Ecouterre » DIY Eco-Fashion

3D-Printed Necklace Features Slots For 100 of Your Shiniest Pennies

Jasmin Malik Chua — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 21:00:20 +0000

Pennies are good for more than squashing on train tracks. Dutch designer Michiel Cornelissen likens them to “little industrial gems”—the perfect components for statement jewelry, in fact. His do-it-yourself coin necklace is a three-dimensionally printed bauble with slots for holding 111 5-cent Euro coins, which are made of copper like American pennies were pre-1982. “Copper can oxidize and become darker over time, which can actually give a great look,” Cornelissen says. “If you prefer lighter, shinier coins, submerge them in vinegar for a few minutes. Stir well, rinse the coins in hot water, and dry them. It’s magic.”

+ Coin Necklace €55
+ Michiel Cornelissen

[Via MocoLoco]

Upcycle Broken Christmas Lights into Sparkly Holiday Accessories

Tiffany Threadgould — Mon, 26 Dec 2011 20:00:55 +0000

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Make Spirits Bright With a Handmade Felt-Flower Brooch (DIY Tutorial)

Amanda Coen — Tue, 20 Dec 2011 21:00:49 +0000

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Make Your Own “Texting” Gloves for the iPhone or Android (DIY Tutorial)

Yuka Yoneda — Thu, 15 Dec 2011 18:00:38 +0000

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Make an Upcycled Fabric Necklace as a Last-Minute Gift (DIY Tutorial)

Amanda Coen — Mon, 12 Dec 2011 17:00:56 +0000

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Give the Gift of Green With a Terrarium Necklace (DIY Tutorial)

Jasmin Malik Chua — Tue, 22 Nov 2011 20:00:05 +0000

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“Pick a Jewel” by FIFT Transforms Found Objects into Jewelry

Jasmin Malik Chua — Mon, 21 Nov 2011 22:00:49 +0000

Ever wished you could turn a perfect leaf, quirky knickknack, or beloved memento into a piece of jewelry? There’s an ~~app~~ clamp for that. “Pick a Jewel” by FIFT is a necklace affixed with a tiny clip that allows you to transform lovely objects from your everyday life into cool, one-of-a-kind jewelry. Wear a rosebud from your garden on Monday and a lucky penny on Tuesday. What a clever way to turn one necklace into thousands of different looks.

+ Pick a Jewel

+ FIFT

[Via NotCouture]

14 Eco-Chic Gifts You Can Make Yourself (DIY Tutorials)

Jasmin Malik Chua — Mon, 21 Nov 2011 17:00:50 +0000

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Recycle Halloween Candy Wrappers into Colorful Eco-Jewelry

Tiffany Threadgould — Fri, 04 Nov 2011 12:00:26 +0000

Now that Halloween is over and you’ve filled up on sugary sweets, a ghoulish pile of non-recyclable candy wrappers remains to haunt you. Here’s a trick for bringing your dearly departed treats back from the dead: Turn the discarded plastic packaging into wearable gems. With a little bit of tracing and cutting, you’ll have brand-new, low-cost beads that will last you long after your sugar buzz is gone. Click below the fold to learn how.

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7 Last-Minute Halloween Costumes Lurking Inside Your Closet

Yuka Yoneda — Sat, 29 Oct 2011 16:00:11 +0000

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Make Miu Miu’s Detachable Collar Using Scrap Fabric (DIY Tutorial)

Jene Sigl — Fri, 07 Oct 2011 20:00:33 +0000

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Recycle a Necktie Into a Camera Strap (DIY Tutorial)

Tiffany Threadgould — Wed, 13 Jul 2011 12:00:47 +0000

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Recycle an Old T-Shirt Into a Sexy Eco-Bikini (DIY Tutorial)

Justina Blakeney, Compai Creative — Thu, 07 Jul 2011 17:29:16 +0000

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Recycle Your Favorite Magazines into Free Boot-Shapers (DIY Tutorial)

Yuka Yoneda — Thu, 16 Jun 2011 19:00:13 +0000

If you’re packing your fall and winter boots away for the summer, you’ve probably experienced the dreaded syndrome known as “boot slump,” that is, when the tops of your floppier knee-highs flap over lifelessly, causing ugly creases and taking up extra room in your closet. Even sturdier rain and ankle boots aren’t immune to losing their shape without the proper tension. But why invest in expensive cedar or plastic boot-shapers when you can make one for free in seconds? Roll up your favorite magazines, especially those hefty fashion tomes, for an instant fix.

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Recycle an Old T-Shirt Into a Produce Grocery Bag (DIY Tutorial)

Delia Randall — Thu, 09 Jun 2011 20:00:11 +0000

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Sara McBeen’s Wearable Repair Kits Let You Make Do, Mend on the Go

Jasmin Malik Chua — Thu, 19 May 2011 18:00:14 +0000

Popped buttons and ripped seams don’t stand a chance against Sara McBeen’s wearable repair kits, which are cleverly disguised as a necklace, ring, or carabiner. The California native, who is working on her master’s degree in industrial design at Pratt, wants to remind people that quick mends can prolong the life of our clothing and possessions. Equipped with needles, thread, duct tape, and nylon cording, each kit acts as a visual prompt to inspire action. “They also act as a badge of sorts that makes a statement,” McBeen tells Ecouterre, whom we met at the Model Citizens show over the weekend. “The wearer is a ‘fixer,” someone who takes the time to mend or fix things.”

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Upcycle a Pair of Cargo Pants into a Yoga Mat Bag (DIY Tutorial)

Tiffany Threadgould — Mon, 21 Mar 2011 12:00:40 +0000

No need to get your limbs in a twist—if your favorite cargo pants are looking more bedraggled than retro, set them on a better path with a little omwork. In this exclusive excerpt from ReMake It!: Recycling Projects from the Stuff You Usually Scrap ($12.95) by Tiffany Threadgould you’ll learn how to transform your ’90s throwback into a functional, one-of-a-kind tote for your yoga mat. Now get downward dog with your bad self. Namaste.

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Transform Your Hoodie into Nearly Anything

Beth Shea — Tue, 15 Mar 2011 17:00:17 +0000

Fans of MacGyver’s infamous resourcefulness will revel in these sleight-of-hand tricks anyone can pull off with a hooded sweatshirt. Even the most average of Joes (or Josies) can morph his or her topper into a computer sleeve, backpack, strap bag, pillow, and dare we say it…baby carrier on the fly in mere seconds. Could the hoodie be the cape of the everyman?

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Jennifer Rieker’s Flat-Pack “Creo” Shoe Supports Your Local Shoemaker

Bridgette Meinhold — Mon, 07 Mar 2011 18:00:03 +0000

Here’s the perfect opportunity to give your local shoemaker some love. Jennifer Rieker, a German designer, has developed a modular system that relies on the craftsmanship of a shoemaker to stitch the inner shoe. Shipped flat in a vegetable-tanned leather envelope, which doubles as the inner liners of the shoes, each “Creo” kit includes shoelaces, a pair of recyclable thermoelastic polymer soles, two inner footbeds made from cork, latex, and jute, as well as a booklet detailing the materials used. The design’s primary goal is to integrate the wearer in the production process. By employing a local tradesperson to sew part of the shoes, Rieker says, the customer is acquainted with their origin and provenance. “In addition, the dialogue between the user and the shoemaker should encourage the user to take care [of] and repair his belongings more often,” she adds.

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DIYcouture’s Visual Instructions Help Aspiring Dressmakers Make the Cut

Amisha Ghadiali — Wed, 26 Jan 2011 13:00:15 +0000

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Klik Klik’s Magnetic Jewelry Kit Offers Endless Design Possibilities

Victoria Klein — Tue, 04 Jan 2011 18:00:16 +0000

A silent yet infinitely powerful force of nature, magnets are driving a new kind of fashion revolution. Leading the charge (pun intended) is Brooklyn designer Kellar Williams, whose Klik Klik Jewelry collection lets your inner designer toy with thousands of possibilities. Each kit consists of 300 nickel-plated neodymium magnets—the most powerful magnets in the known world—that snap together like magic, allowing you to create whatever you fancy in an instant.

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Melissa Shoes Partners With Architect Gaetano Pesce to Create DIY Bootie

Kestrel Jenkins — Thu, 16 Dec 2010 18:00:56 +0000

It’s time to think in circles with Italian architect-artist-designer Gaetano Pesce, whose first foray into footwear design echoes his trademark modular designs. Working with eco-friendly shoe company Melissa Plastic Dreams, Pesce has created an ankle bootie composed of interlocking vinyl spheres, any of which can be snipped off with scissors at will. Although the shoe is available in an array of funky, candy colors, its biggest appeal is its versatility. The best part? It allows you to alter what you already own instead of buying something new.

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Make Compai’s Easy Necklace-Scarf From an Old T-Shirt (DIY Tutorial)

Jasmin Malik Chua — Thu, 09 Dec 2010 18:00:34 +0000

Think of Justina and Faith Blakeney as the Serena and Venus Williams of T-shirt surgery. The sisters are not only the founders of Compai Design Studio, a Los Angeles-based creative consultancy, but they’re also the authors of several do-it-yourself primers, including 99 Ways to Cut, Sew, Trim, and Tie Your T-Shirt into Something Special. Here, the sisters Blakeney demonstrate how easy it is to make your own necklace-scarf hybrid from a T-shirt that’s lost its luster. The no-sew method takes a mere four steps—and the fourth step is completely optional.

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Make Nixxi’s Easy, No-Sew Wrap Top (DIY Tutorial)

Jada-Lee Watson, Nixxi — Tue, 12 Oct 2010 17:00:34 +0000

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Beat the Heat With DIY Ice-Cube Bling You Can Make in 5 Minutes

Jasmin Malik Chua — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 17:00:31 +0000

Summer swelter cramping your style? Don’t sweat it. Design duo 01Mathery has devised a do-it-yourself solution that even the most craft-challenged of folks will be able to partake. Simply dip a necklace chain, bracelet, or even piece of string into an ice-cube tray, cover with water, and freeze. Popped out of their molds, the ice-cube gems look almost like the real deal, except that they also function as portable cooling implements. With the number of novelty ice-cube trays on the market, the possibilities are manifold. Tip: Pop something shiny in the tray before freezing for extra pizzazz.

+ Ice Me

+ 01Mathery