume Culture
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.11-19
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• 2019

The mass production after the industrialisation and the fast changing fashion cycles in today's world resulted in buying clothes and home textiles more than we need and discarding them before they complete their life cycles. This causes vast amounts of textile waste that creates environmental issues. Upcycling is the creative process of transforming clothing and textile waste by reusing deadstock or used fabric to create new garments and products. It holds importance in terms of sustainability, reducing waste and environmental pollution. During the process of upcycling, certainly the creativity and innovation are the key words because to reuse a product to a better value needs a creative mind, aesthetic consciousness, innovative look and knowledge and it is quite different from a normal design procedure. There is a delicate level of aesthetics which carries the reused materials to a higher value. The handling of the materials, knowing how to manipulate the waste material, the techniques available to apply to surfaces, the concept of two and three dimension on textiles and clothing, contributions of other branches of art such as sculpture and painting all help the designer to reach a higher aesthetic value in the upcycled product in this process. In the study; it was aimed to raise awareness, to attract attention to sustainable fashion and also to contribute to sustainable development as an upcycling design project realized with students in textile and fashion design education taken as an example.

• Journal of Fashion Business
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.98-112
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• 2024

The purpose of this study was to provide basic information on the development of local governments and upcycling industries that want to establish centers in the future. The study investigated the current situation and programs of domestic upcycling centers for regional sustainable growth. As a result of comparing and analyzing the programs operated by the upcycling centers by region, they could be classified into culture and arts experience programs, resource circulation experience programs, and environmental culture education programs according to the nature of the operation programs that are more focused on in addition to the experience and education programs reflected by each center. Among the upcycling materials and items used in the operation program, fashion-related education was being operated in a more diverse manner in the area of culture and arts experience programs. As a result of the analysis, it was found that it was necessary to establish a smooth material supply network, develop an in-depth step-by-step upcycling fashion education program, and strengthen the upcycling center program using regional characteristics. The results of this study are significant in that they provide the local governments with basic information for the establishment of upcycling centers in areas where the upcycling centers have not been established. In addition, this study presents the types and directions of programs necessary for establishing upcycling centers in the future.