Since early in this century, the re-use of garments and fabrics has established itself as a way of re-examining production processes and our relationship with clothing. In the face of waste and the acceleration of consumption, upcycling salvages materials without fully processing them. By keeping part of their original identity and composition intact, it gives them new meaning while extending their lifespan.
Founded in Buenos Aires in 2004 by Mercedes Martínez and Mariano Breccia, 12NA selects, unpicks and re-assembles second-hand clothing from different times and places. Their work draws on urban and Latin American imagery and engages with collective forms of learning and production.
At García Bello, a label founded in 2019, Juliana García Bello links these processes with domestic knowledge, personal attachments and the landscape of Patagonia. Mending and reconstructing inherited or discarded garments transforms them into surfaces that preserve memories and family ties.
Founded in 2012 by Mariángeles and Paula Aguirre, the label Therapy Recycle & Exorcise brings ‘super-recycling’ to urban subcultures and the nightlife scene. Working between Córdoba and Berlin, they transform textile waste and cast-off clothing into seasonless, gender-neutral garments that push back against overconsumption and social exclusion.