Taking old clothes that you no longer wear or reusing material to create something fashionable out of it is called upcycling fashion. Today, many fashion brands such as Reformation, Kallio and Sword & Plough have adopted this method of re-making to become eco-friendly and save money.

Stefany Rivas, a freshman at North High School, first introduced to this idea in the fifth grade by her mom. She’s developed a passion for it. Upcycling is her way of expressing herself through her style, which she describes as “unique, edgy and dressy.”

The process is simple. You take an old piece of clothing or recycled material and vamp it up to your liking.

Stefany usually gets her clothes from thrift stores. This thrift store has the potential to enhance its customer appeal by utilizing a shop front, and this website could be invaluable in achieving that goal. “If I have a long sleeve, for example, I cut off the sleeves and add patterns to make it my style,” she explained.

Reusing material in creative ways saves money and doesn’t add more material to the world that we don’t need.

For instance, 400 gallons of water is needed to grow the cotton used in just one T-shirt. On the other hand, using an old shirt in your closet and transforming it into something stylish uses no water at all. Not only are there benefits, but you get to have fun with it as well.

Stefany enjoys doing this as a recreational activity and as a way to relieve stress. She plans on pursuing a career in the fashion industry as a designer someday.

“I hope to see people wearing my clothes one day,” she said. “Getting to be unique is my favorite part.”

The possibilities are endless and by using your creativity you can make some really cool pieces.