Based in Brooklyn, NY, urbn rewrrk is a woman and Black-owned sustainable brand that aims to reduce waste in the fashion industry. How you may ask? By upcycling previously owned apparel into one-off unisex pieces.
“With over 11 million tons of textile waste thrown out each year in the U.S. alone, our goal is to rethink our relationship as consumers to the clothes we wear,” reads urbn rewrrk’s Kickstarter.
LaMicah Hughbanks, the founder of urbn rewrrk, explains that her journey into fashion began during the initial COVID-19 quarantine where she worked as a nurse and spent her off-hours binging on Netflix. Lacking any creative outlet, Hughbanks ordered a sewing machine and made her first reworked pieces out of a sweater.
“The idea of urbn rewrrk began in November, 2019 and became official in April, 2020. Over time the brand has expanded in ways I never imagined,” says Hughbanks. “My style of repurposing thrifted items went from creating basic two-piece outfits to mixing garments together, and calling it patchwrrk. As I discover new upcycling ideas, I’ve learned there’s no limit to what one can do.”
In addition to upcycling old garments, Hughbanks utilizes natural materials for dyeing. Recycled stickers, cards, and compostable packaging are also used.
To learn more about urbn rewrrk, visit their Kickstarter.
All images in this article are courtesy of urbn rewrrk.
