Inside Paula’s Projects: Passionate and Creative Upcycling Meets Fashion Design

In an exclusive interview, Paula Votteler reveals how her journey from a first sewing lesson at age five to starting her label during lockdown reshaped her life and set her on a mission to bring sustainable fashion to the forefront. Read on to discover her favorite upcycling materials, her tips for aspiring designers, and what’s next for Paula’s Projects in the year ahead.

About Paula’s Projects

When did you first pick up a needle and thread?

When I was 5 my mum taught me how to crochet and just a few years later how to sew. I started to visit sewing lessons when I was 11 and that’s where I created my very first garments. I am super lucky that my mum could teach me all about handwork and that my parents always supported my creativity.

Why did you start Paula’s Projects?

I started during the first Covid Lockdown. I always had a project and was creative but I never showed it on social media. During covid I started to spend my whole time (beside online uni which was more like a podcast) on projects and it helped me to get over these heavy times. To share my projects and do it more professional helped me a lot because being creative was always my happy place and also kind of a therapy for me. In that time I realized that its definitely more than a side project and I knew that I want to do this for my whole life. That’s why I decide to study fashion design and created my own small label ‘Atelier Paula Votteler’.

You’re always on the go. Where are you now?

Actually right now I am sitting in an airplane in Mumbai on our way to Delhi. My boyfriend is a musician and has gigs all over the world. Whenever I have enough time I try to work with him and support his projects.

You say you always have to be working on a project when travelling to use up your time wisely, what has been your favourite project you’ve completed on
the move?

It’s probably the beaded vest. In the end of 2022 we traveled to Kap verde, USA and new zeeland in on tour and I brought the most time consuming project ever. I worked a few hundred hours on that Embroidery. But I also love the small projects that I am working on on my way to uni (Berlin is a huge city and It takes on hour to get there). I love to know that I could have spend the time on my phone but I made a whole sweater in that time for example.

About Upcycling

Aside from sustainability, what do you think is important about upcycling?

I just love to use materials that already have a story. It’s hard to explain but it gives me so much joy to give a material a new life.

For your projects, what comes first: the material or the idea?

It always depends. Mostly I get inspired by the materials but sometimes I just have an idea and need to buy or find the right materials.

What is your favourite material to upcycle?

I really love to epicycle plastic bottles into sequins but I also love to work with perused fabrics, beads and so on…

Tell us about your most time consuming project. How long did it take? Was it worth it?

It was the beaded vest and I worked around 300 hours on it. And it was definitely worth it! For me it’s all about the process and I enjoy the process as much as the end result.

What would you say the most unique item you’ve upcycled is?

It’s probably the two bags that I made out of plastic bottles.

Where do you sell your creations?

I don’t have an online shop yet. I mostly make the projects for me and I also needed most of them for my portfolio to apply at the art school. Now I get soooo many request and my atelier is very full so I will definitely start to sell some of my items soon.

Do you think that upcycling and personal projects are becoming more popular?

Well I hope so… I really hope that people get back to high quality, fair and sustainable produced products. I guess we all know that we have to change the way we are living and to use materials which are already there and avoiding to produce more waste is the key for a better future.

For the new year, does Paula’s Projects have anything special lined up?

Actually I think I just started and you will see a lot more from me! Maybe it will be a bit more quite on Instagram because I am so busy with working and studying fashion design but I am pretty sure I will grow so much and there is so much inside me that has to go out in this world!

Do you have any tips for those who want to start an upcycling project?

Just start and don’t be afraid of failure! Look around what you already have and work with that. Don’t be scared of making mistakes and try to enjoy the process and the learning.