top of page

CycleUp Textiles and the Circular Economy

CycleUp Textiles is a circular economy social enterprise. But what does that mean?

Circular economy graphic CycleUp

What is the Circular Economy?

The circular economy aims to reduce waste and extend the life of products, and at CycleUp, we focus on keeping textiles in use for as long as possible. Our first step is to sell items through the RWN charity shop, giving them a second chance to be reused.

 

Any items that can’t be sold—whether due to damage, stains, or simply not selling after a certain period—are carefully deconstructed by our upcycling team. These materials are then transformed into new, durable products that will continue to serve a purpose.

 

Our goal is to reduce textile waste going to landfill by finding meaningful ways to reuse and repurpose materials, helping to create a more sustainable future.

Environmental impact of CycleUp textiles circular economy social enterprise Roscommon Ireland

How We Make Our Upcycled Products

Following the principles of the circular economy, we begin by reusing textiles that can no longer be sold. These items, often damaged or unsold, are given a second life through our upcycling process.

 

The first step is deconstructing the materials carefully to preserve as much of the original fabric as possible. We save everything—from buttons to zips—so nothing goes to waste.

 

Next, we design each product based on the material’s type, size, and shape. Strong, durable fabrics are used for our tote bags, while lighter materials are perfect for our shopper bags and wreaths. This process ensures that every product is one-of-a-kind, and it allows our team to bring their creativity to life with each new item.

 

All products are handmade in Athleague, Co. Roscommon, Ireland, and undergo a quality check before being sold in our shop, online, or at markets.

How we make our bags CycleUp tectiles image of charity shop, textiles and bag production
  • Instagram
  • Facebook

CycleUp Textiles 

Riverside Centre, Athleague Co Roscommon

CycleUp is a circular economy environmental and training social enterprise developed and operated by Roscommon Women’s Network – Women’s Collective Ireland.

 
This project is supported by the Department of Rural and Community Development and Pobal through the Community Services Programme
​​
RWN CycleUp Textiles Skills and Product Innovation Project is co-funded by the Government of Ireland and the European Union through the EU Just Transition Fund Programme 2021-2027
Women's collective Ireland logo
Roscommon Women's Network CycleUp textiles logo
Dept Rural Com Dev Pobal Logo
Department of the Environment, climate and communications logo supporting CycleUp textiles
Roscommon Co Council logo
GRETB logo support CycleUp textiles Roscommon
Department of community and integration logo
Roscommon Leader Partnership logo
Rethink Ireland logo
The Ireland Funds Logo
bottom of page