Upcycling is becoming increasingly popular in the fashion world and the reuse of fabrics and existing clothing to make new creations forms the basis for many new businesses that want to fight fast fashion and embrace sustainable production.
One such business in Belgium is Les Essentiels de Gaëlle, brainchild of Gaëlle Van Vyve who has been using old shirts to create beautiful timeless clothes for children from 0 to 12 years old since 2019.
The story started when Gaëlle transformed an old shirt of her husband into a dress for her daughter. "I found I had a lot of enthusiasm for this creation. As a child, I made clothes for my dolls, then for myself. This passion comes from my mother who used to make us little dresses when we were children. I was always fascinated by how my mother could turn a simple cotton fabric into a pretty piece."
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As the environmental impact of our clothing becomes more widely understood, Van Vyve stresses the reduced carbon footprint of upcycling: "I always say that the only cotton that grows in Belgium is the one that is already in our cupboards."
The salvaged shirt has everything you need: a natural material, soft patterns and a story ready to be reinterpreted. "I recover your damaged shirts and use every part of them... Nothing is lost, everything is transformed.”
Custom (re)creations
Giving a second life to a garment that is dear to you is also part of the concept of Gaëlle's Essentials. If you have a specific project in mind, you can contact the designer directly. For example, one family had the shirts of a deceased grandfather turned into pyjamas for grandchildren.
"They are very proud to wear their pyjamas in memory of their grandfather,” she says. “I regularly receive pictures of children wearing the clothes I make for them... There is a story behind every garment."
Gaëlle hopes to develop her brand with "a special range for ceremonies and weddings and two models of women's blouses,” she says. “They will be available in September."
