What is upcycling? A new trend?
Make no mistake, upcycling is nothing new . And yes, upcycling is a practice that has been used for years, brought up to date and reinforced in recent seasons. I could say that everyone has already done it on a small scale.
At Napperon, we love upcycling and stories, particularly those of our grandmothers.
Upcycling VS Recycling
When we recycle a fabric (woven textile), it is first cut and frayed in order to extract the fiber. This fiber is then processed and twisted to create a new yarn. Then, we weave the resulting threads together to produce a new textile.
This method requires several energies to be successful: water, electricity, mechanization, etc.
Recycling draws a new perspective on the horizon.
But at Napperon, we do upcycling!
So how does it work ?
At Napperon, we go on the road to find the most beautiful placemats to restore their splendor.
Sometimes these treasures come to us when you donate placemats to us (and we say a big thank you for that 🧡).
The heathered placemats are then washed and measured to know which parts can be used to make the product.
Our grandmothers' placemats are delicate pieces that bring back memories of our childhood. Through each of our pieces we try to transmit these memories to you.
Each piece is made according to the surface area of the placemat and the requested size.
This production system requires a lot of time and work steps, which is why the manufacturing time is longer than elsewhere. But it's worth the wait and receive your unique, upcycled piece by hand .
We do our best to make our products as sustainable as possible. Reused placemats have sometimes already lived 30 years and others 70 years, so we are sure of their quality. They are very tenacious!
Upcycling is a way to limit our environmental impact.
These placemats exist, there are many of them and sometimes end up in the trash, or worse, burned. It is our desire at Napperon to give them a second life.
And in a “zero waste” approach, we also recycle scraps of placemats that have already been transformed into pieces of lingerie. We make storage or washing bags for your pieces but also pretty favorites.
Oh yes ! We also found some more information for you!
- The word “upcycling” appeared in the 90s when engineer Reiner Pilz mentioned it in opposition to traditional recycling (downcycling).
- “Slogan” of upcycling in France: “nothing is lost, [...] everything is transformed”. Borrowing and misappropriation of Lavoisier's quote
- In 2020, the French state prohibits companies from burning or throwing away their unsold goods through the AGEC law. They are therefore forced to find solutions.
Article written by Cédrine Naulin, first intern at Napperon
