‘Excellent’ 4.8 out of 5
“Only by changing our behaviour – and our consumption habits above all – can we hope to reverse biodiversity loss and ultimately increase our resilience to climate change.”
Alessandro Fracassetti, UNDP Resident Representative
Each year, the fashion industry creates 92 million tonnes of textile waste, expected to rise to 134 million tonnes by 2030. In the UK, 350,000 tonnes of clothing end up in landfills annually, with less than 1% recycled. This waste fuels pollution and wastes resources, while fashion contributes 10% of global carbon emissions.
Upcycling transforms unwanted textiles into new, valuable products without breaking the fabric down like recycling. It’s a creative, sustainable way to reduce waste and support a circular fashion economy.
British Airways & Bags of Ethics: Upcycling Retired Uniforms into New Products
Our upcycling process is built on careful planning, responsible handling of materials, and creative transformation. Each stage plays a vital role in turning unwanted stock into meaningful, high-value products.
Conduct a thorough assessment to evaluate the viability of upcycling materials or products, considering resource availability, market demand, and environmental and economic benefits.
Create and develop a comprehensive list of potential alternative products that can be derived from the unwanted stock. This strategic planning ensures clear direction for the upcycling process.
Organise the efficient transportation of unwanted stock, ensuring all necessary paperwork and logistical considerations are addressed to maintain compliance and streamline operations.
Carefully sort and separate materials based on their potential for reuse and suitability for different projects. This step is critical to maximise material efficiency and project success.
Methodically disassemble products to extract individual components or materials suitable for upcycling. This process requires precision to preserve the integrity of reusable elements.
Transform and redesign materials into new products that offer enhanced value and functionality. This creative phase adds uniqueness and market appeal to the upcycled items.
Employ innovative approaches to repurpose materials, creating distinctive and functional products that go beyond conventional reuse.
Prioritise minimal processing of materials during upcycling to reduce resource consumption, maintain material quality, and support sustainability goals.
Focus on using durable materials, such as certain types of wood, that can endure repeated use and disassembly, thereby enhancing the longevity and recyclability of upcycled products.
By adhering to these principles, the upcycling process can achieve optimal efficiency, sustainability, and product quality, aligning with both environmental objectives and market demands.
Single-use plastic items saved
Supporting tree conservation, planting, and forestry education
Women workforce in our HQ and factory
Sealed supply chain; 100%-owned and loved
| Cookie | Duration | Description |
|---|---|---|
| cookielawinfo-checkbox-analytics | 11 months | This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics". |
| cookielawinfo-checkbox-functional | 11 months | The cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional". |
| cookielawinfo-checkbox-necessary | 11 months | This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary". |
| cookielawinfo-checkbox-others | 11 months | This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other. |
| cookielawinfo-checkbox-performance | 11 months | This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance". |
| viewed_cookie_policy | 11 months | The cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. It does not store any personal data. |
In the early 2000s Supreme Creations was selling reusable bags and packaging made from cotton to small health food shops, and to forward-thinking sustainable companies like Mooncup, and Bodyshop which wanted alternatives to single-use plastic.
At the time Sri was also the largest wholesaler in Europe of a natural yarn called jute – a “golden fibre” which was used to form the backing of carpets, but could also be transformed into sacks, bags, and packaging…
It was however a chance encounter with the parents of two girls taking part in The Wings of Hope Achievement Awards, a charity co-founded by Dr R Sri Ram and his wife Rajni, that turned Supreme Creations from being a wholesale business to a major manufacturing one.
Two 14-year-old girls invited Sri and Rajni, as their “guests of honour”, to witness the launch of hundreds of balloons in central London, as part of their fundraising project for the Wings of Hope Children’s Charity.
During the photoshoot, the parents of one of the students thanked Sri and Rajni for giving their daughter the chance to be a young entrepreneur for a great cause and invited Sri to his offices that week for a coffee.
This chance meeting led Dr R. Sri Ram to be summoned by the Board of Tesco, the UK’s largest supermarket (whom this parent happened to be associated with) to help lead an initiative on using new alternative materials to plastic.