Hark Upon the Green! If you happened to stop by the Sunken Gardens on Sunday, right before Thanksgiving break, you might have witnessed the fantastic displays of several on campus sustainability organizations. November 20 was America Recycles Day, and what better way to celebrate than with a few recycled fashions. That’s right. The members of the Student Environmental Action Coalition (SEAC) sponsored a fashion show in which contestants were challenged to create wearable designs with flair of a fashion sense for sustainability. As a judge, I was privileged with the opportunity of observing what happens when cardboard meets creative!
The winner of the fashion show, Ma
rika Reed, designed her outfit, which maintained an avant-garde edge, out of packaging peanuts, newspaper, and pieces of cardboard. Reed says the look reflects her feelings that fashion should be playful and with a bit of “whimsical fantasy.” Contestants sported everything from air pillowpackaging to trash bags, creating looks reminiscent of Abe Lincoln complete with stovetop hat, to a 50’s flapper meets Pocahontas combination. Even the Griffin appeared to show support and escort our sustainable fashionistas.
In reality, while cardboard couture might be a little impractical, sustainable fashion is not. Sustainable clothing qualifies as anything made of sustainable materials, and made in factories that use renewable forms of energy such as wind turbines and solar panels. Brands like Kyler Jewelry, Sara Shepherd, and Levi’s Brand denim have produced eco-friendly jewelry, pants, and skirts that celebrities, including Natalie Portman and Jennifer Aniston have been associated with.
Definitely keep an eye out for a rise in sustainable fashion wear, and in the meantime try your own hand at creating a few new recycled designs!