Upcycling, or surcyclage in French, is the process of transforming existing materials or products. When applied to textiles, upcycling gives a second life to garments or fabrics that were originally damaged, outdated or, destined to be thrown away.

The term 'upcycling' first appeared in the 1990s, coined by German engineer Reiner Pilz, who advocated for the need to bring value back to waste. It quickly became one of the core principles of the circular economy, starting with design and later spreading into sustainable fashion. The word gained attraction in 2002 with the publication of Cradle to Cradle by Michael Braungart and William McDonough.

Upcycling deadstock fabrics means creating garments from fabric rolls that would otherwise be discarded.

This is the type of upcycling we are committed to at Facettes Studio: we buy deadstock fabric rolls from major French and Italian luxury houses through Nona Source, a supplier owned by the LVMH group.
There are other suppliers of deadstock fabrics that have emerged in recent years, but Nona Source offers key advantages such as traceability. We receive full information on the composition of each fabric and the country where the fabric was woven. That’s already a big plus in the world of upcycling, many suppliers don’t provide this level of detail.

That said, we don’t always know the country of origin of the raw material itself or the potential certifications of the fabric, but Nona Source is working on making this data available.

Deconstructing existing products or garments to create new ones is another form of upcycling.

A dated garment can be reworked by altering its cut to bring it back in style, or it can be completely transformed and repurposed.

Products upcycled in this way are often one-of-a-kind pieces, or part of very small batches in which no two items are the same.

This process is extremely labor-intensive and quickly increases production costs. It’s closer to craftsmanship than mass production.

Unlike traditional recycling, upcycling doesn’t require heavy industrial processes.

Upcycling helps avoid the polluting production of new materials. The very act of creating new fabric, even sustainable fabric, is inherently polluting. By transforming what already exists, we eliminate the need for a full-scale industrial transformation from fiber to fabric.

Upcycling garments comes with its own challenges: creative complexity, limited profitability, and risks of greenwashing.

Repurposing textile waste from finished products demands a very different and often time-consuming creative process. Instead of starting with a creative concept and executing it, an upcycled collection begins with the materials on hand and works backwards into design.
This limited access to deadstock can restrict possibilities, but it also fosters creativity by pushing boundaries.

Because it is time-consuming and each deadstock batch is limited, upcycling can limit a brand’s profitability. Production volume becomes an issue very quickly. With small batches and unchanged fixed costs, a brand’s business model is put to the test.

There’s no doubt that upcycling offers a real solution for making fashion more circular. But it mustn’t become just another marketing tool to boost sales or to polish the image of brands with questionable practices.

Fast fashion companies often launch small upcycled capsules that make up a tiny portion of their collections, but receive the lion’s share of marketing budgets.

Upcycling existing materials or garments is a step toward more responsible production, but we must also consider where and how the items are made.

Upcycling is great, but not if it’s produced halfway across the world or in inhumane conditions.

And finally, the material itself matters, even if it’s upcycled. Polyester, even when upcycled, will still release microplastics into the environment with every wash and beyond its lifetime.

At Facettes Studio, we’ve eliminated synthetic materials entirely and only use upcycled natural and artificial fabrics to avoid microplastic pollution. Our workshops are based in Paris to protect local craftsmanship, ensure low-carbon energy, and guarantee ethical production standards.