Upcycling Has Never Been More Popular and These Brands Are Why

This sustainable movement it involves creating new, one-of-a-kind pieces from previously worn clothing and accessories is having a Style Moment. You can thank these seven labels for rising to the very chic occasion, reworking the fashion biz and our closets. And we'll take some thanks, too, for the tips on how to wear their best pieces. ;)

- ALEXANDRA ILYASHOV

Psychic Outlaw @Psychic.Outlaw

Austin-based Rebecca Wright launched Psychic Outlaw in 2019 by repurposing recycled quilts. Each folksy, Americana design has personal meaning (Wright's grandmother was a skilled quilter) that makes it extra special.

HOUSE SPECIALTY: Cozy chore coats plus maxis made from old bandannas.

WEAR IT WITH: A slip dress and platforms.

NEXT UP: More collabs outside of clothing, like the quilt-festooned furniture Wright helped create for a recent L.A. art show.

Picnicwear @Picnicwear

Dani Des Roches was once a knitwear designer for major brands, taking what she calls a "very standard route" career-wise. "Over time, I realized what I was part of and detested it," she says. In 2020, she launched Picnicwear in her tiny Brooklyn apartment before relocating to rural North Carolina. She says the "extremely supportive" online upcycling community is "a total rejection of the cutthroat fast-fashion industry."

HOUSE SPECIALTY: Colorful vintage towels reworked into bucket hats and shorts.

WEAR IT WITH: Cargo pants and a bodysuit.

FIT FACTORS: Elastic waistbands and generously cut dresses are where it's at: "I wanted things to be able to fit a range of bodies and people as their weight fluctuates," she says.

Friskmegood @Friskmegood