Do garimpo ao vestuário utilitário: experimentação com roupas de brechó a partir do upcycling

Abstract

This work analyzes the limits and possibilities of constructing utilitarian garments from thrifted clothing through an experimental upcycling process. The process is understood not only as a sustainable strategy, but also as a creative and investigative method in which direct contact with the material guides constructive and aesthetic decisions. The methodology combines theoretical reflection and experimental practice, drawing on authors who discuss the circulation of objects, memory, materiality and the creative process as experience. The practical stage involved collecting garments from low-curated thrift stores and charity bazaars, followed by clothing disassembly, modeling adaptation and reconstruction processes. The development focused on creating three utilitarian garments, incorporating functional solutions such as pockets, structural reinforcements, and the reuse of fastenings and trims. The results indicate that design decisions were constructed in response to the material’s limitations and possibilities, highlighting upcycling as a process capable of preserving traces of use and producing new meanings in clothing.