Eco-Fashion & Design

What’s That at Bottom of Dress??

2013-06-10T15:21:52Z

Recycled fashion is a global phenomenon, and here’s more proof: from the Middle Eastern country of Qatar comes this dress made of rolled up strips of newspaper and, hanging from the bottom, old CDs and DVDs. The State of Qatar, is a sovereign Arab state, located in Western Asia, occupying the small Qatar Peninsula on the northeasterly coast of the much larger Arabian Peninsula.The dress recently made its first appearance as part of Qatar’s celebration of World Environment Day, which was June 5. Whether you think this is really cool or really weird, you’ve got to admit: it sends a valuable message that, when it comes to eco-fashion, your imagination is the most important material.

Seen at a Recycled Fashion Show: Dress Made from Disney Shopping Bags

2013-06-03T15:50:24Z

First-prize winner Sarah Parlato in gown made of Disney shopping bags. And the first place winner at the recent Eco Fashion Show put on by the environmental club of Lauralton Hall Catholic School in Connecticut was . . . .

You can see for yourself. A dress made from recycled Disney shopping bags.

We at Earth Preservers have a lot of “trash fashion” clothing and, frankly, a lot of it looks like trash. But not this dress. It’s easy to imagine the Disney company dressing one of its stars in this dress for a walk down some red carpet.

Are you listening, Bob Iger?

For more pictures from the show go here.

Would You Wear a Shirt that Needs to be Washed Just 3 Times a Year?

2013-05-06T17:35:12Z

A company called Wool&Prince reportedly has developed a shirt you almost never have to wash. If true, this is a big deal, because not having to wash means not having to use water and energy.

The shirt is not yet for sale, but as this Grist story notes, the founder of Wool&Prince says he wore one for 100 straight days without it starting to stink. The company reportedly has yet to explain the secret behind its shirt’s ability to stay out of the clothes hamper, but let’s assume that Wool&Prince really has developed a shirt you almost never have to wash.

Earth Preservers wants to know: Would you wear a shirt you almost never have to wash?

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Would You Wear a Shirt that Needs to be Washed Just 3 Times a Year?

2013-05-06T17:33:38Z

A company called Wool&Prince -- http://woolandprince.com -- reportedly has developed a shirt you almost never have to wash. If true, this is a big deal, because not having to wash means not having to use water and energy.

This Jacket was Made Entirely from Biodegradable Materials

2013-04-15T04:01:00Z

Copyright Onward Kashiyama Co.Admit it. You never would have guessed that this was biodegradable suit jacket if we hadn’t told you.

Would you believe that it is for sale as a standard item in major department stores in Japan?

Fabric, thread and buttons are all biodegradable. When buried in soil, the jacket takes about a year to return to the soil.

Not that we suggest that you do that, at least not until you’ve worn it a few years. This is the snazziest eco-friendly item of clothing we’ve seen in a long time.

To learn more about it, read this Japanfs.org story.

It’s a Wall Clock Made with Old, Rolled-Up Magazines

2013-04-01T04:01:00Z

Anything -- and we do mean anything -- can be made with recycled materials.

Presenting this wall clock, which was made with old rolled-up magazines.

Trust us when we tell you that, whatever you may think of it, somebody will think it’s very attractive and will be anxious to tell his or her neighbors all about it.

This clock came to Earth Preservers’ attention via this Alternative Consumer article, which mentions that it’s sold by a store called Shannybeebo.

To Save $ and Encourage Recycling, Would You ‘Rent’ a Pair of Blue Jeans?

2013-04-01T04:01:00Z

Everyone wears blue jeans, but not everyone buys the blue jeans they wear.

A company in the Netherlands called Mud Jeans will rent you a pair of blue jeans for a period of one year, after which you return them to Mud Jeans, which recycles the material.

Is renting clothing the next big thing in fashion? It might be, given that renting instead of buying can save a person money. More than that, it encourages recycling, which attracts young people like you.

Earth Preservers wants to know:

Is “renting” clothing the next big thing in fashion?

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No Matter What You Think You See, This Oscar Dress is Green

2013-03-17T22:08:29Z

Actress Naomie Harris arrives at the Oscars at Hollywood & Highland Center on Feb. 24, 2013 in Hollywood, Calif. Harris wore a gown made out of organic materials. (Jason Merritt/Getty Images)Even if you watched the Oscars the other week, you may have missed the moment when a star of the recent James Bond movie Skyfall walked down the red carpet in a “green” dress made from organic cotton.

Her name is Naomie Harris and, according to a report, she wore a gold organic silk crepe de chine dress, with dyes from chamomile and goldenrod. Her accessories included vintage glass beads and ornamentation made from candy wrappers and recycled zippers.

The best news of all is that the dress was designed by a 20-year-old college student as part of a competition called Red Carpet Green Dress.

U Decide: The Ultimate in Recycling, Or a Really Stupid Fashion Choice?

2013-03-04T05:02:00Z

Photo via unconsumption.com, originally courtesy Strode College

Using recycled material to make new clothing is something everyone should do.

Still, we’ve got to ask: is using recycled cardboard to make a prom dress an idea whose time will never come?

You’re looking at a real prom dress made by a college student out of old cardboard and paper bags. She’s done a great job designing it.

Still, we’ve got to ask:

Recycled cardboard prom dress? Would you wear a prom dress made out of recycled cardboard and paper bags? (Would you want your date to?)

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Environmentalists Decry Avon, NJ’s Plan for Boardwalk from Rainforest Wood

2013-03-04T05:01:00Z

The remains of the Avon boardwalk and inlet gazebo, looking north from the Shark River Bridge, Jan. 23, 2012. (Photo by Andrew Mills/The Star-Ledger)

According to this Associated Press story that recently appeared in the New Jersey Star-Ledger:

Environmental groups calculate that 766 acres of old-growth tropical rainforest needed to be cut down to provide materials to rebuild just one small storm-damaged boardwalk at the Jersey shore, and they're promising a tourist-season boycott if the town goes through with its plans.

The town in question is Avon, NJ, which at this point is definitely going to risk environmentalists’ wrath. Avon officials defend their decision on the grounds that the rainforest wood they’re going to use was harvested in Brazil in a responsible manner. Environmental groups question whether that’s true. In any event, Avon’s plans are already too far along to be changed, town officials contend.

This is a delicate matter.

On the one hand, supporting a town that got whacked by Superstorm Sandy seems the right thing to do.

On the other, supporting a town that caused rainforest wood to be cut down seems like the wrong thing to do.

Boycott Avon, New Jersey? Would you boycott a Jersey shore community battered by Superstorm Sandy because it rebuilt its boardwalk with rainforest wood?

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