RE/MADE is an upcycling project directed by Karen Cheng, Professor of Visual Communication Design at the UW School of Art + Art History + Design. Each year, a team of UW design students transforms discarded materials into thoughtfully crafted products, giving new life to materials that would otherwise enter the waste stream.
Every RE/MADE collection begins with a different material challenge, and a new team spends months experimenting with the material and developing techniques to transform it. For its inaugural collection, RE/MADE 2023, the team worked with Terrelon, a non-PVC wall covering made in part from recycled plastic bottles. In 2024, students transformed retired retail display banners. For RE/MADE 2025, vinyl banners from ASUW's Dawg Daze programming.
More than a product brand, RE/MADE is a hands-on learning experience in sustainable design and creative entrepreneurship. Each student designs a product, calculates costs, determines pricing, develops promotional materials, and participates in sales. Collections are sold online and at the annual UW Design Show, where the market becomes the final critique. Proceeds support the student makers and the project.
The AIR Collection (2026)
Now in its fourth year, RE/MADE presents the AIR Collection, made from automotive airbags sourced from recycling centers in the United States and Australia. The collection includes vertical and horizontal totes, a shoulder bag, an airpod pouch, and a series of zip cases. Students chose to preserve original stitching, deployment markings, and inspection stamps, allowing each piece to retain traces of its previous life. Paired with custom RE/MADE webbing, every bag is unique. The project’s commitment to waste reduction extends throughout the process. As Cheng explains, "we use the entire airbag, from snout to tail".
The 2026 RE/MADE team includes design students Jasmine Kwon (BDes 2026), Lola Foti, Akhil Raote (BDes 2027), Adrian de Laczay (BDes 2027), Po-Yu Chen (BDes 2027), Fay Ma (BDes 2027), and McKinley Smith (BDes 2027).
The project was supported by airbag donors APV Engineering + Testing Services, Clean Lites Recycling, and Superior Environmental Solutions, as well as guest critics Lauren Brazg, handbag and accessories design consultant; Olivia Oomen (BDes 2024); and Sophia Zeng (BDes 2025).
Support
If you are interested in supporting RE/MADE, contact Professor Karen Cheng at kcheng@uw.edu.
Follow @uw_remade for future drops and collections.