Upcycling Atelier

15 november 2022 |1 min read

Tegenwoordig staat duurzaamheid bij ons hoog in het vaandel. Zowel in het productieproces, transport, ontwerpkeuzes als producenten. We zijn altijd op zoek naar de keuze met de minste impact op het milieu.

Vaak kun je met kleine aanpassingen in je dagelijkse levensstijl bijdragen aan een duurzamere planeet. Ook wij bij Les Jumelles hebben onze planeet hoog in het vaandel staan. Daarom staat een deel van onze pop-up store in Antwerpen in het teken van duurzaamheid.

On the third floor of our store you can find the repair/rewear atelier. At this place, all kinds of garments are given a second life: think of clothes with production errors, old clothes, but also returns and old samples. For about a month, these pieces are transformed by a fashion designer into a completely new and unique design. Her designs will be offered for sale in our pop-up. The prices of these unique pieces vary between €30 and €150.

We would also like to briefly explain the efforts that we take at Les Jumelles to support our planet. We have established an "R" model in which has 7 important aspects that guarantee respect for our planet, thus promoting a circular economy. At the same time, we also try to stay true to our mission vision value: quality clothing at affordable prices while respecting the environment.

We are very aware of the impact of transporting our goods. We try to limit this by bundling different deliveries and imposing stricter rules regarding the return policy. We also make great efforts to describe and depict the different items as clearly as possible (clear product photos, composition, dimensions, measurements of the model on the photo and so on). By this way, we hope to reduce the number of returns and thus reduce our ecological footprint.

Overproduction is also detrimental to the planet. So we try to match our collections to the demand of our consumers. (Reduce)

At Les Jumelles, we constantly question everything. How can we continue to grow our organization while being more sustainable? We face this challenge daily to innovate our strategies. (Rethink)

Sometimes, we choose to stop producing some designs because they are not sustainable enough. The fashion world has changed tremendously when it comes to sustainability. So we are aware of the gigantic impact of the fashion industry on the environment and climate. It has become a basic value that guides our work process and our thinking. (Refuse)

Les Jumelles is known for its many colors and unique prints. To promote circularity, we let these prints recur in our different designs. (Redesign)

We also strive to use bio-based raw materials such as organic cotton and recycled fibers as much as possible. Take as an example our handmade kimonos from India, they are recycled from old saris and get a second life this way. Moreover, more and more of our production takes place in Europe, something that was less the case a few years ago. (Replace)

This year we are putting extra effort into repair and recycling. If a garment needs to be repaired, then it goes to the repair part. If this garment is no longer eligible for repair it goes to our repair/rewear studio. These garments are then completely transformed into unique pieces by our fashion designer. For example, a sweater made out of different pieces of fabric, a pair of shorts made out of a sequined dress and so on. All these pieces can be admired and purchased in our pop-up, while stocks last.

PS pieces are limited and unique, first come, first served.