Check out this Okanagan-based upcycled clothing company

Think of all the old sweaters, bedsheets, and blankets you’ve owned.

And imagine, instead of them inevitably ending up in a landfill, they were repurposed into something brand new to be enjoyed for years to come.

Refurbishing those items is exactly what Green Bean ReLoved (GBR) is doing.

Its mission is to reduce textile waste by reusing scrap material that is found, thrifted or donated, turning it into unique clothing products.

Owner Sabina Majkrzak, told Kelowna10, sustainability was and continues to be a big part of her family and day-to-day life.

“I’ve grown up thrifting … repurposing, [and] making things new. We’ve been a thrift store family for my entire life,” Majkrzak said.

GBR creates products such as hoodies, hats, scarves and even wooden sunglasses. All of the products are made from sustainable or repurposed materials.

According to Majkrzak, there's a ton of amazing vintage material out there to be repurposed and reused.

“There’s so much textile that already goes to the landfill. We might as well keep as much out as we can,” she said. “There’s just so much amazing material out there, and so now I actually get to use it rather than just hoarding it for myself.”

The GBR workspace is stocked full of repurposed textiles and materials ready to be used, much of it hanging on racks or in storage.

The thrifted fleeces and blankets are then cobbled together to make new articles of clothing, like scrap pullovers and sweaters.

For Majkrzak, scouring high and low for the material brings her the most joy.

“Green Bean has just always been my creative outlet,” she said. “I’ve always enjoyed creating, sewing, making things new, just out of whatever I can find.”

Her creative creations can be found online.