Innovative fashion designers worldwide have become eco-conscious in their quest to Reduce, Reuse and Recycle…
Innovative fashion designers worldwide have become eco-conscious in their quest to Reduce, Reuse and Recycle. They have taken the 3Rs to a whole new level by creating stylish accessories from recycled and reclaimed material. As part of Durban University of Technology’s initiative to encourage Green Living, Fashion Design students have embarked on a Green Entrepreneur project by incorporating the 3Rs in creating fashionable jewellery. Accessories produced for the project will be showcased at the second annual Sustainable Living Exhibition from 2-4 September 2011 at Durban Exhibition Centre.
Project Co-ordinator, Lecturer Lee Scott said designers have been inspired by the old adage “one man’s trash is another man’s treasure” and have given life to objects that have lost their initial function which still hold aesthetic potential for the visionary.
Scott said: “Green Living is not just for households, the popularity of recycled fashion made from reusable material has risen to new heights. Artists, designers and fashionistas are finding creative ways to reduce their carbon footprints by breathing new life into the discarded, turning trash into trendy tote bags, purses, jewellery and so much more.”
The inexpensive project aimed at making first-year Fashion Design students look at household discarded items through new lenses. Jewellery designed and assembled has been created from milk and soft drink bottles, old vinyl records, colourful butter lids and CDs.
In the interest of sustainability, the use of tools was minimal. Students used hand saws, scissors, soldering irons, heat guns, pliers and glue guns. The design brief was specific in that accessories had to be fashionable, capture people’s attention and inspire the public to consider the environment their daily choices. The end product had to have aesthetic appeal, commercial value, be ‘ready to wear’ and generate excitement around recycled fashion.
“We realize that many of our planets natural resources are non-renewable and it is more important now than ever that we, at work, home, at school and in all community activities reduce waste and find effective ways to Reduce, Reuse and Recycle,” said Scott.
The Green Entrepreneur collection includes bold arm cuffs, wrist bands, colourful neck pieces, exotic earrings and hair accessories. The collection has something for everyone, from the eminently elegant to bold pieces displaying a funky twist to contemporary fashion.
-By Kareshma Gunpath
