Upcycler Helsinki is a one-woman effort to make a difference.
My career in international fashion business came to an end, when I felt the climate issues became too overwhelming. I knew, that what I was doing for living had much more of an impact then anything that I could do in personal life. So I decided to step down and founded a company on my own, to be able to focus on the matters most important in my perspective. Quite a jump from the business world to sole entrepreneurship!
As the fashion industry is one of the world's biggest polluters, business as usual is no longer an option.
There's a lot being done. Slow down long-term development, big leaps and great innovations. And yet fast fashion is everywhere. Only barely used, even completely unused, products become waste, regardless of the ethical and environmental costs of their production. And while the textile waste is being destroyed, tons and tons of new material is being produced.
Driven by this enormous dilemma, I began to question my own way of life. What we already have in our hands should be the first material to be used before new is produced. I saw no effective alternative other than striving for a circular economy.
What, then, would we need to make better choices? For me, it would be the easy availability of ecological and at the same time stylish alternatives.
Based on this idea, I began to develop the goals of Upcycler Helsinki:
Allows you to make better choices by providing an easily accessible collection of products made from recycled, recycled or recycled materials.
Reduces the amount of textile waste.
Indicates that recycled does not mean shabby and worn out. It can be well designed, stylish and valuable.
Upcycler is now my dream job. Without titles and organizations. Support functions can now be found here from home and the advantage of having an employee is that one phone is enough. I would be happy to replace airports with a walk and find partners right here at my neighborhood.
It is inspiring to meet people, entrepreneurs, who also make their dream come true and be able to make it possible for each other. In fact, the background of the fashion designer is once again striving to be inspired by second hand materials.
I also have the privilege of being a mother. It is certain that the next generation will shoulder our responsibility for climate change. When my child asks me what I did, at least I can answer that I founded Upcycler Helsinki.
-Maj-Lis,
founder Upcycler Helsinki
Interview in Helsingin Sanomat on April 19.4.2020, XNUMX
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