how it happened

brand story

Up-fuse is a fully-fledged Cairo-based cult brand and social enterprise created in celebration of You and this beautiful planet - Earth.

In 2013 Up-fuse started with Yara and Rania’s passion for material exploration and a need to reuse the disposed plastic waste in Egypt. The duo realized the capacity to go beyond making an environmental impact and the idea of designing and producing a local product that revolutionizes Egyptian handcrafts became very appealing.

With much sweat and support the abstract idea manifested into an environmentally-conscious social-enterprise that applies a slow-fashion model, reducing waste through ethical production and supporting local artisans and women who endure harsher conditions.

The Material

Our material is sustainable, unique and we LOVE it! After the raw material is collected, it undergoes a 3-step sanitization process using specific detergents and a special washing machine adopted by upfuse especially for this purpose.

The materials are then hung to dry in the Egyptian bacteria-killing sun as a further precautionary and environmentally respectful step.

With the help of our keen, artisan ladies at Roh Al Shabab NGO, the raw materials are processed into our upfuse fabric sheets by compression through yet another machinery refined by our brand.

HOW WE OPERATE

ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT

01. Recycling

Upfuse has upcycled over 250,000 plastic bags since it initiated. The process begins with collecting disposed plastic bags and plastics production waste through sustainable collaborations between the brand and Cairo Garbage City, plastic production factories and plastic bag donations from the wonderful people who believe in a greener earth.

02. Manshiyat Nasser Landfill

Known as Cairo Garbage City and is the world’s largest garbage village that is home to over 60,000 Zaballeen - garbage-collectors. They are entrepreneurial garbage workers who have achieved the most efficient waste disposal system worldwide, recycling over 80% of their daily collected garbage which accounts to 3000 – 4000 tons daily, while developed cities and multinational waste disposal corporations recycle only 20 - 30 percent of what they collect, leaving the rest to rot in giant landfills.

Undoubtedly the Zaballeen’s industrious and innovative recycling practices are gaining international and national interest as well upfuse’s collaboration and support.

HOW IT HAPPENS

Meet our team

These are the people we cherish,
The ones who made our dream a possibility.

WHO THEY ARE, WHAT THEY DO!

  • FOUNDERS

    • Yara Yassin
    • Rania Rafie
    • Lama El Khawanky
  • Production
  • Communication
  • You -Upf-users

FOUNDERS

Yara, Rania and partner Lama are the brand’s driving force. Their vision, passion, determination, entrepreneurial minds and design skills gave birth to this world of upfuse and their efforts sustain the brand’s growth. Whether it’s designing, overlooking production, managing the brand and its collaborations with the NGOs or catering for the needs of their teams, they do it whole-heartedly!

how can you help us

We believe that our actions and yours make a big difference

Our Achievements & Pride

  • 3

    NGOs Supported

  • 50+

    Job Opportunities

  • 260k

    Plastic Bags Recycled

AWARDS