AMRITSAR: On the eve of Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav, 75 years of India’s independence, Department of Apparel and Textile Technology (DATT) students decided to celebrate this occasion by conserving the environment through upcycling of waste denim products.
To mark the celebration of the 75th year of India’s independence, Department of Apparel and Textile Technology students created 75 products out of old denim jeans. M.Sc (Apparel and Textiles) and B.Tech (Textile Processing Technology) students collected old denim from their friends and family members. These old pairs of jeans were given new lease of life by upcycling into something new and better products like grocery bags, hand bags, soft shoes, water bottle bags, quilts, purses, pillows, aprons, pot holders, placemats, belts, bins, wall hangings, slippers, earrings, hair bands, etc. The students put their creativity, innovation and hard work into a unique, sustainable, trendy and handmade product.
Dr Sachin Kumar Godara, Assistant professor department of Apparel and Textile Technology told that the main aim of Upcycling pairs of jeans/old clothes is to create environmental awareness among the masses and development of products truly sustainable, fashionable, innovative and affordable. The idea of the upcycling approach to textile products can also create new job opportunities and entrepreneurs from creative and innovative young minds. The government of India has taken an initiative to ban single-use plastic.
Dr. Sukhprit Singh, Head of the Apparel and Textile Technology department told that the bags created from the upcycling of jeans can be used for carrying daily grocery items, vegetables, fruits and milk products. These bags are easily washable, handy as well as trendy so that even youngsters cannot hesitate in carrying these bags. The use of these bags and other upcycled products is a sustainable approach and has minimal impact on the environment to make the Indian government mission successful and mark these 75 years of independence “Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav” memorable event for GNDU, Amritsar to remove single-use plastic out of India. The products made out of old denim jeans will be distributed among the university residents and students.
He said that the term “upcycling” was coined by Reiner Pilz in 1994 who explained the concept of adding value to old or used products, which is quite divergent from the popular concept of recycling that reduces the value of the products. Denim jeans are the most popular clothing of all ages. It can roll out as clothing stretching from work wear in mines/factories to fast fashion designer clothing. Two men, Levi Strauss, an entrepreneur, and Jacob W. Davis, a tailor, worked together to transform denim into the today’s most popular piece of clothing. Denim is a very strong and durable fabric even after a couple of years of use as apparel. Denim can be very useful in our life if we reuse this product in multiple ways that also catch young minds' creativity and today's fashion trend. It is easily available in almost every household.