upcycling

— in France, recycling waste is considered as the cornerstone of developing the circular economy. This has led to upcyling, which involves repurposing materials or products we no longer need to give them a second life, often in upmarket niches and light years away from their original purpose, and is perhaps the first step to triggering a chain reaction to curb the damage done to the planet.

December 10, 2020

According to the ADEME (French Environment and Energy Management Agency), the textile industry is the world’s second biggest polluting industry. Making a t-shirt uses approximately 2,790 liters of water – the equivalent of what an average person would drink in about three years. Producing a pair of jeans uses around 11,000 liters of water, so around 300 showers. Looking at the figures in black and white is frightening, which is why rethinking the fashion industry is more than vital to the Earth’s survival.

Noyoco is a young Parisian brand that aims to offer a quality wardrobe with soft and velvety colors, relaxed, casual and eco-friendly. Since the creation of the brand in 2014, the collections have been created using upcycled materials (between 50 and 70% depending on the seasons) or ones that have a lower impact on the environment. Naturally, this kind of project requires people who are willing to dedicate their time and efforts to developing new fabrics, for short-cycle production in European factories, to avoid deadstock .

It’s by working with fresh new brands like noyoco (no youth control) – which offer eco-friendly, gender-neutral and varied fashion lines – that we can start to reshape the future by dressing in clothes with meticulously cut and shaped styles. We are living in an epoch where there is no longer any excuse for not finding alternatives, and it’s an invitation to rethink our practices and habits.

Version française ici.

photographs BEN FOURMI

fashion & set design CYRIL VINCHON

text SIDONIE RONFARD & CYRIL VINCHON

production FABRICA

studios À CIEL OUVERT STUDIOS