Upcycling Havana – Fashion, Art and Architecture

"My workshops on sustainable fashion are an act of resistance against the completely out-of-control and disproportionate fashion industry, which is fueling a colossal waste of resources. The workshops are all about how to design clothing that resists this overexploitation and subscribes to the principal of upcycling," says Dr. Josephine Barbe, research associate at the Chair of Economic Education and Sustainable Consumption.

In 2022, she held one of her workshops on sustainable, environmentally-friendly, and ethical fashion in Havana, the capital city of Cuba. The outcome was not only a fashion show and new fashion labels in Havana, but also a book "Upcycling Havana - Fashion, Art and Architecture," which is now being published by Hirmer Publishers. The book features contributions by experts in the art scene, the fashion and creative industries, and Dr. Josephine Barbe.

All those interested in hearing more are welcome to attend the book launch. Entry is free of charge.

When: Thursday, 15 February 2024, 16:00
Where: BHROX Bauhaus reuse Pavilion, Ernst-Reuter-Platz, Mittelinsel (roundabout),
10587 Berlin (only accessible through the U-Bahn underpass)

Unlike recycling, upcycling does not mean that old fabrics are recycled in energy-intensive processes that produce new fibers, but which often cannot be reused for clothing because the quality of the recycled fibers is not up to standard. Rather, upcycling takes strips and sections from old clothes and stitches and sews them into new combinations to refashion an unwanted item. "So an old T-shirt might get a second chance at life as the sleeve of a new dress," says Dr. Barbe, explaining her approach and what she considers to be sustainable, environmentally-friendly, and ethical fashion.

"Upcycling Havana - Fashion, Art and Architecture," Edited by Boris Perez Vasquez, Michael M. Thoss, with contributions by J. Barbe, R. Gutiérrez Mayrata, S. Puente Rodríguez, M. Thoss, B. A. Pérez Vázquez, A. Valdívia Mesa, Hirmer Publishers, Text: English, 80 pages, 70 color images, 19.90 euros, available from March 2024, ISBN: 978-3-7774-4267-9

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