Ecouterre » Reused / Recycled Eco-Fashion

NYC Architect Makes Jewelry From Discarded Rubber Bands, Paper Clips

Bridgette Meinhold — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 13:00:18 +0000

Who needs to keep their cubicle stocked with analog paraphernalia now that we’ve all moved to paperless offices? Well, if you’re Margarita Mileva, obsolete office supplies make the perfect components for vibrant jewelry, such as twisty necklaces made from multicolored rubber bands, chokers pieced together from wire binding, and pendants fashioned from circular paper clips.

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XOElle Whips Vintage Men’s Shirts Into Snappy Bow Ties

Mike Chino — Sun, 07 Mar 2010 13:00:33 +0000

The bow tie has shaken off its erstwhile affectations of late and is popping up amid a very current crop of designers with a penchant for all things prep. But why reinvent the wheel when you can cut these classic ties from a cloth that imparts each with a unique sense of history? That’s the approach taken by XOElle, who handcrafts each elegant tie from an “unloved men’s shirt.” Giant floppy bows they’re not. These prim bowties are fit as a fiddle and perfect for a spring fling.

+ Bow Tie $36

+ XOElle

Make a Raincoat Out of Recycled IKEA Bags

Yuka Yoneda — Sat, 06 Mar 2010 18:00:54 +0000

Now that IKEA has abolished plastic shopping bags in favor of reusable ones, some folks might have amassed more than their share of big blue bags. If that sounds like you, here’s a fun tip from reader Paul Mattingly on how to upcycle four of the Swedish carryalls into a sporty and conversation-starting raincoat. “The IKEA Raincoat is a thrifty and intelligent idea for keeping dry in the rain,” he tells us. We couldn’t have said it better ourselves, Paul!

+ Ikea Raincoat at Instructables

+ Stephanie Casper

Tesco Launches Recycled Clothing Line With From Somewhere

Jasmin Malik Chua — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 20:00:39 +0000

Could picking up sustainable clothing be as easy as cruising the dairy aisle? Maybe if Tesco has something to do with it. The British grocery-and-retail giant has tapped designers Orsola de Castro and Filippo Ricci of From Somewhere to develop a limited line of recycled clothing for its Florence & Fred label.

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Gun Reclamation Project Upcycles Gun Parts Into Pacifist Eco-Jewelry

Jasmin Malik Chua — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 17:00:45 +0000

The Gun Reclamation Project takes its philosophy of beating swords into plowshares seriously. The collection of baubles by B-Side Jewelry pillages firearms for parts (triggers, firing pins, recoil lugs) and recasts them as symbols of nonviolence. Launching tonight at a fundraising event for the New York City Gun Buy-Back Program, the collection of rehabilitated accessories will do more than reduce the number of guns on the streets: a portion of proceeds will go towards efforts to make Gotham a safer place to live in.

+ Gun Reclamation Proejct

+ B-Side Jewelry

[Via Daily Candy]

Modern Diamonds: Reclaimed Wood Gems by Something’s Hiding in Here

Rebecca Paul — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 18:00:14 +0000

Philadelphia-based design duo Something’s Hiding in Here uses reclaimed wood and other eco-friendly materials to make funky accessories that are fun to wear and reasonably priced. These chunky hand-shaped wood gems are just the right combination of edgy and homegrown, not to mention we love wearing anything that features the subtle and organic patterns wood grain naturally provides.

+ Wood Gems $60-$65

+ Something’s Hiding in Here

Christopher Raeburn’s Upcycled Military Garments Are Ready For Anything

Antonia Halse — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 18:16:56 +0000

Christopher Raeburn was all over London Fashion Week’s’s HQ at Somerset House this year, with not one but three displays throughout the exhibition. Having admired Raeburn’s work since we first spotted his lightly crafted aesthetic back in 2008—remember his recycled hot-air-balloon garments for Worn Again?—Ecouterre was on the scene for an up-close-and-personal look at his Autumn/Winter 2010 collection, which focused on utilitarian traits such as functionality and practical layering.

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Japanese Company Upcycles Scrap Tires Into Cool-Looking Sneakers, Bags

Johnny Strategy — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 19:00:30 +0000

Keeping tires out of landfills is a tough job considering how many they are. (Multiply the number of cars on the road by four or in the case of large trucks, as much as 18.) Still, tire recycling has evolved beyond roping one onto a tree and calling it a swing. For one Japanese eco-fashion label, scrap tires are also grist for some pretty spectacular sneakers and bags.

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When Life Hands You Expired Condoms, Make a Dress!

Brit Liggett — Wed, 17 Feb 2010 16:13:37 +0000

When New York University student Emma Kaywin realized that a pile of expired condoms from her HIV Hotline internship were going to the landfill, she asked if she could use them for an art project, instead. Our first instinct was to squirm a little—don’t worry they’re not used—our second was, “cute dress!”

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Gary Harvey Brings “Dumpster-Chic” Couture to the GreenShows

Jennifer Smith — Mon, 15 Feb 2010 16:15:01 +0000

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