Upcycling with Volvo Car UK: Sashiko

Hey there!

Thank you so much for joining me here! Whether you attended my Sashiko workshop at the Hus of Volvo: EX30 Experience, or you're just looking for new ways to upcycle, I'm thrilled you're here.

In our fast-paced fashion world, textile waste has become a significant concern, and it's no secret that our clothing consumption habits have led to mountains of wasted garments, particularly denim. This is why I was so excited to be involved in Volvo's immersive experience to celebrate their latest car, the Volvo EX-30, which showcases their commitments to design and sustainability. The Indigo interior room, made with 50% recycled denim fibres from jeans, really inspired me and got me thinking about different ways to upcycle my denim.

That's where Sashiko comes in.

There is a timeless Japanese embroidery technique called Sashiko. Sashiko not only adds beautiful decorative elements to clothes but also offers a sustainable solution for upcycling denim and other textiles. In this blog post, I want to share with you how to 'Sashiko' and why it's such an incredible way to decorate and breathe new life into your clothes. Along the way, we'll also delve into some distressing statistics about denim waste.

Now, let's start with some eye-opening facts:

Did you know that it takes a staggering 1,800 gallons (6,813 litres) of water to produce just one pair of jeans? And the denim industry is responsible for about 10% of the carbon emissions associated with global apparel production. On top of that, more than 200 million pairs of jeans are sold worldwide each year, leading to an enormous amount of discarded denim.

With all of this in mind, it has become more important than ever to find creative ways to reuse existing denim, like Volvo have done in their new EX30, rather than keep producing more.

Sashiko, which means "little stabs" in Japanese, is an ancient embroidery technique originally used for mending and repairing garments. Today, it has evolved into an art form that combines functionality with exciting design. Instead of throwing away a damaged or outdated denim piece, Sashiko allows you to mend it in a creative way. By incorporating beautiful geometric patterns and Sashiko stitching, you can breathe new life into a garment that would otherwise end up in landfill.

One of the incredible benefits of Sashiko stitching is its strength and durability. By reinforcing weak points like fraying hems or torn pockets, you can actually make these areas even stronger than before. As a result, you significantly extend the lifespan of your clothes and contribute to reducing the overall textile waste generated by the fashion industry.

So let's turn a plain piece of fabric into a stunning work of art! The meditative nature of Sashiko stitching allows you to express your creativity while adopting a more sustainable approach to fashion.

If you're interested in giving it a try, check out the video below for a step-by-step guide:

Happy Stitching! xx