Nathan Devine - Retrash - Upcycle Repurpose Reuse Recycle

Contents

Nathan Devine

The printed version of Retrash is proudly printed on 100% recycled paper

First published 2014 by Verve Studio International

Suite N203, 244 5th AvenueNew York NY 10001United States

First EditionISBN 978-0-9871403-1-9 (Paperback)

ISBN 978-0-9871403-2-6 (eBook)

Copyright Nathan Devine 2014

The right of Nathan Devine to be identified as the Author of the Work has been asserted by him in accordance with the Australian Copyright Act 1968.

A CIP catalogue record for this book is available from the Australian Library

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Author Nathan Devine

Editing: MoshPit Publishing moshpitpublishing.com.au

Proofreading: Jennifer Mosher

All rights reserved.

You may not copy, distribute, transmit, store in a retrieval system, reproduce or otherwise make available this publication or any part of it in any form, or by any means (electronic, digital, optical, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise), without the prior written permission of the publisher.

10000hours.com

To my mother Janet, for always being there when I need you. You are the strongest person I know and I think you are incredible. I am so proud of you and I love you with all of my heart.

To my dad Kenn, for being such a great teacher and role model. I will never forget you.

To my sister and brothers Melanie, Matthew and Nicholas for all the good times.

And finally to my wife Monica and children, Alex and May, for your unconditional love and never ending support.

Foreword Retrash Founder

I love being inspired by what others are creating around the world, and the way they find beauty in whatever materials they use.

I started the Retrash.com website with the single intention of showing the most beautiful and innovative ideas for upcycling and reusing second hand materials. I have been humbled by the number of people, from all walks of life and from countries all around the world, who have supported Retrash along the way.

This book represents a small part of the solution to our growing problem of waste, which is to reduce the demand for new materials by reusing existing materials. If we can reduce the amount of waste ending up in landfill and in our oceans, we can also reduce the need for sourcing new materials through deforestation and mining.

To all of you who have contributed such inspiring ideas, I thank you for making Retrash what it is today. This book has given me the opportunity to meet some of the most creative and generous individuals that I have ever met.

It has been my passion for the last four years to promote recycling and upcycling innovations to the world and I look forward to continuing on this journey.

I truly believe that this book and the incredible people behind it can inspire us all to see waste differently by opening our minds to more creative and practical solutions.

I hope you enjoy it.

Nathan Devine

Founder of Retrash

Foreword Etsy

Etsys mission is to reimagine commerce to build a more lasting and fulfilling world.

Etsy is the marketplace we make together, where creative entrepreneurs from around the world connect directly with buyers to share a story of craftsmanship. We hope to use our platform to replace the empty mass consumption that has come to define modern commerce with mindful and connected purchasing, and to turn wasteful pipelines into closed loops.

In recognition of the vast ecological problems threatening our livelihoods and ways of life, it is our responsibility to reverse the impact human activity has had on the planet. People and planet are inextricably linked to business, and we have the opportunity to enjoy the success of all three entities simultaneously. I can think of no more direct manifestation of this than upcycled, handmade goods.

The items in this book do more than save materials from being thrown out. Each crafted piece has a rich story: the inspiration and care brought by their creator, as well as the history of the materials themselves. Upcycled goods connect us to our environment and to the maker. They are also a means of connecting us to our history as artifacts from another era, revived to take on modern value.

From El Salvadoran coffee sacks to disassembled San Franciscan electronics, each of these items has a unique story. Upcycling materials shows consideration for finite resources, harkening back to times when people wasted nothing and made things with their hands.

We are often isolated from the ability in all of us to envision, to build with our hands, and to waste nothing. I hope this book serves to inspire readers to reconsider the potential for items that might otherwise be thrown away.

Katie Hunt-Morr

Senior Manager Etsy, Values & Impact

Fabric & Fashion

Lanni Lantto

www.lannilantto.com

I am a fashion (re)designer. The difference between myself and other fashion designers is the concept of my label name, (re): reuse, reduce, redesign, rethink, reinvent, recycle. My entire creative design process is unconventional from start to finish. I thrift for my materials instead of buying new fabric yardage and I marry wedding dresses with table runners and garters with suspenders. With no material off limits, inspiration can come from anything creating truly extraordinary clothing.

... inspired by the beauty of my grandmothers hand-stitched lace slips, I mainly work with soft feminine materials like lace and satin...