In Iceland we have the same saying as in English – One man‘s trash is another man‘s treasure. This is basically the essence of my philosophy. Like I said last time, it all stems from my grandmother. I remember how she took one pair of men’s trousers and made from them a pair for each of my three cousins. This is how I realized that raw material can be perfectly good, even though someone else has no use for it any more. Though the years, this has admittedly been a delicate, and sometimes heated, subject with my husband. He no longer asks whether something in the garage can be thrown away, he knows what the answer will be. I do, however, have a hunch that sometimes things disappear without me being asked. Which is ok, because I don’t always remember what I’ve collected
Why do I use “old stuff”?
Because it makes me feel better. The natural resources available for us won’t last forever. Fortunately, there are many people out there thinking along the same lines as myself. There seems to be no end to the ideas people come up with. Among my favorites are:
–www.waterhaul.co Waterhaul makes high-end sunglasses using abandoned fishing gear and nets that they collect in England and Wales
–https://tubulargear.patternbyetsy.com/ Tubular Gear makes an assortment of items using inner tubes from bicycles, among them unique dog leashes
-https://www.freitag.ch Freitag makes one-off bags and accessories from used truck tarps and fully compostable textiles
–https://www.facebook.com/alybondbespoke/ Aly Ashton makes unique bags, repurposing old leathers, especially motorcycle suits
I could go on, the list is long with the outstanding and brilliant items people are making.
Upcycling is a passion
One thing we have to remember is that those that are into upcycling are doing it because of their passion. I wouldn’t say that cleaning inner tubes or scrubbing a truck tarp is an enjoyable pastime, but it’s knowing that the end-result is in the near, or maybe distant, future that is the drive for those that choose this lifestyle. They believe in what they’re doing and have the courage go see their project through. I have a great amount of respect for these people, they are brave.
More later….
