Blogger into Upcycling: I Hope to Create Awareness on How Waste can be Turned into Functional Items
Winifred Ahupa, a Nigerian fashion and lifestyle blogger, is creating fashionable and artistic pieces using waste. Yes, you heard that right. Waste.
Be it plastic bottles or water gallons or even nylon bags, trust the blogger to make something amazing that will leave jaws hanging and heads turning.
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Source: Instagram
In a recent interview with Legit.ng, the beautiful and creative blogger opened up about going into upcycling and what she hopes to achieve with the practice.
Speaking about her decision to go into upcycling fashion, Ahupa expressed concern over the amount of waste being generated across the country.
Recall that the global fashion industry produces over 92 million tonnes of waste per year. In the U.S. alone, over 17 million tons of used textile waste are generated annually.
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Reasons for going into upcycling
According to VOA, Nigeria is one of the largest contributors of wastes with the country generating an estimated 32 million tons of solid waste per year. Of that figure, plastic constitutes 2.5 million tons.
Being one who is concerned about climate change, Ahupa expressed that this was one of the reasons she went into upcycling.
In her words:
"I was inspired to go into upcycling because I've always been concerned about climate change and the effect it has on our environment. As a fashion designer, I'm well aware that the fashion industry is the third biggest contributor to waste in the world. The fashion industry produces about 13 million tons of textile waste each year, 95% of which could be reduced reused or recycled. Aside from that, Nigeria generates some 32 million tons of waste per year of which 2.5 million tons of waste is plastic waste. The country's disposal, recycling and waste management system is very inefficient in dealing with both plastic and non-plastic waste. So, for me, upcycling is me trying to be the change I want to see in the world, doing the best I can to live a better world for the future generation in my own little way. I'm also trying to create awareness of the waste problems we have in Nigeria."
Source: Instagram
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Winifred Ahupa's upcycling goals
On what she hopes to achieve, the blogger said:
"What I hope to achieve is to create an awareness on how waste is being consumed or how people can use what is considered waste to create functional and artistic items. I aim to inspire people to be more environmentally responsible and to make sustainability more mainstream than a buzzword."
Source: Instagram
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Winifred Ahupa boasts over 8,000 followers on Instagram and often gets loads of reactions when she shares her impressive crafts.
And it comes as no surprise that she intends to go commercial with her upcycling craft.
"Yes, as per going commercial. When I first started, I didn't intend to go commercial but, after I shared some of my pieces on social media, people have asked to buy these things so yes I do intend to go commercial in the near future," she said.
Tips on colour blocking
The art of looking good requires skills and careful planning. This probably explains why not everyone is big on looking fashionable.
A trend currently back in vogue is the colour blocking look. Just like matching prints, this could also turn out pretty messy as one can end up looking rather confused than fashionable.
Well, if you fall in the category, you're in luck as fashion and lifestyle blogger, Tenicka, has just the right solution for you.
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Source: Legit.ng
