Reet Aus is an Estonian fashion designer who’s crazy about upcycling and only works with ethically produced and biological fabrics. Thanks to Aus, used fabrics once again find themselves at the beginning of the production chain.

Aus delved into the possibilities of upcycling for her doctoral dissertation “Trash to Trend: Using Upcycling in Fashion Design”, which she successfully defended in 2011. Her unique concept – transforming leftover materials to new and pretty clothes on an unprecedented scale – was an instant hit.

In 2012, Aus added a collaboration with Beximco to her list of achievements. Beximco is one of the largest textile and clothing manufacturers in Bangladesh. As an ILO member (ILO stands for International Labour Organisation), Beximco is regularly audited for working conditions and wages.

Aus’ upcycled collections go by the name of Reet Aus. Because Aus implements upcycling very early in the production process and on a massive scale, her AusDesign items require 70% less water and 88% less energy compared to regular clothes. Because Aus is keen to inspire others, she founded Trash to Trend, a platform-slash-community for designers who are into upcycling.