iCount Youth Account

Creative Recycling and DIY Fashion

When you were little, did you ever use an empty pop bottle as your rocket ship or plant terrarium?  Nothing has changed; there are hundreds of ideas for recycling. Some young people go all out, too, even for special occasions like prom.  Imagine a prom dress made from gum wrappers…would YOU be bold enough to make it, wear it or escort it to prom?  How about a jacket made from plastic bags?

If you search the Internet for DIY Fashion, you might stumble on a picture of a dress made from potato chip bags. The bags are sewn, one by one, onto mesh fabric. The colours pop, and the foil linings of the bags glimmer in the light. 

You may discover that old grocery bags can be shredded into strips and the pieces used like wool or string – you can then crochet them into any shape you want!  If you can crochet a flower, then you can make them out of plastic!

What about the girl who used candy wrappers in all colours to weave into a gorgeous mini dress? 

There’s even a contest sponsored by a popular tape company called “Stuck At Prom” which encourages couples to design their outfits with tape and wear it to prom – photos required as proof! That one has a big cash prize!

The point is, candy wrappers, bottle caps and old plastic can be used for an assortment of fashion clothing and accessories – all it takes is your imagination, a little inspiration and some dedication to the art!

Here are three places to check out and stimulate your brainwaves:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xiP3Hmwkl-k

http://www.mahalo.com/gum-wrapper-prom-dress

http://www.popgloss.com/recycled/977cf387d195cd2268ef7340ae5f116f&pageoffset=0