'Find The Beauty': Woman Gives New Life To Fabrics Destined For The Landfill

Every year more than 11 million tons of textile waste ends up in landfills. Elizabeth Cook introduced us to a designer giving new life to old fabrics.

Tucked away in a San Jose storefront, clothing designer Joslyn West is hard at work on her new collection.

"I would find things and just be amazed at you know, what I was looking at and how undervalued they were. Nobody cared," Joslyn said.

In her hands, Joslyn transforms unwanted linens, virgin wool blankets and cashmere scraps into one-of-a-kind masterpieces. Joslyn is practicing the art of what's called "upcycling."

"Saving things that otherwise would have been discarded or no longer needed," Joslyn said. "Giving them new life and new purpose and find the beauty in them."

Her unique handmade garments stand in stark contrast to the trend of "fast fashion." That's the mass production of cheap, stylish clothes now flooding the market.

Research shows consumers are likely to discard fast fashion only after a few years. And most of it ends up in landfill, where as the clothing decomposes, it releases methane - a gas that's 28-times as potent as carbon dioxide.

"For something you're going to wear three or four times? It's not worth it. It's not worth what you're doing to the planet," Joslyn said.

Back at the storefront, among Joslyn's most popular garments, warm lightweight sweaters for toddlers are made out of cashmere scraps. They often sell out first.

"They're really pretty. People like them and they are very durable," Joslyn said.

Her brand of upcycling is a style that speaks for itself.

"Being able to use old tablecloths, or jackets or blankets and giving it a new life and it just makes it feel more special," Joslyn said.

One in five Americans now upcycles. It's a fashion forward solution that hopefully never goes out of style.