Companies Should NOT Blame Consumers for Overconsumption!

Companies blaming consumers for the products that are destroying the planet is rather obnoxious. With the amount of litigation these companies have gone through, you'd expect them to understand the "But for" rule.

For instance: "But for you selling the product and manufacturing demand for it, the consumers would not have bought it."

"But for you creating cheap garments that rip or wear down easily, or utilizing the planned obsolesce of technology, and manipulating customers to buy more and more product, consumers would not be buying these products in the quantity they currently are"

Yes, if consumers can reduce the impact they have by buying less and buying smarter, it can definitely help. But the onus is not on the consumer to take a lot of extra time, energy, money, and resources they might not even have. The obligation lies on the shoulders of the companies and the government to do right for the people, and take responsibility for the messes that the companies and the government manufactures.

Remember:

We need to do what we can with the options we have.

That said, the pressure of saving the planet should not be on our shoulders alone as individuals. Companies have so much of the power when it comes to the harm done by products. The government has the ability to legislate companies and reduce or even eliminate the harm that they do.

That said, it is still important to do what we can. The onus not being on us does not give us free rein to be wasteful. Let us all do what we can with the options we have. It may not be perfect, and we will all mess up, but even that little bit can be beneficial.

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While it might seem odd for me to "advertise" right after that, I do try to make everything I sell eco-friendly. Reusing boxes when I can, using paper and cellulose tape, and selling salvaged, upcycled, reclaimed, and recycled materials. I also only ship in the US, in order to save emissions, and 5% of all my sales go to 350.org.

If you are interested in crafting supplies like salvaged fabric, beads, buttons, elastic, charm packs, ribbon, and lace, check out my Etsy shop Upcycleability!

If you are interested in secondhand and salvaged clothing, shoes, and the like, check out my Poshmark.

And if you are interested in magazines, technology to use/repair, some old clothes, curtains, books, VHS tapes, and the like, check out my eBay shop UpcycleLuce.

Please only buy if you need anything, I do not want to encourage mindless shopping. Even if the products are used or eco-friendly, buying too much of even reused goods is not sustainable.

TeamSeas Will Not Solve the Global Plastic Problem... But it can be Part of the Solution

There is a lot of plastic in the oceans, and the facts are a lot more dire than we think it is. But working to curb plastic pollution is still a viable goal to strive for!

For those of you who may not know, #TeamSeas is a cleanup project promoted by Mr. Beast and Mark Rober in partnership with the Ocean Cleanup. This project is projected to take 30 million pounds of trash out of the oceans by January 2021.

They are funding this effort the same way 4Ocean does, by cleaning up 1 pound of ocean plastic per $1 USD donated to the cause (well, 4Oceans states that 20 lbs per 20$ bracelet bought, but same difference). Granted, I am not a fan of 4Ocean, and this video by another YouTuber explains why. I have other issues with The Ocean Cleanup that I will address later.

Personally, I think working to clean beaches and taking trash out of the oceans is a fantastic idea, and I think more people and especially companies and the government, should focus on it more. Sadly, we put more of the onus on individuals than on the companies making the pollution and governments allowing it to happen.

I also think that fundraisers like this are a great way for a lot of people who may feel powerless due to age, socioeconomic factors, disability, and more to be able to feel like they have some power. Particularly when it comes to making the world a better place, and that cannot be overstated.

Not everyone has the ability, time, energy, etc to go to a beach cleanup. Especially if you live in most of the world that is not even close to a beach to clean. So being able to spread the word or donate 5 bucks is a good way to feel like you are doing your part.

But why would I be wary of supporting as project like this? Well, let's look at potential issues with TeamSeas, and see if there are ways in which we can be more effective in stopping plastic pollution and cleaning it.

The issue with plastic collection

In 2016, it was estimated that there were 150 million metric tons of plastic in the oceans that were growing at a rate of about 11 million metric tons annually. So we can assume there are at least 200 metric tons of plastic in the oceans, if not more.

That is 441 billion pounds of trash. This means that 30 million pounds of trash being picked up is only about 0.06% of the total plastic waste currently in the ocean.

There are other issues as well, such as the focus on buoyant plastics. The video by Mark Rober shows trash leaving a river and floating to the machine that collects it.

While I agree that mechanisms like this are great because they pick up the trash before making it into the oceans, it only picks up the trash that happens to float to it. Something that can also be done without the need for a large machine.

The issue with focusing on floating plastics is that most aren't floating at the surface. It is estimated that between 94%and 99%of all plastics that have entered the oceans have fallen to the ocean floor. That means that they cannot be picked up by these machines.

On top of that, about 11% of all plastic in the oceans is microplastics and is often too small to be picked up by these machines. Most microplastics are also fairly dense, meaning that they do not float either.

While 60% of all plastic produced is considered to be buoyant, many factors come into play that cause them to sink over time. These include degradation as well as waves that can pull down plastic which then stays on the ocean floor due to water pressure.

This project seems to be marred by similar problems seen with Team Trees, which is another project Mr. Beast and Mark Rober did 2 years ago with planting 20 million trees. Lack of foresought in the fundraiser did very little to help the environment overall, and Mr. Beast was criticized after this video due to the wasteful habits in his videos.

But what about the organization itself? What about The Ocean Cleanup?

The problem with The Ocean Cleanup

The Ocean Cleanup is an organization that has been criticized for various things dating back years.

many of their ocean cleanup machines use a decent amount of unnecessary fuel. Something they themselves admit on their own website. This means they are putting more carbon and other toxins into the air for the act of cleaning a relatively small amount of trash from the oceans.

The interceptors, which are the ones that are at the base of the river, are claimed to run on 100% solar energy. This is a good thing, but it is just a fraction of the overall issue.

On top of this, The Ocean Cleanup seems to be funded in part by the very companies that are making the plastic packaging going into the oceans, like Coca-Cola. Coca-cola seems to be using this as a shield to hide behind their continued creation of plastic bottles, which they refuse to stop making.

I guess it is more profitable to back an organization scooping their trash out of the oceans than it is for Coca-Cola to just stop manufacturing plastic bottles, or at least create massive infrastructure designed to take accountability for their pollution. Like bottle take-back programs.

The founder of the group, Boyan Slat, also seems to be a bit of a misogynist. He seems to like to dismiss female experts who mention that the design for his vessels was likely to capsize, calling them "emotive" in 2019.

The Ocean Cleanup also seems to have a major issue when it comes to trapping hundreds of animals in their nets when catching plastic at sea. There seems to be no oversight to ensure that they do not harm marine animals in their pursuit to clean the oceans.

Rebecca Helm, who points out the concerns of trapped animals in the article I linked to above, also revamps here issues in a Twitter thread at the start of this campaign. She, as a woman, also seemed to have been ignored over the past couple of years.

I hope that everything has changed, and that there are no issues when it comes to this project. The fact that Ocean Conservancy is supporting it makes me feel a little bit better about the organization and project as a whole.

Doing what we can to help, and holding those in power accountable

So while this can help people to feel better about donating, I also think that acting as if this is going to solve major issues with ocean trash is a little reaching. The Ocean Cleanup claims it will clean up 90% of the world's floating ocean plastic pollution, but their hopes of cleaning 20,000 tons of trash a year pails in comparison to the 8 million tons of new plastic trash littering our oceans annually.

Helping to clean the oceans is fine, but this organization is not going to solve the problem. It will never clean 90% of the 1-6% of ocean plastic that floats. But as someone who is trying to help clean the oceans, I respect the organization for that. It will take millions of people and many years to help clean the mess that companies have created.

While I applaud Mr. Beast and Mark Rober for trying to do what they can as influencers to help, and bringing the issue of ocean plastic to light, I think the project itself toots its own horn too much.

Beach cleanups and working to find ways to make the earth a better place within your power is a great thing to do! We all have our own abilities and skills that we can bring to the table, and they should all be used to benefit each other and the planet. However, we should be pressuring the government and corporations to fix this problem, as they are the ones who made it in the first place.

Fundraisers for beach cleanup is great and all, but it will never be sustainable without laws and policies to clean the pollution and prevent it from being an issue in the first place. Lobby your government if you can.

This is also why I focus on donating to 350.org, as it is an intersectional organization that helps to pressure government and corporations into enacting policy and law that benefits the environment as well as the people who live in it.

But more importantly, VOTE. Write to your representatives. Vote for people in state, federal, and local elections that will have your best interests and the interests of the environment in mind. Demand to be represented by the people you vote into office. Make sure that your voice is heard, and that your demands are clear.

It is not up to us to fix this mess, but we have no other choice than to work hard. We need to force governments and corporations to fix the mess they made in the pursuit of profits.

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If you like what you have read and want to support me, you can by using the shop links below! But only buy if you need more reclaimed crafting supplies, used clothes, etc. Don't buy just for the sake of buying.

Upcycleability- My Etsy shop where I sell my upcycled crafts and salvaged/reclaimed craft supplies. This includes fabric, yarn, beads, ribbons, leather, buckles, scraps, and more!

UpcycledLucy– My Poshmark to buy used clothing that I salvage from being thrown out. Often sneakers and other shoes, but also shirts, jeans, pants, and dresses of all genders and sizes.

Lucienes– My eBay shop where I sell everything else that I salvage, such as books, games, boxes, and more

5-10% of all sales from the above links go towards 350 dot org, an intersectional activist organization working to fight climate change and get climate justice.

Made a Necklace from Shoe Leather Scraps

Sorry for my lack of posts, I have been super busy!

That said, I finished a necklace that I made entirely out of scrap leather, including the string for the necklace! The leather scraps came from shoes that I disassembled and upcycled into beads to put on this necklace!

The brown leather is from a pair of counterfeit Timberland shoes. The white and black leather are from worn Nike shoes I could not resell! I think the leather string came from a leather bag I took apart, and the closure is from an article of clothing (perhaps a bra?) so it is adjustable! ***

You can find this and more on my Etsy shop!

I also sell salvaged clothing and other items on eBay and Poshmark!

And if you are interested in dumpster diving, upcycling, and more from a leftist perspective, you are more than welcome to join the Socialist dumpster diving Discord Server that I am a member of ^_^

Using Up All Fabric

A lot of people who craft with fabric, or yarn, or really anything, might find out that they have far more supplies than they will ever be able to use. You might even have a huge influx of scrap fabrics and remnants that you might not know what to do with either.

Tossing them away can be a huge waste, and can be hard on the environment if you bought the materials new!

So what can you do with all of this? Well, let's think of some ways to use up these fabrics and bits of yarn!

Scrap Yarn Scarf / Doilies

Doll Clothing

Small bits, or "scraps" of yarn can be hard to know what to do with, as they are often just tails of yarn, or small remnants from the end of a knitting project, etc. But these small bits can be combined to give a scarf or another project, such as doilies, coasters, doll clothing, and more, some character.

Mug Cozies and Coasters

I use salvaged fabric, but I still like to use up my scraps and creative ways! For instance, I have made some cozies and coasters by doing this! They are nice for keeping your hands nice and cool while sipping from a hot beverage, or to prevent your drink from spilling everywhere!

Charm Packs / Mini Charm Packs

Charm Packs are sets of between 42 and 100 squares of (generally woven) fabric that are 5" x 5". Mini charm packs are the same, but half the size, at 2.5" x 2.5". These are a great way to use up extra scraps to give to friends or customers who may quilt! There are also Layer Cakes, which are 10" x 10", and Jelly Rolls which are 44" x 2.5". Great ways to find another purpose for fabric scraps!

Scrap Filling

This is shockingly popular for one of my items, but what I do is cut up a certain type of fabric, such as small bits, seams, etc, of cotton, linen, viscose, wool, etc, and cut them into very small bits.

This can then be used as stuffing for throw pillows, toys, pincusions, and more! A great way to use up what is referred to as "cabbage."

If you like what you have read and want to support me, you can by using the shop links below! But only buy if you need new supplies, clothes, etc. Don't buy just for the sake of buying.

Upcycleability- My Etsy shop where I sell my upcycled crafts and craft supplies:

UpcycledLucy– My Poshmark to buy used clothing that I salvage from being thrown out

UpcycledLucy– My Mercari where I also sell used clothing, but cheaper

Lucienes– My eBay shop where I sell everything else that I salvage, such as books, games, boxes, and more

5-10% of all sales from the above links go towards 350 dot org, an intersectional activist organization working to fight climate change and get climate justice.

Recycling Books, What to do with Old or Damaged Magazines, Textbooks, Etc

Some of us love to get new books and be transported into a new magical realm. Some of us don't enjoy books at all, and prefer to get our information in other ways. Either way, you are likely to have a lot of books, magazines, and textbooks that you may not want. What should you do with these? Let's look at some ways to reuse or recycle them!

Resell them

Selling your excess is always the best way to give your stuff a new life. This is because, unless someone specifically asks you if they can have or borrow a book, people tend to care more about something if they have to spend money on it.

reselling used books is also a good thing to do if you are given a lot of books, or you find a fair amount of them when dumpster diving. I know I find my fair share of them, and selling them helps me to pay bills or rent.

Give them away

YThis may sound odd given what I just said above, but giving them away can be beneficial as well. If someone asks you for a certain book, or you have family or friends that you know may want to read a particular book you have, then giving away your copy might be the best bet.

Also, you can have a small library if you have the ability to put one up where you life. These are small outdoor pantries that hold books that people can put in, or take out.

Cut them up and recycle them!

You cannot recycle books whole due to the covers and glue, but you CAN tear out all of the pages and recycle the pages instead. This can be great if you are recycling a workbook, if the book is otherwise heavily written in it, or if the book is damaged.

Also, some books are filled with hateful or harmful rhetoric. Giving them away or reselling them might just propagate the harmful ideas, so this is another way to give the pages a new life!

Use them for craft projects!

People have been able to take old books and turn them into beautiful works of art! This is a great way to reuse an old worn or vintage book while also stretching your creative muscles! Cutting up magazines for scrapbooking, or making paper beads, is always a fun thing to do as well!

So maybe see what you can make! Or you can try any of the other tips, and more, to make sure that books and magazines get reused or recycled instead of trashed.

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If you like what you have read and want to support me, you can by using the shop links below! But only buy if you need new supplies, clothes, etc. Don't buy just for the sake of buying.

Upcycleability- My Etsy shop where I sell my upcycled crafts and craft supplies:

UpcycledLucy– My Poshmark to buy used clothing that I salvage from being thrown out

UpcycledLucy– My Mercari where I also sell used clothing, but cheaper

Lucienes– My eBay shop where I sell everything else that I salvage, such as books, games, boxes, and more

5-10% of all sales from the above links go towards 350 dot org, an intersectional activist organization working to fight climate change and get climate justice.

Replacements for tailor's chalk:

If you do not have tailor's chalk, what are some eco-friendly replacements that you can use for marking on your fabric?

Sidewalk/chalkboard chalk:

This is a low-impact and inexpensive way of marking on fabric. while it may not be as thin as tailor's chalk, it can be sharpened easily to make a more fine tip. Using different colors might make it harder to remove from fabric, but since this chalk is supposed to be used by kids, it is most likely going to be easy enough to remove the markings from clothes.

Pencils

I use regular pencils a lot when I am cutting up fabric. When used on lighter colors of fabric, a standard #2 pencil will create a thin dark line that can be easily traced with a pair of scissors to give a fantastic cut! The main issue is, not only would this be hard to do with knit fabrics, but it might not be easy to come off the fabric if you have any residue left from the pencil after cutting. Also, the pencil cannot be too sharp or it will catch on the fabric instead of "writing" on it.

Chalk pencils

Personally, I LOVE using these! I have bought a couple of them on eBay from someone who was destashing them, and they work wonders for writing on fabric! You can even get them in different colors, such as different skin tones, white, and gray, so you can switch them up to use on any fabric you need to ujse them on.

The ones I use are General's Pastel Chalk. Idk if any others work well.

What not to use to mark fabric:

Crayons/Color Pencils

I learned the hard way that it is very hard to get wax out of fabric Eyeliner

I learned this the hard way as well. Not only is eyeliner fairly oily, but it also doesn't dry. This means that it is super easy to smudge, leaving marks all over the fabric, which are very hard to remove.

Markers

While there are fabric markers you can use for this specific purpose, most markers will bleed and run on fabric, and can be hard, if not impossible to remove.

You do not have to be conventional when it comes to sewing, and finding some alternatives can also help to get them secondhand for cheap. So try these out if you like! *** If you like what you have read and want to support me, you can by using the shop links below! But only buy if you need new supplies, clothes, etc. Don't buy just for the sake of buying.

Upcycleability- My Etsy shop where I sell my upcycled crafts and craft supplies:

UpcycledLucy– My Poshmark to buy used clothing that I salvage from being thrown out

UpcycledLucy– My Mercari where I also sell used clothing, but cheaper

Lucienes– My eBay shop where I sell everything else that I salvage, such as books, games, boxes, and more

5-10% of all sales from the above links go towards 350 dot org, an intersectional activist organization working to fight climate change and get climate justice.

A Response to a Commenter: Corperate Capitalism

I generally just try to put out good information on things we can do to help when and if we can (because corporations are not on Tumblr reading my blog), but apparently, this brought criticism of me and my shop, so I am going to address that criticism.

The article this is about is the only one out of 121 articles written so far that has somehow gone viral. You can read it HERE

The person who mentioned this had a few things to say about me, so let's start off with this:

I 100% agree that the main issues are a result of corperations and governments. I talk a lot about how we need systemic change and how the governments are to blame in my article on overpopulation.

I talk about this all the time, both here on my Tumblr, but also over on Medium. I am not trying to make anyone feel guilty about their life while giving corporations an out. I am calling out corporations, while also providing nifty tips that I have learned about myself to help in what little ways that we can. We need both systemic change and social change.

Hold companies and government accountable, but also live ourselves in a way that we want to see the world. This is how I personally live my own life.

Yes, at the end of most of my posts with links to my shops where I sell secondhand and salvaged materials. I do this so that if anyone is going to buy something anyways, they can buy it in a more sustainable way.

I only sell within my own country or the one country adjacent, and I only ship using longer shipping times (no 2-day shipping if I can avoid it), and I only use the US Postal Service as they are heading to your home to deliver your mail anyhow, so it is a greener option and easier for me to implement.

I also know that all things shipped has a carbon footprint, which is why I buy carbon credits, and donate 5% of my rather low income to intersectional climate activist group 350 dot org.

And as I often state: Don't buy from me if you don't need anything. I sell used clothing, destash fabrics, salvaged materials for crafts, and upcycled products that I make. If you are going to sew anyways, buying salvaged fabric and the like is far better than buying brand new fabrics that are often made using harmful chemicals and poor labor rights.

I am a trans woman, pansexual, disabled, neurodivergent, and live in poverty. I know very well what "wokeness" is, and I doubt what I am doing is anything close to that.

I did not take any business or advertising classes at all. I suck at advertising. I have been writing blogs and the like for myself for over 15 years on a variety of different topics, and that is the only way I know how to promote my business. I write about something I am fascinated in and want to learn more about myself, or else share knowledge with people who don't know what I have learned via research, and then link my upcycle shop if anyone is interested in finding some things they may need without the impact of buying new.

And I love how they make it sound like I am striking it rich. On Etsy, over the last 3 months (after fees), I made about 235$, or about 80$ a month. On Mercari over the same 3 month period, I made 66 dollars, so 22$ a month. On eBay, 90 day total is 242$, or about 80$ a month. Poshmark has my most income, at 377$ since January 1st, or almost 4 months. That is, again, about 80$ a month. So for all of my "monetization of wokeness" I make about... 250 bucks a month. And that is about half to a little more than half of my monthly income. The rest I get through what few freelance writing clients that I get in a month.

I live off 400-500 USD a month in earnings. I get by with this, and I am happy to do what I love, such as dumpster diving, disassembling clothing, and selling or reselling what I make or find. It also allows me to work from home, as someone who is a trans woman, pansexual, disabled, neurodivergent, and in poverty.

I am not trying to trick anyone, I am simply trying to survive in a Capitalist hellscape. If selling salvaged handbags and scarves made from T-shirts is my sin, then burn me at the stake.

I will be writing a new article soon about more eco-friendly craft supplies.

Amazon Sucks, Try eBay Instead

At this point, I would be shocked if anyone didn't know of the massive issues perpetuated by Amazon against their workers, against the environment, and more. That said, one great alternative that I have been engaging in is actually that has been rivaling it since its beginnings: eBay.

The Transparency of eBay

One thing I really enjoy about eBay is the fact that it tells you the numbers. Amazon refuses to show their carbon emissions numbers to the world, and has ties to many companies and entities, like the Military, that is a gas-guzzling giant.

Meanwhile, eBay is open and honest about all of what they do, and what they are doing to reduce their overall impact. You can read their 2019 environmental impact report here.

No extras, Less energy usage

Unlike Amazon, eBay does not contribute to GHG emissions via shipping their own goods, having tons of massive warehouses, production of branded products, making their own boxes, overpacking, and more. eBay is mainly just a site used to provide the transactions and the individual sellers package and ship on their own accord. In fact, according to their report:

This means that most of the emissions are created through the computer data centers that allow the transactions to take place, as well as holding the data, images, videos, etc. This means that the majority of their emissions can be drastically reduced by simply reducing their reliance on fossil fuels and switching to renewable energy. Which they are.

Their use of renewable energy has been going up quite a bit over the past few years, and they are hoping to reach 100% renewable by 2025.

Buy Local and Used

Every time I go to buy something on eBay, I specifically change my search criteria to only include items that are located here in the US, and are used. I can't always get something that fits both of these criteria, but 99% of the few things I do buy, are. These includes books, specific items of clothing to upcycle, etc.

Doing this drastically reduces your emissions footprint, and also helps a generally small seller be able to make a little bit of money from selling their old books, games, or clothes, etc. There are a fair amount of larger shops who sell on here too, like goodwill, but many of them are small sellers reselling their own stuff, or buying liquidation crates and selling the contents.

Other Alternatives to Amazon

eBay is not the only alternative to consider either. You can also find some awesome goods at places like Etsy, Poshmark, Depop, Mercari, Facebook Marketplace, and more. There are so many online shops that sell secondhand goods that there is really no reason to ever shop at Amazon. Or, at the very least, reduce your shopping there to a minimum.

If you like what you have read and want to support me, you can by using the shop links below!

Upcycleability- My Etsy shop where I sell my upcycled crafts and craft supplies:

UpcycledLucy– My Poshmark to buy used clothing that I salvage from being thrown out

UpcycledLucy– My Mercari where I also sell used clothing, but cheaper

Lucienes– My eBay shop where I sell everything else that I salvage, such as books, games, boxes, and more

5-10% of all sales from the above links go towards 350 dot org, an intersectional activist organization working to fight climate change and get climate justice.

I Got My Covid Vaccine!

Yes, I look like a hot mess, lol!

I have been trying to get on the vaccine schedule since I have been eligable about a week ago. But sadly, due to poverty and lack of transportation, the only place I could feasibly go to get the vaccine was my local clinic. But they have been booked solid.

Well, I checked this morning, lo and behold, someone cancelled their appointment and I was able to snatch up an appointment for an hour later. This is important due to me having athsma, being disabled and frail, as well as given what I do for a living, which is upcycling and dumpster diving. I was also able to get one for my husband in a few weeks time.

I am posting this not to gloat, but to urge others to get the vaccine when they can. It is very safe, and prevents sickness not just to yourself, but to those around you who may be elderly or immunocompromised.

Coronavirus is not a hoax, it is not a lie, it is not over reported, it is a serious virus that has killed over half a million people in my country alone. So if you have the ability to do so, please get a vaccine. And continue to wear your face masks for the next few months.

Please be curteous to those around you who may have an increased risk, or who may not be able to get the vaccine.

And please don't just throw your masks on the ground. Dispose of them properly.

Thank you

Sustainable Asian-American and Asian-Canadian Stores to Support!

As mentioned in my last post, we need to do what we can to help each other. I do not have much that can help in this time of need, but I do have a growing platform here on Tumblr. And one way I can use it is to give a shoutout to sustainable Asian-American/Canadian brands that are doing awesome things!

I am including some Canadian shops as well due to the fact that hatred and bigotry towards Asians during this pandemic is also a major issue there as well. So regardless if you live in the US or CA, you can find some amazing shops.

So here are a few of the shops that I have found that are owned by Asian Americans/Canadians that are also helping to make the world an awesome and sustainable place to live!

Blueland - New York, NY

Owner of Blueland, Sarah Paiji Yoo, works to reduce the use of plastic bottles by providing an alternative. This well-known sustainable brand sells a variety of products in tablet or powder form, such as dish soap, hand soap, laundry detergent, and different cleaning sprays.

They will provide a strong bottle (I think the bottle is made of plastic, but it is optional, and meant to be reused for life) and then all you need to do is buy refills to fill tthem back up! This is good as sustainable hand-wash dish soap seems to be hard to find for me.

3Women - Long Beach, CA

3Women is a wonderful shop that is after my own heart. The owner, Crystal Lee Early, as well as a few of her friends, create new clothing and designs made from vintage fabric. Their designs and clothing look very beautiful, and as a result of being reused, they are eci friendly!

Reusing the old for new purpose is something that inspires me every day, and it is always awesome to see other people doing the same!

Novel Supply Co - Vancouver, BC, Canada.

Novel Supply Co is wonderful minimalist clothing brand created by Kaya Dorey. She creates sweaters, hats, crews, and tank tops using either upcycled products, or materials such as hemp and organic cotton.

Her designs are simplistic, but facinating, and she even makes clothing for kids! Most of her clothing are white or off-white  in color, which would make me nervous to wear around a cup of coffee, but they look awesome!

OpusMind - San Francisco

OpusMind is a leather brand made by Kathleen Kuo. It works to take leather scraps that would otherwise be tossed out by a local glove company and turns them into nice looking backpacks, tote bags, crossbody bags, cardholders, and even an organizer.

While leather is generally seen as a harmful material due to animals being harmed to get it, using leather scraps is a great way to get the sustainable and long-lasting benefits of leather, while minimizing the harmful effects of it.

Ocin - Vancouver, Canada

This swimwear company was created by Courtney Chew. It is a high-quality swimwear company that focuses on making swimsuits that can be worn regardless of whether you are in or out of the water, such as when exercising. These include bathing suits, swimming trunks, sports bras, hoodies, and more!

These clothes are made using recycled plastic bottles as well as recycled nylon. While recycled plastic garments can be problematic due to them shedding microplastics when washed, etc, not much can be done about clothes that are meant to become wet, like swimwear and athleticwear. So using recycled plastic is a good alternative.

Extra Shop I Enjoy!

Rehyphen - Singapore

Rehyphen by Jessica “JJ” Chuan is a fascinating designer brand that I learned about not too long ago. It is a shop that is based out of Singapore, but does do international shipping. I discovered her when looking up bags and the like made from old VHS tape.

What Jessica does is create bags, maps, artwork, and more, entirely out of VHS tape. Her beautiful designs are rather breathtaking to behold.

So here are just 6 of the many Asian-owned companies that are sustainable. Consider purchasing from them if you need anything, as every little bit helps.