Does your New Year's resolutions include cleaning out your wardrobe? Then you might like this: UnikBlends can transform your beloved used clothing and fabrics into amazing eyecatchers! Clothes which hold a special place in your heart, are still in good condition, but which you secretly only hold on to because of all the memories (not necessarily because you still actually wear them) are given a second life as a new skirt, jacket, pencil case or bag. This allows you to create your own style while using pieces of clothing that are dear to you.
In December of 2015, Christy Aikhorin decided to combine her daytime job with running her own business, UnikBlends. She started out, using her own's traditional African fabrics and those of her family members.
“Everybody knows this feeling: your wardrobe is filled with clothes that you really do not want to wear, but are still too good and beautiful to be thrown out. This is why I started restyling my own African pieces of clothing – they were all too precious and beautiful to be thrown out, and I did not wear then that often in the Netherlands”, Christy explains. “Having been born and raised in Nigeria, I absolutely love the elegant and colorful African fabrics.
I miss seeing these bright, bold and beautiful patterned fabrics in the Netherlands. I felt it was time for me to blend in some color into my daily wear, create my own unique look and share this idea with others.
UnikBlends, makes use of recyled high-quality fabrics, such as used “geles”. These are traditional headties worn during weddings and other special occasions in several part of west Africa. Most of them are worn once before they're tucked away, because every event requires a brand new “gele”. I asked my friends and family to bring these fabrics along when they visit the Netherlands or I pick them up when I visit my family and friends. That's how it all began.“
