Creating treasure from waste

A look at three sustainable lifestyle brands that indicate the upcycling movement is steadily gaining traction in Shanghai

Instead of discarding old denim jeans which no longer fit or have gone out of fashion, Xenia Sidorenko prefers to give them a new lease of life, albeit in a different form, by upcycling them into backpacks.

Upcycling is a form of recycling where waste materials are transformed into a better-quality product.

The Russian - she currently works as a technical designer at a Chilean company in Shanghai - has become so adept in the craft that she has even managed to launch her brand called UseDem which she manages on the side.

The premise of her brand's concept is a romantic one - she said that the resulting backpack will feature the very same scuff marks, holes and stains that were present on the jeans, representing a continuity in memories while providing the user with a new product with which he or she can use for future endeavors.

"You have your beloved jeans which are probably out of fashion, but you just cannot bear to put it into the garbage bin because you still have feelings for it. This is where I come in. I can turn that pair of jeans into a handy backpack that you can take on new adventures with," said Sidorenko, who has been living in Shanghai for six years.

Combating wastage

Having worked in the denim industry for more than a decade, Sidorenko is keenly aware of the amount of wastage produced during the process of creating a pair of jeans. In 2015, when she was working at a Russian denim manufacturer, she decided to bring home discarded samples and experiment with upcycling them using her sewing machine.

Sidorenko has since created a variety of bags, often repurposing the back pockets of the jeans as side pockets on the bags, and adding new elements such as waterproof lining to the interiors. During her free time, she also conducts workshops to teach people her craft. Those interested to have their old jeans turned into backpacks or attend her workshops can contact Sidorenko on the UseDem WeChat account.

Sidorenko added that she is also planning to work with local clothing manufacturers in Shanghai to upcycle their discarded raw materials.

The name UseDem, said Sidorenko, means "using old things to create new, good things". The story behind the brand's logo, which comprises three hands, can be traced back to when Sidorenko used to live in India. She said that she once bought a totem from a man on the street who told her that the object stood for creativity, protection and connection, traits that perfectly exemplify the mission of UseDem.

"I am trying to change the world and I'm starting with myself. That was why I decided to quit my job at a mass jeans manufacturer. I will never go back to the industry again, as my promise to myself," said Sidorenko.

"I've noticed more of my friends asking me to fix their clothes or make use of them to create a new product instead of buying new items, and this has encouraged me to continue championing the mission of UseDem," she added.

With the help of some elderly Chinese retirees, Sidorenko created 150 backpacks in 2016 alone. All of her products are sold at her online WeChat shop and Resee, a shop in downtown Shanghai that offers a selection of upcycled products from a handful of brands.

Wang Wei, the founder of Resee, stocks almost 4,000 items from at least 300 brands in the 800-square-meter space which he said is a symbol of his belief in leading a green, sustainable lifestyle. Wang has also introduced a bicycle club in the space to up the hip factor.

"The shop is about appreciating the upcycling movement and channeling our focus to reusing materials we have ignored. I hope that customers who buy something from my shop will use the products for more than five years or longer and I believe that all the products I have curated are well-designed and can remain fashionable throughout time," said Wang.

Another notable upcycling brand that can be found at Resee is Freitag, which was founded in Switzerland in 1993. Inspired by the heavy traffic that rumbled through the road intersection in front of their flat in Zurich, graphic designer brothers Markus and Daniel Freitag, the founders of the brand, transformed their living room into a workshop to create messenger bags with used truck tarpaulins, discarded bicycle inner tubes and car seat belts.

"As a brand focused on upcycling, we focus on ensuring the quality and design of our products, which are made from colorful truck tarpaulins with irregular patterns and letters," said Benjamin Thellier, Freitag's brand representative in Shanghai.

Freitag's range of more than 5,000 unique bags are currently available in 12 F-Stores as well as at over 450 resellers around the world. The brand also has an online store.

Tapping into the sustainability trend in China

Freitag has more than 10 distributors in China with Resee being the largest at the moment. Thellier said that the brand is also trying to ride the sustainability trend in the country by expanding to second- and third-tier cities within the next two to three years.

"More Chinese consumers are becoming aware of upcycling and the need to protect the environment, so I think it is the right time for Freitag to introduce our products to the China market," said Thellier.

The Chinese government has in the past few years been advocating the sustainable development of the nation and has set several goals related to this, including the one which involves having 5 million electric vehicles on the nation's roads by 2020.

Most recently in April this year, the government released the China's Position Paper on the Implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, which emphasized the importance of developing a circular economy, cultivating awareness of green consumption and promoting the lifestyle of thrift.

But it is not just the foreigners who have been keen to get a slice of the action. Chinese designers too have been eager to promote the upcycling movement. Nicole Teng, the founder of Brut Cake, is one such individual.

A focus on craftsmanship

The brand name might sound like a food business, but Brut Cake is actually all about creating art using things that others see as waste, a concept that Teng was so determined to make a reality she decided to quit her lucrative job as a sales director in an advertising company.

Teng admitted that she is so passionate about the cause that she hardly ever stops working, saying that she is constantly on the lookout for discarded items when she is out on the streets during her free time.

"Through this brand, I want to let people know about the value of good craftsmanship and how long raw materials can actually last," said Teng, who moved to Shanghai from Taiwan six years ago.

"Also, I believe that there is an old soul living in antique items which should be explored and expressed by a person with a unique vision."

According to Teng, Brut refers to the Art Brut movement that originated in France and is an apt description of the raw and essential elements of the company's products. Cake, she added, evokes images of the simple pleasures and happiness in life.

Most of the items sold at Brut Cake are made from recycled materials and they include items such as handbags made from old fabrics and furniture built using wood salvaged from discarded chairs and closets. There are also a variety of handmade products including ceramics and textiles that showcase what good craftsmanship is.

For instance, the textiles sold at Brut Cake are made using natural cotton fabrics from southeast China that are at least 20 years old and have undergone 72 complex production processes.

Paying a premium for

upcycled creations

Though most of the brand's offerings are made using recycled products, they don't actually come cheap. A children's sofa that is recreated from a used sofa costs about 3,000 yuan ($432) while a handmade ceramic vase is priced around 2,800 yuan. Teng said that her upcycled products are priced as such because she deems them as uniquely designed, handcrafted artworks that each has its own personality.

"We love simple and imperfect creations. Every piece of pottery art from Brut Cake comes with its own unique personality and imperfections. A portion of unglazed clay brings the feel of soil and nature. The presence of the artist's fingerprint expresses her spirit," said Teng.

Earlier this year in October, Teng introduced a range of more affordable handmade ceramics such as plates and bowls priced from 60 to 100 yuan so that the brand is more accessible to the masses.

Before Brut Cake opened its first concept showroom, Teng sold the brand's products in more than 12 well-respected design shops in Shanghai. Brut Cake's first store in the city was opened in December 2012, along Anfu Road, one of the city's hippest locales that is filled with boutique stores and cafes.

In January 2017, Brut Cake's inaugural concept cafe will be opened at Yuyuan Road in the upscale Jing'an district and nearly all the furnishings within, including its sofa chairs and coffee mugs, are made from recycled materials.

"Brut Cake is a brand offering people living necessities with unique designs. Our products are targeted at consumers who seek to be different," said Teng.

"We will continue to champion the beauty of raw materials and hope that more people can appreciate the act of creation, as well as the artist's spirit, in each product from Brut Cake."

yuran@chinadaily.com.cn

(China Daily USA 12/30/2016 page8)