No Scrap Left Behind: Estonian Endeavour Boosts Industrial Upcycling

Your website says that the “the garments are built to last both physically and style-wise”. What is the average lifespan of the garments and what happens at the end of their lifecycle? In other words: how do you keep track of things? Where do the challenges lie? What are the shortcomings, as of now?
Reet Aus: We have been producing according to the Upmade system for 11 years. During this time, we have developed a loyal clientele. There are customers who say they are still wearing a t-shirt they bought 10 years ago. Since part of our concept is also a repair service, we also see our products changing over time. If our customer no longer wears the product, we take it back. 

What can be repaired and sent to the second round will be sold again. What no longer fits goes into recycling. To this end, we cooperate with the research lab of the Estonian Academy of Arts, where we look for new solutions for textile recycling. The collection is also designed so that recycling is possible at the end of the product's life cycle—natural fibres, monomaterials, no print, no unnecessary accessories, easily removable buttons, etc.

Again, your website talks of transparency in production facilities that are located in Bangladesh. What does the context look like, given the ongoing agitation for higher wages in Bangladesh? How does all that impact the state of things?
Reet Aus: We have been working with BEXIMCO for 11 years. It is one of the most innovative factories I have visited. I visit them every year, sometimes many times a year. And I learn a lot from them. We have to understand that the industry moved out of Europe a long time ago. Along with this, a large part of the innovation and development in the textile industry. It must be understood that we ourselves have built this industry in this way. 

There is nothing wrong with Bangladesh. Their knowledge of how to make a sustainable product is much better than ours in Europe, where there is practically no industry. BEXIMCO is certified, they have their own hospital, school, even a kindergarten in the campus. The Upmade system focuses on production from surpluses within the factory, which is the most efficient. That's why we produce where there are surpluses.

Your website mentions: Science based and sustainable clothing line since 2011". So, I gather it all started in 2011. Could you tell us how things got started? After all, 2011 was quite early in the day and neither upcycling nor sustainability were the watchwords that they are today.
Reet Aus: I started upcycling around 2002, after finishing my MA studies. Industrial upcycling was part of my doctoral research. I defended in 2011 and since then I have been dedicated to the development of circular systems in the textiles industry, of which the most reasonable in the context of production is industrial upcycling. 

But yes, in 2007, when I started my doctoral studies, there was not much knowledge in this field, and when we talk about industrial upcycling, even now it is difficult to explain what it is. The reason is largely that production is out of our sight, and we don't know how it works. Since I am interested in system design, cooperation with large-scale industry has been the only option. And since this topic is relevant in the context of manufacturers, it has also been easy to find partners to experiment with.

How did the Upmade process come into being? What did you have in mind when you embarked on the project? What was the role of the Stockholm Environment Institute Tallinn Center? What did you do to ensure that it is both future-proof as well as fool-rpoof?
Reet Aus: The Upmade system was born out of research. The goal was to create a validable system for factories and brands to upcycle surpluses in the factory. When we realised that it is possible to introduce upcycling also in large factories and opened the Upmade line, we also wanted to certify it. Since there was no upcycling certification system in the textile industry, SEI Tallinn was ready to create one based on our research. SEI also takes care of auditing.

Could you tell us something about your recent Trash to Trend initiative? How does the project fit into the overall scheme of things?
Reet Aus: The purpose of Trash to Trend (TTT) is to extend the life of the product, restore, redesign and local upcycling of clothing. This is part of our goal to create an opportunity for people to consume intelligently and sustainably. TTT is part of our studio and daily activities.

Last year, you posted on your blog that you had stopped being an apolitical brand? So what changed between 2011 and 2022? How political is your fashion now? In what way?
Reet Aus: That post was only about the fact that we decided to serve political organizations as well. We had previously refused it. The brand itself continues to be apolitical and remains neutral and independent.