Remnants of materials used at factories, ‘dead stock’ products and other leftovers are all brought back to life through various projects thought up by the folks behind Newsed, a self-styled upcycling brand that takes regular old recycling to the next level. These prophets of sustainability not only resell old finds – instead, they add to them, taking things headed for the dumpster and turning them into brand- new fashion items.
Newsed’s funky, colourful and extremely popular badges and earrings are made of leftover acrylic materials from accessory factories, while the stylish bow ties give seatbelts sourced from a car facility a second chance. There are also seat cushions fashioned from unused airbags, key fobs crafted from advertising tarpaulin, and card holders created from leather scraps.
The brand’s online shop carries a plentiful selection of items, some of which you can also find at fashion dealers and museum shops across Japan. If you prefer bricks and mortar, there’s a full list of retailers on the website, or you can head to the always well- stocked Accommode store in Lumine Est Shinjuku.