Start an Upcycling Club
Start an upcycling club at your school and share your passion for making things sustainably with others!
How This Helps
An upcycling club teaches others how to upcycle their clothes instead of buying new ones which reduces waste as well as greenhouse gas emissions from clothing production.
What You May Need
- A location to host your club
- Materials for your projects
- Approval from your school principal
- A teacher supervisor
- Your creativity!
Things To Think About
Upcycling means taking old or discarded objects and using your creativity to make something new! You can upcycle clothes, furniture, shoes and even recycled materials. When starting your club, you may want to decide what kinds of things you will upcycle. This will be based on the materials you have available.
What will you upcycle?
Upcycling means taking old or discarded objects and using your creativity to make something new! You can upcycle clothes, furniture, shoes and even recycled materials. When starting your club, you may want to decide what kinds of things you will upcycle. This will be based on the materials you have available.
An important part of upcycling is that most of your materials should be used or discarded. Think about where you will get your materials. Will everyone in the club bring things from home? Will you ask for donations from other students at your school? Materials might include pre-loved t-shirts, sheets, furniture, shoes, or accessories.
Upcycling can also require: glue or tape; a needle and thread; or a sewing machine. Think about how you will get those materials as well.
Where will you get your materials?
An important part of upcycling is that most of your materials should be used or discarded. Think about where you will get your materials. Will everyone in the club bring things from home? Will you ask for donations from other students at your school? Materials might include pre-loved t-shirts, sheets, furniture, shoes, or accessories.
Upcycling can also require: glue or tape; a needle and thread; or a sewing machine. Think about how you will get those materials as well.
Make sure your club has a suitable space available. If you host your club at school, maybe there is a makerspace or sewing room available. If you will be working with tools, you will need a woodshop or tech lab.
If you plan to host your club outside of school, you could ask a community centre or library to share a space.
It is also important to think about how often your club will meet when choosing your space. Every week? Once a month?
Where will you host your club?
Make sure your club has a suitable space available. If you host your club at school, maybe there is a makerspace or sewing room available. If you will be working with tools, you will need a woodshop or tech lab.
If you plan to host your club outside of school, you could ask a community centre or library to share a space.
It is also important to think about how often your club will meet when choosing your space. Every week? Once a month?
Every club needs members. Get started by asking a few of your friends to join your club. Then you could get approval from your school principal to put up posters to advertise it. Once your club is up and running, think about how you will get new members to join.
How will you promote your club to other students?
Every club needs members. Get started by asking a few of your friends to join your club. Then you could get approval from your school principal to put up posters to advertise it. Once your club is up and running, think about how you will get new members to join.
If you are hosting your club at school, you will need a supervisor. Make sure you have a teacher or staff member who is available to supervise your club. If you plan to use tools it is important to have a teacher who knows how to use those tools.
Who will supervise your club?
If you are hosting your club at school, you will need a supervisor. Make sure you have a teacher or staff member who is available to supervise your club. If you plan to use tools it is important to have a teacher who knows how to use those tools.
Get Inspired
Inspirations for an Upcycling Club
Learn More
Image Source: karin_van_Duke, Pixabay
Image Source: Noah Buscher, Unsplash
Go Further
- Take your upcycling club to the next level by selling your creations and donating the profits to a charity or environmental organization.
- Have you always wanted to get into the fashion industry? The FIDM Fashion Club mentors high school and college students who want to pursue careers in design and creative business. Check it out here: https://fashionclub.com/what-is-fidm-fashion-club/
- If you love what you have created, make sure to enter our “Check out my Green Style” Challenge for the chance to win______.