Fashion designer Reet Aus was selected as one of the Top 20 Women in Business in Northern Europe by the Nordic Business Report for her work in promoting upcycling in mass production of garments. Jaak Kilmi and Lennart Laberenz’s new documentary, Out of Fashion follows Aus’s journey from Tallinn, through the fashion stages of Europe and the cotton plantations of South America, and right into the epicenter of mass production in Bangladesh.
The Nordic Business Report writes: A pioneer in industrial upcycling, Reet Aus has been experimenting with recycling in fashion and costume design since 2005. Ms Aus is also a lecturer and researcher at the Estonian Academy of Arts. She has partnered with a major Bangladeshi textile manufacturer to introduce upcycling to textile production to save resources, improve efficiency and reduce the environmental impact of the industry. That collaboration has seen the launch of her first upcycled fashion collective under the “Trash to Trend” banner. The label now works with 16 designers from around the world, who all aim to incorporate sustainable production processes with high fashion and design. Ms Aus has received widespread recognition for her groundbreaking work. Most recently she was voted Woman of the Year 2014 by the Estonian chapter of the International Federation of Business and Professional Women. In 2013 she was recognized by the Estonian Environment Ministry with an award for Environmental Act of the Year.
