Dundee, Scotland based Sandra Junele creates abstract artworks from textile waste that has been collected from across the United Kingdom. These artworks are not only created from wastes, but are also 100 percent recyclable and partly biodegradable, meaning her collectors can transform the works of art into new pieces when they feel like it is no longer serving its purpose, preventing the pieces from ever ending up as waste. This is why the work that Sandra Junele does is relevant to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal of Responsible Consumption and Production.
Junele encountered upcycling practices early on, during her childhood in Latvia where her grandfather would make furniture out of discarded wood. Now she collects fabric and yarn wastes from local manufacturers and designers, sorts them by colour and transforms them into one-of-a-kind minimalist pieces. Her process, which prioritizes sorting fabrics and threads by colours, is reflected in the final pieces as shapes have been made entirely by colours and not by lines. In fact, they look so striking that her piece 3546 was featured at the Rothko Museum, alongside pieces by its namesake Colour Field master painter. Just like Rothko, saturated colours are the stars of Junele’s pieces.
Propelled by fast fashion where clothing trends come and go as if at the blink of an eye, the fashion industry has been generating 92 million tonnes of waste annually. Put into perspective, Junele’s work may seem to be but a drop in the ocean. Hence, she has been actively sharing her process on social media to inspire other creatives around the globe to also upcycle fabric and thread waste. This includes sharing a step-by-step guide for her homemade plant based glue that she uses to transform the discarded fabrics and threads into an almost paper-like material.
Sandra Junele’s sustainable textile artworks blend art with eco-consciousness, transforming fabric waste into vibrant, minimalist pieces that are fully recyclable and partly biodegradable. She uses discarded materials to create striking color-driven works, inspiring others to view textile waste as a source of creative potential. By promoting her process online and advocating for sustainable practices, Junele encourages a shift toward responsible consumption in art and beyond.
Find out more about recycled textile artworks and other pieces by Sandra Junele on her website www.junele.co.uk or Instagram @junele.sandra.