The rise of recycling and refashioning clothes
Eco fashion is every where at the moment, you only have to turn up at London Fashion week or go to your local high street and you will find eco fashion of one sort or another. The main reason for it is that eco sells, consumers are becoming more aware of the impact that there fashion choices have on the environment and demanding that the clothing industry reduce it. Recycling and reworking of clothes is just one type of eco fashion that is on the rise. Recycling old clothes is probably the ultimate eco fashion. It reduces waste and also the environmental impact associated with manufacture of new clothes.
Recycling of clothes is nothing new. Sales of vintage and second hand clothes have shown huge growth in the last few years, but what is really on the rise is the reworking and refashioning of second hand and vintage clothing. Whilst many love second hand and vintage clothing just as they are, refashioning them into new pieces has the benefits of creating completely unique, designer and cutting edge.
The great thing about recycled and refashioned clothing is the way that old clothes, styles and fabrics inspire the designers to create something gorgeous and new. The new designs keep a bit of the history of the clothing from which they were made but also give consumers something fresh and exciting.
There are so many new labels that use recycled clothes to create new but Junky styling was probaby one of the first, deconstructing traditional suits from charity shops and jumble sales and reconstructed them to form twisted tailored pieces. Other great recycling ideas include turning old saris into sandals and leather jackets into hand bags.
DIY restyling and refashioning of clothes has also become hugely popular from changing shirts into dresses to dying prom dresses and wedding dresses, to changing jeans into skirts. There are a number now a number of blogs and online communities dedicated to restyling and refashioning of clothes.
Recycling and restyling of clothes is also getting further publicity through initiatives like alternative fashion week which has a strong emphasis on eco fashion and the choice of fashion graduates to use recycled materials in their final year projects and graduation shows.
picture from www.junkystyling.co.uk
Tags: recycled and customised clothing, recycled clothing, refashioned clothes, Second hand clothes, Women's vintage clothing
