Recycled Ready-to-Wear: Fashion with Planet Passion

Whenever presented with the phrase "the future of fashion," the image conjured around here is pretty damn close to the post-industrial wasteland depicted in Mad Max: Beyond Thunderdome, where scrap arts and salvage are the only independent way to survive — even if those visions usually include some lace, satin, and other girlie treasures to offset all the leather and metal.

We're watching that future unfold now, as "the new frugality" and eco-consciousness gain mainstream steam and combine to combat years of mass consumption and disposable design. The result is a world of stylish, modern offerings that celebrate the creativity and craft of a 4-H or Brownie badge (and shun mass manufacturing) as much as they exalt a solid fashion history education and quality garment construction. The unity is in "upcycling," or upgrading raw recycled or reusable materials into something of greater value.

Sure, there are the couture concepts (as designed by Linda Loudermilk and Deborah Lindquist, to name a few), but the majority of these new sustainable designers are as accessible as they are affordable. To celebrate the revolution — just in time for Earth Day — we interviewed a few of our favorite rebels of recycled ready-to-wear fashion and accessories, including their tips and tricks for the average DIY-er at home.

Nicole Keane, Frock and F. Rock bags — Boston, MA
Nicole's first eco-chic fashion endeavor started at just six years old, when she "rescued" her mother's purple dress and secretly hid under the dressing table, deconstructing the frock with a seam ripper in order to cut it down to size. "She was less than thrilled!" Keane said.

After that, Keane (with permission) continued to create upcycled accessories made from vintage fabrics and salvage trims before the term was trendy, starting a handmade clutch for a friend's 30th birthday that happened to launch her design destiny. "I had never made a handbag before, but it seemed like a manageable size," Keane admits. "It was my first bag and think it took me almost 6 hours to complete! One deconstructed pink tweed skirt, velvet from a pair of chocolate brown Ralph Lauren pants, a brooch, some strategically placed superglue, and voila!"

In 2008, Keane left a finance job to launch frock, her Boston-based line of women's bags made from 100% reclaimed fabrics and leathers, much like that first clutch — only now she has a team that sews her products locally for her, using hardware also produced locally. She saw that the market was filled with eco-friendly bags that were novel yet lacking style, and style-oriented bags that had no social or environmental awareness. She created frock and her new men's line, F. Rock, launching today for Earth Day, with style and sustainability — from the sourcing straight through production. Keane's bags "harken back to the vintage days when things were richly crafted and made with quality in the U.S., not mass produced." 

For all that high-quality material and craftsmanship, Keane's bags aren't necessarily cheap — handbags run between $150 and $300 — but are still an absolute value compared to "designer" imports from China at top department stores, most starting upwards of $1,000.

To shop frock handbags online, check out FrockHandbags.com or SassySallys.com. F. Rock men's carryalls will soon be available at FRockBags.com.

Thoughts on the upcycling movement:
"Just like the green movement or the push for organics, upcycling isn't a new concept but does still has a certain trendiness associated with it," Keane says. "For years we've talked about, and listened to, the importance of recycling.  "Upcycling" really is the hybrid of "reuse" and "recycle" – the two other spokes on what I call the holy trinity of greenness. I believe this new buzz about "upcycling" is causing a larger number of people to stop and think about their own environmental footprint, economic footprint and purchasing patterns in a more holistic way."

Kelly Campbell, Kellybeth Jewelry — Denver, CO
Kelly and her sister, Katie, started their Denver, Colorado-based design company three years ago with a single credit card, but it wasn't used for a purchase of supplies. It was the supplies. That single, cathartic piece of cut-up plastic was used to create the prototype for their wildly popular (and perfectly timed) line of earrings and bracelets composed of clipped, snipped, and hooked upcycled arbiters of debt: expired or expunged credit cards and gift cards.

The sisters come from a small, Midwestern town with a population of just 650 and a hardworking, conventional 4-H background where they learned to cook, sew, and create. It wasn't until the boredom of a corporate job and "the real world" set in that Kelly decided to take that single, shredded credit card and create something more beautiful from it that the design itch took hold, resulting in the accessories line now carried in boutiques from coast to coast.

"We've created our business so we can spend time with women and make them feel beautiful simply by creating a product that will be a conversation starter and can be worn with confidence," they write on their website. "We believe in doing all we can to provide products that are earth friendly and can be made from recycled materials. We're reusing an item that is so prevalent in our society and will not be extinct anytime soon. Gift cards account for a large amount of retails sales each year.  That's a lot of cards in our landfills."

Kelly and Katie are passing on their financial freedom, too: jewelry from their line runs between $16 and $40.
Shop online at KellyBethDesigns.com.

Favorite upcycled designers:
"My sister lived in Mexico for a year and saw the [bags made from candy or juice box wrappers] that I hadn't seen anywhere else. We bought them and got compliments [back] in the States all the time. Now they are everywhere. I also really like the skateboard recycled jewelry at Pivot, a Chicago boutique that carries our jewelry. And, I don't own one of these yet, but think the billboard bags by Vy & Elle are so cool. Another company in Colorado I've gotten to know is Vamp bags. High-end, great bags."

Stacey Appel, 28 Crash! Vintage — Philadelphia, PA
"Queen Bee" Stacey Appel has always loved vintage clothes but found that the pieces never fit right on modern women. "So, I started with minor tweaking and then more and more altering until a lot of the garments were completely redesigned."

In 2008, after completing a degree in fashion design, Appel launched her shop, 28 Crash!, as a place for "only the most superstar vintage togs for the eco-fabulous clothing obsessed." Her one-of-a-kind designs are absurdly affordable — with some "upcycled" outfits as low as $24 — and have adorable names inspired by songs epitomizing the era of the look, like the plaid skirt jumper called "Electric Youth" and the Madonna-inspired "La Isla Bonita" dress. Appel's goal is to "modify garments to fit the modern figure, making these sustainable goodies surprisingly wearable, but always with a fashion-forward edge that pays homage to the past. Our inspiration comes from rock-n-roll and pop culture's past, which is why all the pieces are named after songs. We also watch the runway and take notice what the kids are wearing around town to keep ideas fresh and new."

DESIGNER TIPS FOR DIY UCYCLING AT HOME

Have the right equipment for the job.
The first rule in crafting with clothing is to own a pair of sharp scissors you only use for cutting fabric. After that, in order to keep your finished garments from looking home-sewn, Appel suggests you "[get] a serger, which puts a nice pro-looking finish on inside seams. Don't leave hems unfinished unless it's for design purposes (like the frayed edges on denim). Also, measure everything twice before cutting to make sure nothing is uneven."

Start with the basics.
"Go shopping in your own closet, with an open mind," Keane says. "Look at the items that you consistently try on and put back. What do you dislike about them? Can it be changed? Sometimes, all it takes is a little creativity to breathe new life into an old skirt, cardigan, dress, or dowdy ballet flats. Does that little sequin skirt from college seem too short now?  What about transforming it into a strapless top? Sew on a wide black satin ribbon and tie at the neck, and voila! A brand-new piece. Brooches, flowers, strategically placed sequins or appliqués can all transform flats from blech to beautiful. Even your boyfriend's old tie can be transformed into satin flowers sewn onto an old cardigan.  Upcycle what you can and recycle the rest! I have a rule of only embellishing and deconstructing pieces that are simple to begin with. Instead of the garment looking home-sewn and catching your eye for the wrong reasons, it will be the embellishments that jump out and add a bit of sparkle or shine.

Be inspired and original.
"Think outside the box," Campbell says. "Often, we can't see beyond what is already out there. Look around and be inspired by everyday objects." Appel adds: "Have fun! If the process and the results make you smile, you know you've done well."

Solicit constructive criticism.
"Ask for help!" Keane says. "Friends, family, strangers — they'll all give you their honest opinion and ideas.  If a piece just doesn’t work…wrong color, cut for your figure or style for your age or personality…they’ll tell you.  Let others help whittle down what doesn’t work and create new ways to wear and use what does."

For more inspiration and ideas on creating recycled fashion at home, check out Born Again Vintage: 25 Ways to Deconstruct, Reinvent + Recycle Your Wardrobe by Bridgett Artise and Jen Karetnick, including dozens of ideas for all seasons and all levels of crafting acumen, from Easy to Experienced.

Photo Credits:

Cashin Photography ~ Courtesy of Frock Handbags

KellyBeth Jewelry

Amanda Stevenson ~ Courtesy of 28 Crash!

Bridgett Artise ~ Born Again Vintage

Copyright 2009 Shoestring, LLC. Photo courtesy of FRock.com