A new brand is emerging as one of the most unique and interesting brands in the clothing industry. NMB New York, specializing in unisex reversible t-shirt puffer jackets, is the next generation of upcycled original fashion.  

Natalie Brown, Parsons School of Design graduate, recently founded NMB with the vision to empower people through what they wear, while being as fashionably responsible as possible. After evolving her thesis collection at the university, Natalie decided to take her revolutionary fashion to New York. Her pieces are guaranteed to turn heads. Each item of clothing in NMB’s collection is an original piece, made through upcycling. Brown takes vintage, thrifted and other clothing, deconstructs them and uses them as fabric to turn them into NMB originals. While many brands aim to insert the narrative of reusing old clothes, NMB is changing the idea of upcycling. Now, pre-existing, thrifted, and vintage clothes are being turned into luxury fashion through Brown’s eye-catching designs. One look at NMB’s upcycled pieces and you’ll agree that reduced waste has never looked so good. 

Why is upcycling so beneficial for the environment? Using thrifted clothes, which are deconstructed to make each and every original piece of NMB New York’s pieces, heavily decreases the amount of discarded materials and waste being put into landfills each year. In turn, the need for new/raw materials decreases significantly, which as a result, helps reduce air pollution, water pollution, greenhouse gas emissions and can often conserve global resources. It takes about 700 gallons of water in order to make a single cotton t-shirt, whereas using a pre-existing t-shirt to make something new requires nearly no water at all. A common misconception is that all donated clothing is reused, however, only 10% actually gets sold. Buying clothing from Thrift Stores aids in water preservation, reduces chemical pollution, decreases landfill waste, and helps to lower your carbon footprint.  

The NMB New York collection is currently comprised of the reversible t-shirt puffer jackets, made entirely of upcycled tshirts, an assortment of overstock embroidered baseball caps with clever slogans like “unprecedented times” on the front, and bustiers coming soon. The current puffer jackets feature a variety of upcycled t-shirts rocking vintage logos adding to the uniqueness of each and every item. Each unisex jacket gives the customer their own expression and the freedom to wear it however they please. Unlike other puffer jackets, NMB’s items are reversible with a solid color look on the inside. The diversity and originality of every jacket, the way in which the t-shirts are curated, how it was designed, or whichever way you choose to wear it, speaks to the fact that NMB New York is here to make you look good, feel good, and, do good. Reduced waste never looked so good!