A way to strengthen the connection is through upcycling, or customizing clothes and making them unique to the owner. Upcycling gives people a unique piece and a stronger connection to the garment. I want to open a place where people can bring their items to upcycle/ style to their figure/ fix/ redesign/ etc. A place where we could make something special out of garments and materials we already have. Many of us don't have the time and the skills to make our own clothes, so a place where we can learn how to upcycle or repair our clothes in an exciting way, can revive our appreciation of the process of making things. 

Economic value: streams of used clothes used as raw materials for new clothes creates economic value through keeping materials in the production cycle.

Emotional value: each garment is unique and can be personalized, thus creating emotional connection between the user and clothing. In addition, customers who buy clothes or participate in workshops feel satisfaction from the social connection, as well as feeling relieved from the guilt of buying new clothes.

Social value: educates people on the environmental issues of the linear fashion industry and promotes consumer awareness. In addition, this type of project can provide skill-building for people looking for jobs, adding value to societal development.

-Textile recycling factories that provide used garments.

-Municipalities that provide funding to support the initiative.

-Real estate that provides physical space for a reduced fee.

-Designers who provide workshops on upcycling and repair techniques.

ReWork aims to build a community around the core values of the business, such as circularity, awareness, sustainability, equality, and fairness through play and creativity. People with matching values or curious people looking to learn can come and basically have fun making new clothes and learning new skills! 

Rethink: the reworked clothes will be designed for disassembly when possible and will feature textile labels to ensure ease of reuse/recycling.
Reuse-Repair-Remanufacture-Repurpose: extending the lifespans of materials. Torn clothes will be repaired, some will be upcycled by mixing different garments and colors, cuttings will be combined into unique pieces, and some will be repurposed into rugs, bags, or stuffings for pillows. 

-       Not really, I know companies who upcycle, but not in a community-building kind of way

Is it legally allowed to develop this project?

-       I think there are some companies that upcycle clothes already, but maybe they upcycled only clothes of their brand. Maybe if the design of reworked clothes is significantly different from the original, it is fine. Check this aspect!

Do you think that this project contributes to the transition to a circular economy or is it an example of doing business as usual?

-       Yes, I think it is one of the best ways toward circularity as no new materials are necessary to produce new clothes.

What do you see as the potential impact of this project (both positive and negative)?

-       The best thing about the project is the community-building aspect of it because I think when we see how things are made and participate in their creation, we value those things more. Plus, being able to do something with your hands and share the moment with strangers or friends is super cool.

-       Reduced transportation costs as used items are brought in by customers. 

-       Creating no waste, as all waste is reused or repurposed. 

-       Prevented wastes by using wastes as raw materials.

The long-term effect is the spread of new values that the transition to circular fashion requires, including creativity, connection, and innovation. By increasing consumer awareness, demand for circular clothes will increase, and many will refuse consumption altogether.