Coming soon! A collection of upcycled tees made by hand in Brooklyn, NY using gently worn garments to help reduce textile waste. Each delicate cycle tee repurposes about 5 secondhand t-shirts (that would otherwise be discarded as waste - SAD). See my last post for a long description on my journey to starting this baby brand :)
It would mean the world if you followed along as I explore and learn more about overconsumption, what happens to our clothes when we discard them, and how we can slowly change our mindsets from a disposable cycle to a handle-with-care delicate cycle :)
and also drop some fun tees along the way!!
The fashion industry has a serious waste problem - as consumers were buying and discarding more clothes than ever before. Social media fueling our need to follow never ending clothing trends, brands launching new products every week at crazy low prices... it feels only natural to think “who cares if i wear this top twice or if it falls apart- its only $20” ... and then i can just drop it off at Goodwill... out of sight out of mind.
but with SO MANY garments in circulation where do they all even end up? only about 30% off clothes donated to a thrift store are actually sold. And what happens to the rest? Our unsold goods are baled up and enter a wildly complex, global secondhand supply chain... eventually making their way to the global south where millions of garments are off loaded each week - a majority ending up in landfills and waterways. greatly impacting the economies, health, and livelihood of people.
Our cycle of disposability is greatly disrupting the delicate balance of our world.
To me, the t-shirt is the epitome of our waste culture - as disposable as a single-use plastic bottle. For every event, 5k, family reunion (etc etc) we get a tshirt that we wear maybe once and then donate.
My goal with Delicate Cycle is to re-value the t-shirt, extending its life through thoughtful upcycled designs. I’ve been digging into all of the crazy impacts of my own consumption and honestly its very overwhelming ... I am very far from perfect but I’m learning to see potential in all things that already exist, especially clothes. And whether it’s an heirloom piece or an online purchase, I’m slowly learning to consume with intention and treat all my clothes with longevity in mind. would you join me on this journey?
disposable cycle -> handle-with-care delicate cycle🙂
I’ve been developing this little brand for seemingly ages (working with some amazingly talented makers) and will be popping up at a couple markets very soon and then dropping online. it would mean the world if you followed along!
cooking up that NEW NEW BABYYYY!!!! upcycled drop in the works 🩵♥️
repurposing lotssss of discarded tees for this batch (have little calluses from all the cutting!). as always I’m pumped to be giving new life to seemingly worthless garments
your sign to keep going! :)
*can’t say that I’ve “created employment” for myself lol - very much dependent on my full time job…. but any who if you’re working on a creative project / side hustle / small biz … every small step and check off the to-do list is a win!!
Anyone else find themselves so quickly forgetting to acknowledge the wins??
I actually am proud of myself for putting in the hard work this month and really try not to place my value in this silly app… but just being real that working on a creative project/ small biz honestly feels so vulnerable at times… and also so unpredictable… and also so easy to fall into comparison spirals!
ANYWAY THANK YOU for supporting me in big and small ways!!! happy to be working on a project that I deeply care about:)
more one of a kind upcycled pieces coming soon!
PSA: 50% off days at the Salvation Army go crazyyyy
Through Delicate Cycle I not only want to champion the power of upcycling but also to remind you that it is so possible to keep your wardrobe fresh with thrifted finds. My own wardrobe is 95% secondhand!
For this thrift trip I was focused on finding pants for spring and I honestly crushed. I didn’t try any of these on in the store and somehow they all fit me perfectly!!!!!
This is your sign! I promise you that the items on your wishlist can be found secondhand- keeping existing clothes in rotation is so important!! Get out there and get those deals!
weee like any tiny business/ creative project so much work goes into Delicate Cycle! but I truly feel so grateful to be doing the thing!!!! trying my very best to challenge the norms of overconsumption while repurposing as many discarded tees as I can ♻️
coming off a busy month! working in the background on some fun new drops :)
a goooood EARTH MONTH so far! so many small things to be grateful for 😊
it’s this time of year (sunshine, spring blooms popping up, earth day) where I feel reminded of how vital it is to care for our earth well if we want to continue to enjoy its goodness and beauty.
for me it all comes back to consumption - reframing the way that i consume everything, acknowledging the resources and labor that goes into the things i purchase. this mindset helps me shift the way that I view discarded items as well - honoring existing garments as raw material worthy of repurposing to create new VALUE.
as always though - it’s never about perfection, only about imperfect progress. challenging ourselves to do the best we can with what we we have 💚
Happy Earth Day!!!! 🌱 Last weekend I had the absolute pleasure of walking for @delicatecycle.co at The Living Archive at @startupartfair .
Delicate Cycle re-values discarded graphic tees into beautiful pieces with new life. Tori makes her upcycled clothing by hand with intention and care. I feel so happy to be able to support a designer that reduces textile waste. 🥰
If you’ve been following me for some time you know I’m very passionate about how we can find more sustainable and ethical solutions to fashion.
About the show: The Living Archive is a two-part immersive fashion show and interactive exhibit celebrating regenerative design, cultural heritage, textile repair, and community connection.
Lead producer: @theflippside
Casting director: @kj_lynn_
Lookbook: @tori_ewald
Photographer: @paige.bt
#sustainablefashion #slowfashion #upcycled #reducewaste
turns out 100% cotton thrifted tees make really good fabric …. SOOO much potential at the thrift store for cool upcycling projects. also creating with secondhand materials produces a finished product that can never be replicated in the exact same way… one of a kind bb!!!
woof things have been busy!! having lots of fun (and feeling stressed😅). thanks so much for supporting this little dream of mine! just grateful to be working towards my main goal with this project - to repurpose as many secondhand tees as I possibly can!
more upcycled goodness coming soon! including a new unisex style that I’m PUMPED about!!
also this weekend! delicate cycle will be a part of an exhibition @startupartfair ! opening reception and FASHION SHOW this Friday!
