By Helen Morgan, Source: Ecouterre

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Upcycled fashion is at the heart of Korean fashion brand Re;code. The team began after realising just how much of the “dead stock” in the fashion industry – even of their own label – was incinerated to protect brand integrity. With the idea of considering the environment and helping to protect it a little more, Re;code reinterprets old materials to give them a second life. By collaborating with independent designers to transform waste into a valuable item, they hope to challenge the idea of mainstream fashion through their contemporary cool range of bags, tops and jackets in a variety of up-cycled materials.
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Every item in Re;code’s collection has its own unique story with the hope of generating something upcycled with value, instead of more waste. So, all materials are sourced from objects such as tents, uniforms, and military fabrics and re-imagined as some cool but inventive clothing designs.
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The brand launched just last year as a sub-division of Korea’s iconic company Kolon and already some interesting collaborations have emerged. Not only have they worked with designers such as UK-based Junky Styling to create new partnerships in the fashion industry, they have also been working with hearing-impaored designer Andee Kang to remake military stock.
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Their work has another element to it that shouldn’t be overlooked, of social responsibility. The brand has also been working with the ‘Goodwill Store’ reinvent salvaged materials, each piece remodeled by a specific craftsman in their store. As well as this they have supported hearing-impaired youth through practical and fundraising initiatives.
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