Posted on 05/13/2008 9:49:41 AM PDT by rightwingintelligentsia
MIAMI, Florida (CNN) -- Fashion designers are giving new life to worthless candy wrappers, newspapers and plastic bags; turning trash into trendy tote bags, purses and jewelry.
From "post-consumer and industrial waste" comes durable, funky accessories reportedly worn by celebrities such as Lindsay Lohan, Cameron Diaz and Petra Nemcova.
One self-described eco-fashion label, Ecoist, has partnered with Coca-Cola, Luna Bar, and Aveda to create handbags made from misprinted and discontinued packaging.
"We tap into that source of waste because it is reliable and unfortunately it's abundant," said Ecoist co-founder Jonathan Marcoschamer. "We believe that for the next few years there's going to be a significant amount."
How about 7.6 billion tons of waste? That's how much trash American companies toss each year, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
During the past four years, Ecoist said, it has sold more than 100,000 accessories created by its designers in Peru and Miami, Florida. The bags -- some of them one-of-a-kind -- are priced from about $30 for smaller versions to about $180 for larger ones.
(Excerpt) Read more at cnn.com ...
That’s great. The econut treehuggers will look real stylish as they hug trees and pet the wild Mountain Lions wearing their latest garbage bags and worrying about global warming.
It makes me feel so warm and fuzzy inside.
Now if only we could recycle liberals into something more useful.
The young crafters have been doing this for several years. Way back in the day, thrifty farmwives sewed kids’ underwear & work clothes out of feedbags. Isn’t it ironic that it doesn’t become a trend until someone puts a fashionable logo on it and sells it for extra $?
Ironic? No. A typical triumph of capitalism and the market? Yes.
I think this is great.
anyone remember the “homeless chic” fashion craze in the ‘80’s?
Wow, simply amazing. Taking scraps and bits some would consider trash and turning it into something functional. Will the wonders ever cease? My Grandmaw (Maw Arbelle) has been doing this for over 70 years....
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