Trashy Fashion Show Features Fremd Students and Residents from Palatine and Hoffman Estates

The Solid Waste Agency of Northern Cook County (SWANCC) hosted an Educational Expo and its eighth Trashy Fashion Show on Saturday, November 15, 2014, in recognition of America Recycles Day. This inspirational community-based program showcased 34 outfits, representing over 50 designers from a variety of member communities to include: Arlington Heights, Barrington, Hoffman Estates, Lincolnwood, Morton Grove, Mount Prospect, Niles, Palatine, and Skokie.

Ninety percent of each outfit was made with items destined for the trash can - or recycling bin. This year’s theme, “My Solution to Pollution” raised awareness about how to be a better steward of our Earth, while showing that repurposing materials can be fun. Designs were made from materials such as: table clothes; sheets; curtains; bottle caps; aluminum cans; shopping bags; textile and paint samples; stained clothing; news/wrapping/tissue papers; wine bottle nets; blankets; and more.

“This unique show gives individuals of any age a platform to create high-quality, one-of-a-kind works of wearable art, which is a testament to being resourceful and respectful by utilizing existing resources rather than buying new products,” states Mary Allen, SWANCC Recycling and Education Director.

Residents strolled around the Expo to talk to representatives from environmental organizations and businesses for reusing or processing special materials, such as pharmaceuticals, sharps, shredded documents, holiday lights, salvaged resources from homes, bikes and textiles. Matt Ryan and Lali Watt with The Talking Farm in Skokie, gave a presentation in the morning about the benefits of reducing organic materials from the landfill through composting and the benefits of growing and buying food locally. The Kids Corner offered children a variety of crafts, games and a special reading of “Recycling with Arnie and Bing” from local author Ann Wagner. The Expo offered something for everyone who attended.

For other SWANCC programs and resources, visit swancc.org.

Captions:

1. Designs by Fremd High School students, coordinated by Fashion Club Teacher Courtney Young.
2. Designer – Stephanie FitzSimons, Palatine
   Sweeny Todd Revisited – Reducing Landfill
   Model 2 – Stephanie FitzSimons
   Designer and model Stephanie FitzSimons likes to create from materials that already exists. She hopes to encourage others not to throw something away, but top reimagine it to create something else. If we all give our products a second and third life, we will reduce what ends up in the landfill and create a better environment for everyone!
3. Designer – Kristen Newby and fashion students/Env. Sci Class
   Fremd High School
   Don’t Feed the Bag Monster – Plastic Pollution
   Model 34 – Karen Rumps
   Single-use bags create waste. Every year, the average American uses approximately 500 plastic bags. Many times these bags end up in rivers, lakes, oceans and trees – and animals and marine life ingest small pieces of plastic because they cannot differentiate between food and plastic. And then guess what – we eat the animals and fish!
4. Designer – Stephanie FitzSimons, Palatine
   Gothic Steampunk Recycled – Air Pollution
   Model 1 – Grace Luczak
   Designer Stephanie FitzSimons states that the Textiles industry is plagued by air pollution problems – in particular, smoke and odor. The major air pollution issues occur during the finishing stages, where various processes are employed for coating the fabrics. By reusing materials, air pollution can be eliminated as in contrast with the production of making new fabrics, as well as diverting waste from the landfill.
5. Designer – Sue Kennedy, Palatine
   Edwardian Elegance – Ground Water Contamination
   Model 3 – Kathleen Luczak
   According to the US EPA, Americans discard approximately 13.1 million tons of textiles a year, and only 15% of that is reclaimed for recycling. It is best to reuse or donate items, rather than sending them to a landfill where dyes and other chemicals can cause surface and groundwater contamination, as well as generate methane gas which contributes to Climate Change. This outfit was made by using discarded table linens and upholstery trim.
6. Designers – Rachel Dever, Rebecca Bora and Aly Ferry
   Fremd High School
   Painted Lady – Properly take care of old paint
   Model 30 – Rachel Dever
   This kaleidoscopic sundress is made entirely of paint samples to raise awareness about using up – drying out or safely disposing old paint properly. For more details, view SWANCC’s “How to dry out latex paint and dispose of household chemical wastes” video at swancc.org.
7. Designer and model- Genevive Kowalski, Hoffman Estates School Dist. 54
   I Mean Business – Diabetes Awareness
   This simple blousy one-piece dress is casual, but stylish and not too fancy for wearing to the office and was made from old curtains and diabetes lancet cartridges.
   Designer and model - Neela Gilbert, Hoffman Estates Dist. 54
   Country Curtains – Reusing Resources
   Neela combined country charm with a touch of Victorian elegance to create this one-of-a-kind, simple yet fun dress made from old curtains and shoe laces.
8. Designer - Ian Doering, Fremd High School
   Archive – Recycle
   Model 32 – Katrina Stadler
   An old worn-out t-shirt is the base for this out-of-this-world design covered in folded paper – from newsprint and comics.
9. Designers - Nicole Kim and Karen Rumps, Fremd High School
   The Threat – Less Packaging Consumer Products
   Model 31 – Nicole Kim
   Don’t be fooled - what appears to be a magnificent dress is actually a “killer” design, in the literal sense. Plastics and other materials, when misplaced, can be a threat to our oceans, land animals and aquatic life.
   Designers Nicole and Karen’s message to consumers is to look for products that have little or no packaging. And to recycle as much as possible and take reusable cloth bags when shopping.