As part of its new limited-edition merch drop “Stones: Reimagined,” The Rolling Stones are upcycling pieces of old branded T-shirts into new and unique items.

  • All reworked merch is from the 2022 “SIXTY” tour.


Released Friday in collaboration with London-based clothing retailer RS No. 9, the new line features two short-sleeve T-shirts priced at $75 each, and one long-sleeve T-shirt priced at $88. Because each shirt has been handmade from old tour merch, no one piece is alike.

Given its iconic logo, it’s easy to understand why The Rolling Stones is very protective of its branding, as one tribute band learned the hard way.

The Benefits Of Upcycling In Promo

An estimated 92 million tons of textile waste is created annually by the apparel industry, according to consulting firm McKinsey & Company.

  • Textile waste is expected to increase by 60% by 2030, with an additional 57 million tons of waste being generated annually, reaching an annual total of 148 million tons.


Millions of deadstock items (unsellable inventory) are left by companies each year, however, recycling such items may not always be the answer. The effort it takes to separate, treat and process clothing waste into new material and then reuse it to make new clothes may create the same harmful effects seen in the first production process, which is why some experts recommend upcycling instead.

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“For products that contain plastic, like polyester-based textiles such as tri-blends and performance wear, they can take up to 1,000 years to decompose if just dumped in landfills,” said Kathy Cheng, president of Redwood Classics Apparel, and winner of a PPPC Best in Green (Gold) Award when her company introduced its upcycling concept in 2014.

Investing in upcycled products shows that you are forward thinking and care about the environment.”

Kathy Cheng

President, Redwood Classics Apparel

“Upcycling plastic fiber-based textiles will instead give them a new life and keep them from being thrown away. Investing in upcycled products shows that you are forward thinking and care about the environment.”

By transforming deadstock, promo suppliers can design unique and creative new products from existing materials that have greater appeal to today’s eco-minded consumers.

Several other promo firms have turned to upcycling materials. Last year, Toronto-based commonsku partnered with Numo, PPAI 100’s No. 67 supplier, to upcycle previously used tablecloths into pouches given out to attendees of its annual skucon.