In this episode of Up to So Good, I’m introduced as a “serial social entrepreneur, author, and changemaker whose work spans sustainable menstrual products, upcycled fashion, and community driven initiatives.” Here’s the video blurb: please have a watch, and let me know what you think! Madeleine first made her mark in the early 1990s by…
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Many of us are holding onto heritage tablecloths, napkins, handkerchiefs and/or doilies that we do not use and yet feel reluctant to donate or otherwise let go of. The magic of upcycling can transform them into exciting new expressions. In this workshop we will learn the basic techniques of re-imaginging these heirloom items and then…
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My upcycling practice continues to reward me in multiple, often unexpected ways. What started as an opportunity to solve a business problem (by converting a thrift store’s overstock jeans into new products and workshop offerings) continues to bring me surprises: emotionally, creatively and relationally. Upcycling is fundamentally about taking something ‘’old’’ and transforming it into…
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I started my first business, everyware designs, in 1993, making clothing and accessories in Vancouver’s Chinatown. Alongside making everything from wedding dresses to hemp jeans–hence the name everyware–I crafted washable menstrual pads and period underwear. The reusable period product brainchild showed up thanks to a personal confluence of feminist politics, a deep love of nature,…
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