In commemoration of flashback Friday I thought I would share with you an article I wrote for the 'Fix Up Sharp' Clic Sargent blog about a Bristol based designer who makes amazing accessories out or recycled rubbish! Here we go lovelies:
The true definition of ‘upcycling’ is to reuse discarded
objects or material in such a way as to create a product of higher quality or
value than the original… but I view it as so much more than that! The
environment holds many natural benefits for everyone who chooses to accept
them, but especially for people who have incredible ideas about how to use the
wonders of the universe. If people do not already know becoming a designer is
VERY expensive. After buying all the luxurious materials such as silk, felt or
cotton it can end up costing hundreds, but why not just go to your local scrap
yard instead? Many people do not realise what great objects you can find from
the natural environment, it really is God’s gift! By paying a small price and
giving a lot of love you too can make amazing accessories from pieces of
unwanted scrap.
Katcha Bilek is a Bristol based designer who is known for her
initiative and imagination. The main materials which she uses to create her
incredible designs are ones which she has found in landfills. Rubber, car
seatbelts, inner tubes, bike tyres and rubber mats are just a few of the parts
which Bilek uses for her amazing creations. Many of the accessories which she
has crafted have included waterproof wallets, handbags and manbags, collars and
purses, all durable and all lasting much longer than anything brought on the
high street. Katcha’s accessories show a combination of functionality and
style, all of them have a clean design and are strong enough to carry heavy
loads which is always necessary. The real thing which Kathcha has noticed about
her environment is the beautiful materials that you can find within it. She
takes care to make her products seem like they have not been made from
something which she has saved from a landfill. She makes sure that all of her
designs are sustainable, lasting for the future, which is a key detail for
upcycled items. Every single one of her designs have been made to be unique,
they have been magically handcrafted by Bilek’s skilled hands. For up-coming
eco fashion designers there are a number of different materials which you could
decide to use for your designs such as wood, netting or aluminium cans.
However, Bilek chooses to use wheel barrow rubber and lorry and tractor inner
tubes which have been discarded. This really makes her work stand out. Katcha
is a prime example of how far eco fashion has really come, she now has a global
brand of upcycled products which are locally sourced.
You too can begin to create accessories from anything, as
long as it is original and helps the environment. Many eco designers put so
much effort into their crafts because they choose what they want to make them
from, they know where the material have been sourced and they search for the
most creative products to use. Everything eco is the future and fashion remains
in the hands of the scrapyards!
A quote from Katcha Bilek to finish off- “I became so aware
of the abandoned materials that were around me and it struck me that, with some
imagination, they could be reconstructed into something beautiful and useful.”
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