Circular fashion brand Upparel has partnered with Westfield to launch a hub made entirely of recyclable materials, on the third level of Southland Shopping Centre, earlier this week.

On a mission to decrease the fashion industry’s footprint on the planet, the Upparel store was built using Polypropylene. This material can be used over and over again as a different product each time, and because everything in the store is recyclable, nothing will end up in a landfill – from the fit out, to the signage, even to the items for sale. 

The store provides an interactive display that showcases the recycling process with socks. Upparel diverts 10 socks from landfill for every pair they produce. Customers are then given biodegradable satchels they can use to fill with old worn socks and bring them in exchange for $10 store credit. 

“Upparel’s long term goal and vision are to eradicate textile landfill waste through early intervention and ensure that textile products have an afterlife from the very beginning,” said Upparel CEO and co-founder Michael Elias.

“Early intervention and forward-thinking will lead to a sustainable clothing/fashion industry and enable a truly circular model. We want to triple our impact in 2021 and are aiming to divert 5 million items from landfill and ensure we continue to reuse and repurpose through increased partnerships.”

With more brands coming up with different ways to show support for the environment, the launch is part of an indicative trend for shoppers moving towards making more sustainable choices.