A local solution to a global problem.
While this was a solo project, I would like to thank all my friends and family for volunteering clothes, feedback and of course their time to help bring my idea to life.
What's the Problem?
Australians waste far too many clothes and most of us don't even realise how bad the problem is.
Every 10 minutes Australians make 6,000 kgs of clothing and textile waste, making us the second largest consumer per person of textiles behind the US. Combined apparel and footwear make up around 8% of global emissions and the industry can have broad and devastating effects on natural environments through pollution, and water consumption. The textiles industry is responsible for 20% of global water wastage.
The total carbon emissions created by the clothing and textile industry is expected to increase by 49% globally by 2030 from its baseline in 2016.
Modern trends suit the idea of unique clothing, causing an average clothing consumption of an Australian at 27kgs a year, they will throw out an additional 24kgs in the same period. Hardly any small designers and artists can compete with the bigger clothing manufacturers and brands on price for new clothes, especially if it’s primarily a side hustle or hobby they do however have the natural edge of offering far more unique and exclusive garments. Viral trends like “Hauls” are a clear example of the advantage fast fashion brands hold when it comes to sheer volume and costs of products.
The Idea.
Create reprint, a not-for-profit collective designed to connect fashion conscious consumers with local creators to make new and unique pieces from clothes that may have otherwise been thrown away.
Creators are listed on the reprint website and their designs featured in the Instagram, the target audience can then look for what matches their style and garment and get in contact.
Designers are allowed to charge fees for their labour and are free to accept and decline commissions as they please. Re-Print takes no cut of the designer’s fees.
Designers are allowed to charge fees for their labour and are free to accept and decline commissions as they please. Re-Print takes no cut of the designer’s fees.
All Re-Print intellectual property is collectively held meaning any creator can use previously created pieces that use the Re-Print logos and branding, all these designs are then available for use by any registered Re-Print creator. These creators still retain all their own original designs and Intellectual Property. The only violations of this agreement are any uses of the Re-Print brand that symbolises or incites hate or encourages unjust violence. Parody and political designs are allowed but Re-Print does retain the right to decline designs that could potentially damage the ideals of the project in the public eye.
The aim is to have no two garments the same, all with different influences, histories and aesthetics. The core goal is to empower more creative expression through fashion while simultaneously reducing waste.
I was the first 'creator' in the project, using my homemade screen printing setup. The screen printing process, from design generation to finding volunteers and garments and finally printing on them was a long one with a few roadblocks, but something I would do again in a heartbeat. It was enjoyable to prove that the concept can work myself, instead of relying on it as a theoretical idea.
Executions
For this project I ended up creating 12 different upcycled pieces from existing clothing, so far I have given 8 of these garments out. I created an Instagram to reach the target audience where they spend most of their time alongside posters, a website, a 'Makers Market' weekend pop-up and custom stickers and packaging to be sold.
Everything I did fit within my budget as a student and was managed within my own time, local projects don't need big budgets. Local projects don't need big spends on social ads, that money is better used creating a more organic presence in the community.
Instagram
As Instagram is the most common place Re-Print will reach and retain creators and customers alike, the focus has been on creating an engaging viewing experience. The Instagram will also be the best way to promote the great work done by creators, so even if followers aren’t customers, it still benefits the smaller creatives this project aims to empower.
I opted for clear shots of the garments themselves and the process, with a relaxed tone for captions. Each post also has music alongside it which appeals to the large electronic music fan base in Melbourne, many of which are young people in the inner city.
@the.reprint.project
Website
The website is where potential customers find creators, check out their work and learn a bit about them (and Re-Print as a whole) and submit garments for upcycling.
There is a creator and customer side to the site, the primary difference being creators have control over their own creator pages and can submit requests to collaborate with other creators.
The website in its current form is based off a weekly takeover, meaning when a creator is featured the home page will emulate the style of their designer page.
When a customer wants to connect with a creator, a submission form will come up asking them for some personal information, which designs they like and to provide photos and information on the material of the garment.
Posters
Designed to be around Melbourne’s CBD and inner suburbs, these posters take you through the simple 4 step process of upcycling with Re-Print. Each QR code leads directly to the home page on the Re-Print site. These posters will be placed around Melbourne’s CBD and inner suburbs, concentrated around Melbourne Central/RMIT, Flinders St Station and along Flinders and Brunswick Streets. Wheat paste posters also suit the brand well, and the guerilla nature of them will attract the right type of attention.
The Re Print brand is free use to creators, they can create their own promotional materials in their own style and use it as they please. These posters I’ve made are examples for Taun Productions x Re- Print, and any other creator could use any of the Reprint related assets or Styles I’ve used here.
Makers Market
This activation is a weekend market where vendors with a variety of skills in textiles, alterations, footwear and clothing setup stalls and perform their craft on-site.
The idea is to create a one stop shop for giving old clothes a new life.
I picked 524 flinders because it’s an easily recognisable and accessible facility with enough space to accommodate a range of stalls. It is also a well-recognised and known event space for my target demographic, often hosting music events, parties and pop-ups.
The idea is to create a one stop shop for giving old clothes a new life.
I picked 524 flinders because it’s an easily recognisable and accessible facility with enough space to accommodate a range of stalls. It is also a well-recognised and known event space for my target demographic, often hosting music events, parties and pop-ups.
As Re-Print has no core revenue stream the market may need to have a $5 entry levy to cover the cost of rent, however ideally with the sale of Re-Print specially commissioned items that can be sold and auctioned over and, in the lead, up to the weekend, that won’t be necessary.
Custom Box and Stickers
Stickers are a great multipurpose promotion tool, if you give people stickers, they will eventually put it somewhere, it’s very common for university and school students to put stickers on their laptops and the extremely popular Nalgene drink bottles too. Every time someone puts a sticker on their laptop and drink bottle it creates a heightened awareness of the brand name for those around them. The stickers are intended for this purpose – awareness and not for conversions, a key step in the process is to get the Re-Print name out there and somewhat present in the community and stickers are a perfect way to do this.
The custom boxes will be a limited release alongside the Makers Market, and they only come with the exclusive Re-Print collaboration pieces that will be sold to fund the running of the market. Despite a far more digital economy physical packaging is more important to consumer sentiment and customer experience than ever.
The boxes are made with recycled carboard and will be designed to last, making them not something to be thrown out but a limited addition item to be kept. These specific designs will not be repeated at any later date, they are only for the pop up. This is to create a greater sense of value, hopefully reducing the chance that they will just go into landfill once customers buy the garments.
