Upcycling study warns against extreme novelty

RALEIGH – The unwritten rule behind the upcycled fashion movement is if you want to save the planet and attract fashion-forward consumers, you must make products look novel, say researchers at North Carolina State University.

Examples include patchworked denim fused with neon nylon or architectural silhouettes that defy traditional tailoring. The logic behind this is that the more ‘transformed’ the garment, the more unique it feels, and the more ‘green’ it appears.