Alex Lukawski, a senior at Hersey High School in Arlington Heights, made a dress from used plastic bags, magazine clippings and hand-water-colored paper with glitter. Her shawl is finger knitted from leftover yarn. Her clutch is made from grocery bags and tape.
Photo courtesy of SWANCC
The Solid Waste Agency of Northern Cook County recently held its fifth Trashy Fashion Show in recognition of America Recycles Day.
The fun and inspirational community-based program showcased 43 outfits, representing 65 designers, ages 12 to adult, that were made from items destined for the trash can or recycling bin.
Materials used included: repurposed textiles, such as curtains, denim jeans, table clothes and pillow shams; plastics; newspaper, office paper and magazines; pet food and store shopping bags; candy wrappers and chip bags; packaging materials; and fabric samples.
SWANCC member communities represented by designers included Arlington Heights, Barrington, Evanston, Glenview, Morton Grove, Palatine, Park Ridge, Prospect Heights and Skokie.
“This once-a-year-event gives individuals of any age a reason to create a high-quality, one-of-a-kind wearable ‘art’fit,”said Mary Allen, SWANCC’s recycling and education director. “Each piece is a statement about being resourceful and respectful by utilizing resources we already have a bit longer.”
For more information on SWANCC, visit swancc.org.
Jessica Stavros of Prospect Heights sports Growing Green, a dress made from used vegetable and potting soil bags, a bracelet made of wrappers, a headpiece from an aluminum can, a purse from cookie bags and flip-flops made from juice pouches.
Photo courtesy of SWANCC
The Kline family trio — mom Michelle and daughters Jenny, 10, and Grace, 2 — is wearing dresses made from denim scraps and plastic sandbags. The Palatine familys accessories include denim fabric roses, rings made from pop tabs and buttons, and a purse made from jean pockets.
Photo courtesy of SWANCC
Fremd High School students Amanda Jensen, Celeste Montenegro, Ashley Bremer, Katelyn Rogers, Stacy Geng and Tabitha Juneau created this dress called the Bubblegum Fairy. The top is made of blue gum wrappers and a band of dryer sheets. The skirt is created with tissue paper from a birthday party.
Photo courtesy of SWANCC
Ruth Stover from Palatine sewed a poncho made from retail store plastic bags and sheets. Her tote bag is made from old jeans. She is involved with the Northwest Suburban Sewing Friends and the American Sewing Guild.
Photo courtesy of SWANCC