The Pointer UW-Stevens Point Student Newspaper
Clothing accessories, storage and home decor are all commodities that can be fashioned from old T-shirts.
Centertainment Productions hosted T-shirt Upcycling on Thursday, an event that encouraged students to create something new and trendy from the mundane.
Upcycling is a derivative of recycling.
The idea is to repurpose unused or old materials in a way that adds to the value of the original piece. Along with T-shirts, old silverware, furniture and glassware are commonly upcycled materials. Even frequently discarded objects such as light bulbs and Pringles containers are upcycled into storage and decoration.
With environmental concerns of filling landfills in the United States, upcycling has become somewhat of a trend.
The average American throws away 80 pounds of clothing a year. Upcycling gives old clothing, and other things people send to the landfill, another purpose to keep it in use.
Across the country, stores and boutiques are cropping up which are dedicated to promoting the shabby chic aesthetic of upcycling.
“I feel like what we do here on campus is part of a larger picture,” Tanner Zesiger, sophomore computer information systems major, said. “Recycling is one aspect of the sustainability movement that’s across the nation, but it definitely could be improved upon on the local and large scale.”
T-shirt upcycling made this movement accessible to students and their daily lives on campus.
The atmosphere of the Encore during the event at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point was relaxed and welcoming, creating the feel of friends hanging out. Music played as attendees sat at round tables with their friends and new acquaintances, creating sustainable products.
Indeed, “sustainability” was the keyword of the evening.
“It’s a sustainability focused event,” Mary Knight, special events coordinator for Centertainment Productions, said. “That’s one of the things that drew me to schedule it for UWSP because I know we have a strong green, eco-friendly vibe on campus.”
Along with the environmental advantages of exploring upcycling, the event gave students a chance to get out of their routines and do something hands-on.
“The crafting aspect is very appealing in this event,” Zesiger said.
T-Shirt Up-cycling materials. Photo by Nomin Erdenebileg
Design ideas included infinity scarves, crop tops, tote bags, headbands and coasters.
Though some T-shirts were provided, students were encouraged to bring their own.
As well as T-shirts, scissors, stencils, paint and brushes populated the supply table. Gluing stations were also set up to help students construct their creations.
Casaundra Krob, freshman biochemistry major, attended T-shirt Upcycling to make a racer back tank top of her old T-shirt.
“It’s nice that you can use something as simple as an old T-shirt and see what you can do with it,” Krob said. “It adds to the reputation Point has as a green school.”
Kathryn Wisniewski
Reporter
kathryn.e.wisniewski@uwsp.edu
