The Trash’n Fashion Show

Nobody wants to surf or swim in a plastic filled ocean. This is why we felt it our duty to participate in our local Trash’n Show, hosted by the Plastic Oceans Project, a Wilmington- based non profit on a mission “to attain science-based solutions to the plastic pollution crisis that inspire all to make informed choices to improve human and environmental health. The rules were simple. Items could only be made from old fabrics, used clothing, cardboard, paper plastic and other single-used material.

At first we were hesitant to sign up with only 2 weeks to prepare. We weren't sure we could possibly come up with a design that quick. Nonetheless we love a good craft night and it was a good excuse to hang out.

We started by asking ourselves what we already had in abundance that we could re-use. While we both had plenty of clothes we could have reconstructed, neither of us owns a sewing machine. The thought of this was already bringing back traumatic memories from my seventh grade home economics class which pretty much killed my dreams of becoming a fashion designer…

Then I recalled the collection of plastic grocery bags I was hoarding in my kitchen closet until I figured out where I could donate them. From there we were both googling plastic grocery bag garments… surprisingly it is a widely discussed internet topic. I stumbled across a few YouTube tutorials and learned how to create “fabric” using parchment paper and an iron. Next thing we knew, the ideas were flowing and the Bagus Dress was born.

Inspired by a recent trip to Bali, Indonesia, we named our dress BAGus, which means “good” in Balinese. As a country, Indonesia is considered to be the second worst contributor to plastic pollution. While surfing I noticed the impact this designation was having on the environment. A couple of times I thought I was seeing a giant jellyfish until I realized it was a plastic bag caught on the reef. When people ask me whether sustainability really still matters or whether business still cares, I think back to those moments. Plastic pollution is a major problem for all of us. Not only is it aesthetically ruining beaches, it is having a negative impact on biodiversity. Studies also show that at this point, by consuming seafood we are consuming plastic…

Anyways I have gone on a tangent and I do want to leave on a positive note. Despite our last minute scramble to throw an outfit together, we placed in the top five! This was a fun exercise which not only reminded me to bring my reusable totes to the grocery store but also how much I love utilizing my creativity to raise awareness about plastic pollution. We are already planning for next year’s competition. IF at this point you are still feeling bummed out by this issue and Trash’n isn’t your thing but you want to do something about it, I recommend reading here.

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Fasting from Fashion