Over the quarter my topic has changed. At the beginning I was very focused on creating a working definition of upcycling. I wanted to educate others on the topic of waste production. Not only that, I was determined to introduce the idea of cradle-to-cradle industrial and social systems. By adopting a designer’s persona I was able to focus less on specific definitions and focus more on interesting discoveries. My first observation when studying upcycling was the lack of methodology in project design. I started noticing a trend that upcycled product weren’t marketed for their quality, they were generic and constructed quite simply. As a designer this surprised me because this market is not growing, there’s no demand for these low quality products. With this observation I started a working thesis focused on the market in a cradle-to-cradle system. My research allowed me to analyze our consumer society. We have become a throw-away community. This waste production supports upcycling.
With this analysis I began making a proposal for an applicable market. I found evidence to support unique apparel design in a cradle to cradle system. These products would appeal to an individualistic market based on quality because they are unique as well as sustainable. I hope that this analysis of upcycling educates others and allows for advancements in recycled product design.
You seem to really know what you are talking about. I find this topic interesting because you can create a working definition for upcycling, but you can also place a moral value on it. People who don't want to 'go green' are often seen as immoral now, because going green saves money, jobs, lives, and the planet. So it's funny how something so simple could really be so complex.
ReplyDeleteI'm curious though, did you choose this topic because you were really interested in upcycling specifically, or was it because it had to do with your interest in the fashion industry? Do you feel that upcycling is important, and do you practice it?