Tania Reitsma

What if we could find another way to handle our unwanted clothing and textiles in a useful, local, and artful way?

In November 2018, I started repurposing some of our old and underused clothes into useful items like garments for our growing kids and funky drawstring bags.

In August 2019, our family founded U&I Design Company to offer our upcycled creations to the public through pop-up sales around our hometown of Vancouver, BC.

The Pacific Arts Market is our first public sale!

We turn unwanted garments and textiles from friends and family into one-of-a-kind bags, pendants, refashioned clothing, gifts, and more. Even our garment labels are made using old pocket linings and shirts!

I design and make all the items myself with the exception of our PooPoo Pendants jewelry line.

PooPoo Pendants - 2% for Crohn’s and Colitis
Our 6-year-old son Willem created his own line of pendants featuring buttons taken from old clothes and his grandma’s sewing stash. 2% of pendant sales will go to causes benefiting people living with Crohn’s and Colitis. Willem’s dad, Tim, lives with Crohn’s disease.

To learn more, visit www.UseAndImprove.com or follow us on Instagram @useandimprove

-Tania Reitsma, Artist and Founder of U&I Design Co.

Our Team: We laugh. We cry. We create. We’re a family.

Tania Reitsma, Founder, Maker of Most Things when the kids are finally asleep

Willem Reitsma, 6-year-old Creative Director and Maker of PooPoo Pendants

Tim Reitsma, Chief Business and Opinions Advisor


Keona Reitsma, Curious and courageous 2-year-old that keeps mom busy all day