Reet Aus: The Estonian Visionary Leading Circular Fashion to the Global Stage at NYFW 2024
Excerpt of conversation with Reet Aus, PhD, of Reet Aus By Megan Riley, MLR Strategies
You’ve been pioneering in the circular design industry for over 10 years, but your path to NY Fashion Week 2024 actually started in May, is that right?
Yes. As part of NY Design Week, we decided to hold an exhibition focused on Estonian sustainable design, with Ilona Gurjanova and the Estonian Design Association, called “Upmade in EE”. We were surprised by the reception, there was so much interest, and it was very well received. There we met the concept store Canvas, and they were interested in doing something with us in September, during Fashion Week. Canvas has a store in the Oculus center, and a kind of exhibition space. They chose the 11 or 12 designers they wanted to work with – only fashion and accessories – and we had a pop-up at their showroom, and a nice opening party. We also screened the documentary (Out of Fashion, 2015) and it was a full house. We had a really nice curated talk regarding upcycling, and again, a lot of people came and were asking questions.
What’s next for Reet Aus in New York?
We’re actually selling now in two places in New York: in Oculus and also in the Scandinavia House. During the September visit, we also opened our US webshop, so we have some real presence in the market now.
In November I’ll be back for the New York Baltic Film Festival, screening of “8 Views of Lake Biwa” (Estonia’s Oscar submission), which I made the costumes for, followed by a Q&A with me and Ivo Felt (Producer). We’ll also hold the Estonian Design Showcase again, and I’ll do a hands-on Trash-to-Trend workshop. We’re going to make a denim bag. Anthony Luciano invited us to have Estonian Design Evening at his studio, and then 2 days with Canvas. It’s a packed program.
Do you feel that your brand and upcycling message are catching on in the US?
Well the US is always looking for the new thing. The US is just so open to new ideas. It’s still niche, but there is a place for niche. It’s great to see Estonians wearing the Arrow shirt, but it’s a totally different thing to see the Arrow shirt being worn outside of Estonia.
What’s something that might surprise people to know about the Reet Aus brand?
That B2B is also a big part of our work. It’s one very good way to bring a company’s environmental impact down, not to order cheap t-shirts – you can do it in the proper way. We do the environmental calculations for all our garments, it’s extremely important to have transparency about how your product is made: supply chain, leftovers, waste analysis. What’s the impact of the product? Bolt is one of our biggest clients. It’s not just gifts, but also work wear, uniforms. We have had many clients over the years. And this is where the biggest impact comes.
What advice do you have for people just beginning to think about their fashion footprint?
It’s important to think about the waste hierarchy: Reuse > Repair > Upcycle > Recycle > New Material. Avoid oil-based fibers, which release microplastic every time you wash. Choose natural fibers, and cellulose-based fibers, as they can be recycled more easily later on. Linen, hemp, cotton, natural wool. And this is the point: we shouldn’t think all the time about what to do with our waste, we should think about what kind of products we put on the market. Design is very important, this idea of circular design, that we put only smart products in the market and then we don’t have to deal with the waste.
Reet Aus, PhD, is a fashion designer and environmental activist. She is a Senior Researcher at Estonian Art Academy (EKA) Sustainable Design and Materials Lab (DiMa) and sits on the Board of the Estonian Design Association (EAD).