Celebrating Creativity and Sustainability: The Outcome of the 2023 Upcycled Competition
Our Social Fabric volunteers MaryAn Webb and Jacquelyne Allen with competition finalists.
We are thrilled to share the remarkable success of Our Social Fabric and The Wilson School of Design 2023 Upcycled Competition, an inspiring event that brought together talented designers and passionate advocates for sustainability. Partnering with the esteemed Wilson School of Design, this competition was a true celebration of creativity and the transformative power of upcycling.
The competition showcased the innovative designs and ideas that emerged from the Wilson School of Design, reinforcing our shared commitment to promoting sustainable practices and reducing waste. The participants demonstrated exceptional craftsmanship and imagination, truly embodying the spirit of repurposing materials to create something beautiful and functional.
The blog post by the Wilson School of Design provides a glimpse into the transformative journey that the designers embarked upon. Each entry tells a unique story of repurposing, from the striking garments created from discarded textiles to the ingenious furniture pieces crafted from reclaimed wood. These designers seamlessly combined aesthetics, functionality, and sustainability, highlighting the vast potential that upcycling holds in reducing our ecological footprint.
The winners of the competition deserve special recognition for their outstanding contributions. The first-place prize went to Nina Rozin who created stunning heeled boots from scratch using upcycled denim whilst drawing attention to the environmental impact of the fashion industry.
The second-place winner, Emma Juhala, wowed the judges with "The Mystical Shawl of Unknown Futures” made from fabric created by Emma. The third-place winner was “The Girl From Tehran” by design duo Mehdi Abbasi and Elise Charpentier. Their dress was inspired by the Azadi Tower, or “Freedom Tower,” in Tehran, Iran.
The People’s Choice Award went to “Ro” by Eren Berg. His wide-legged pair of pants and navy blue triangle bag can be ingeniously transformed into a skirt by unsnapping the inseam of the pants and attaching the triangle bag to the front and back of the pant.
We applaud all the participants for their passion, talent, and commitment to a greener future.
Our Social Fabric is deeply grateful to the Wilson School of Design for their partnership and the invaluable support they provided throughout this competition. Together, we have highlighted the incredible potential that lies within repurposed materials, encouraging others to view waste as a valuable resource.
As we reflect on the success of the 2023 Upcycled Competition, we are inspired to continue fostering a culture of sustainability and creativity within our community. Through initiatives like this, we can all contribute to a more conscious and responsible society, where innovation and environmental consciousness go hand in hand.
Thank you to all the participants, supporters, and organizers who made this competition a resounding success. Let us carry the spirit of upcycling forward, transforming our world one recycled creation at a time.