Corporate Field Study Post III: A Certification Mark for Upcycling

Last week, we reviewed two examples of small- to mid-size businesses working with textile secondary raw materials to create upcycled products. This week, we discuss a certification mark for upcycling. 

Over the past weeks, this corporate field study has demonstrated that there is a current industrial movement to further develop upcycling throughout the textile and apparel industry. One example of this effort is an upcycling design and production system/manufacturing method and manufacturing certification called Upmade. This system enables textile and apparel businesses to implement industrial upcycling and become certified under the system. The benefit to a business of doing this is that it will be able to more easily source and turn textile secondary raw materials into useful products, which decouples economic activity from virgin textile material use and reduces waste. The certification criteria require a 90-100% share of waste materials in a product’s base material, although there is an exception for buttons, thread, zippers, fusing, and so on, which may be new. Interestingly, Upmade represents that it is scalable, which is something that many businesses struggle with when implementing upcycling production processes.

New, scalable, upcycling solutions like this one make it easier for designers to become inspired to upcycle with textile secondary raw materials. It also makes it easier for businesses to manage the sourcing of textile secondary raw materials. Easier access to sourcing such materials allows for better planning and more space for designers to decide where to go with their designs by using the details of the textile secondary raw materials to their best advantage.

In addition, this certification mark helps to manage the risk that comes with textile secondary raw materials and toxic chemical legacy substances that may lurk within. The Upmade certification mark intends to provide independent assurance of a manufacturer’s capacity for upcycling production that complies with textile quality, chemical toxicity, and fair labour standards. Transparency via the certification mark for consumers is also a welcome benefit.