Maya Angelou once said, "You can't use up creativity. The more you use the more you have." I'm really looking forward to seeing everyone's creativity.

 

Resource conservation not only extends the supply and accessibility of finite resources to future generations, but also limits the energy production and environmental impacts, creating a better quality of life for people and wildlife.

 

I am an artist, stylist, and digital content creator based in Denton, TX. I style and operate with sustainability in mind. I love fashion and especially clothes and designs that reuse materials to lessen our waste.

 

Reuse and resource conservation is important because it’s one of the most kind and loving things you can do. It directly impacts others in the present and can help mitigate/prevent a multitude of issues futures generations will face.

 

Being resourceful is part of being a successful artist! Using materials in unconventional or unexpected ways challenges me as an artist and also ensures a brighter future for everyone.

I am the Director of Operations for a multi-location, award-winning salon - Davanti Salon. I am a proud Denton Native and have had the honor of being a part of the beauty industry for over 17 years.

 

Davanti Salon prides itself on creating a space for people to create beautiful tings all while caring for the world we live in. Davanti has a passion for conservation, sustainability, and responsible products and practices.

Rachel is the Education Director for SCRAP Creative Reuse, a nonprofit network of creative reuse centers, programs, and resources. They were the Director of SCRAP Denton from 2019 - 2020, and continue to collaborate on creative reuse efforts in multiple communities. Rachel is a writer, mixed media artist, and creative with a passion for environmental sustainability and creative community building. They are based in Denton, Texas, and are a part of KUZU Community Radio, Denton Zine & Art Party, Spiderweb Salon, and local music and art shows.

 

Reuse and resource conservation are an essential component to my environmentalism and sustainable behaviors. Choosing to reuse, upcycle, thrift, and purchase used helps reduce our material waste and hopefully reduce how much unnecessary STUFF we keep producing.

I am a not so artsy art girl with a passion for sewing and a love of finding new ways to use objects around me.

 

Growing up our grandmother taught us that everything we use has multiple lives in it, today a curtain, next a dress or tomorrow a new rug.

Being originally from the east coast, our family landed in the Denton area in late 2016. I am happily married to an amazing woman with four marvelous daughters. After retiring from the U.S. Army, I received a unique opportunity to work for one of the largest privately held 100% recycled corrugated box manufacturers in the U.S - Pratt Industries.

 

Simply put, it's doing what’s right! Both are very important to my family and I for several reasons. Two that top the list are leaving things better for my children and the organization that I work for.

Savanna Romano

 

Anna Terry

 

Anna Terry is nine years old and in fourth grade. She loves theater, choir, soccer, science and art. Anna has had a lot of fun working along side her Mom as they have each completed there own designs. She also had fun asking family, friends and teachers to collect plastic bottle caps. Anna would like to thank everyone who donated materials and has come to the fashion show!

 

Because plastic caps do not get recycled properly, currently they are among the top five most commonly found items of litter on beaches worldwide.... the best way to recycle a plastic bottle is to rinse it out, replace the cap and put it in the bin. That’s it

 

Plastic Bottle Caps, magazines, thrifted fabric, brown paper bags, thrifted dress

 

I like sewing, it would be fun to do it with my mom, and in class we have been learning about recycling.

 

Shayna Flores

 

My name is Shayna, I’m 11 years old. I live in Denton. I enjoy creating outfits and jewelry. I also like to make furniture for my dolls.

 

Did you know that water bottle caps are one of the top five deadly trash items in the ocean? The reason is it can take them a very long time to dissolve.

 

Plastic water bottle tops, reused cotton dress, reused materials, trims

 

My inspiration is peacocks. I really like peacocks and the colors.

 

Spray painting the bottle caps.

Chaney Tipton

 

NovaLee Dempsey

 

Hi. My name is NovaLee Dempsey and I am a 10-year-old rockstar living in Denton. I love everything artistic and creative so I call myself an artiste. I entered Reuse Runway because I want to support environmental sustainability efforts and am an ambassador for Clean Energy. In short, I am here to Rock Out The Smog!

 

In 2020, the Environmental Protection Agency reported that about 68 million tons of air pollution were emitted into the atmosphere in the US, contributing to the “formation of ozone and particles, the deposition of acids, and visibility impairment.” The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates around 91% of the world’s population lives in places where air quality levels exceed limits. Developing and low-income countries experienced the greatest impacts from outdoor air pollution, particularly in the Western Pacific and South-East Asia regions.

 

Guitar Picks hand cut from gift cards/credit cards/plastics, Balloons, Scape Printer Paper, Thin Wires, and Guitar Wires.

 

I was wondering about air and where it comes from. So I started researching and learned about all the bad things in our air, about the air pollution. And I loved Rock Stars. So I put it all into this look.

 

Narrowing down the concept and how I would present it. I had so many ideas and I tried to put all of them into this dress. It didn't work.

Glory Barnes

 

I am a seamstress and have been interested in these types of contests and felt like this would be a fun challenge for someone that isn’t the best at sewing. For most of my life I wasn’t very conscious of my impact on the environment, but since my sibling has started being more active in saving the planet, I felt like this would be a good place to start.

 

By 2050, there will be more plastic in the ocean than fish. -World Economic Forum, Ellen MacArthur Foundation and McKinsey & Company, The New Plastics Economy — Rethinking the future of plastics (2016, http:www.ellenmacarthurfoundation.org/publications).

 

1. Blue Thrifted Sheet 2. Blue Recycling Trash Bags 3. White (Single Use) Grocery Bags 4. Almond Milk Containers 5. Soda Bottles

 

 

Emely Norvell

 

I am a ceramics and sculpture major at TWU with an interest in fashion. I haven't made much besides some thrifted clothing adjustments and a costume here and there, but I have watched project runway since I was a kid. I had no idea what I was doing going into this and yet, what I am putting together is something I am really proud of and I can't wait for everyone to see it!

 

“The average American family takes home almost 1,500 plastic shopping bags a year" (NRDC.org)

 

Plastic bags, buttons, thrifted curtains, thrifted hula-hoops, used lamp shades.

 

I wanted to embody a crafty and eco-conscious princess and what she would create for herself to wear.

 

La'Jasha Champion

 

La'Jasha Champion is a Senior at the University of North Texas and is pursuing a BFA in New Media Art. She is an interdisciplinary artist that incorporates media such as costume design, performance art, and illustration within in her artwork. Her hobbies include upcycling clothes, dancing, performing, and sewing. More information about the artist and her artwork is found on her website at lajashachampion.com.

 

Monarchs face habitat loss caused by deforestation in the U.S. Over 90% of the grassland ecosystems have been lost to build intensive agriculture or urban development. Recycling products such as paper will reduce deforestation that aid in these structures.

https://www.pbs.org/wnet/nature/blog/monarch-butterfly-fact-sheet/ https://www.nwf.org/Educational-Resources/Wildlife-Guide/Invertebrates/Monarch-Butterfly https://www.npr.org/2021/02/26/971650046/climate-change-deforestation-threaten-monarch-butterfly-migration

 

Paper, Acrylic Paint, Recycled Fabric, Artificial Flowers, Wire

 

What inspired me to create this design was Jean Paul Gaultier's Spring 2014 Couture butterfly corset worn by Dita Von Teese.

 

The most challenging part was creating the butterfly wings for the skirt.

Danielle Hawiszczak

 

Dani is a self-taught artist and crafter who is passionate about learning new skills. She loves challenges and projects, so Reuse Runway was an instant yes. She loves watching Project Runway and has been interested in fashion design for a long time. This challenge helped her develop pattern-making skills, while learning more about the environment and conservation at the same time.

 

Online shopping is undeniably convenient, but it’s taking a toll on our environment. A study from Oceana in 2019 highlights this issue by uncovering staggering statistics from just one company. E-commerce tycoon Amazon dominates the market — and consequently the plastic pollution issue. In 2019, Amazon produced 465 million pounds of plastic packaging waste, including enough air pillows to circle the globe 500 times. And it’s affecting our wildlife, too. It’s estimated 90% of all sea birds and half of all sea turtles have ingested plastic. With difficult-to-recycle mailers, packaging, fillers and pillows, it’s no surprise a majority of e-com customers are calling for change.

Sources: https://oceana.org/press-releases/amazons-big-ro

 

Bubble wrap, reused fabric trim, reused spray paint, reused mesh

 

I was unpacking boxes at work and realized we were about to throw away about 10 yards of bubble wrap. I thought "that's enough to make a dress."

 

I learned a bit about pattern making because I really wanted to create a dress that actually fit like my standard clothes. I also broke a needle trying to sew it, so I had to switch to glue.

Design Modeled by:

 

Teacher of 10 years enjoys recycled art projects, ballroom dancing, fashion, writing and growing my faith in God. My mission is to one day create better schools for students and to end Human Trafficking. Lastly, author of the upcoming book “From Darkness to Light; A memoir of finding Jesus and moving from a traumatic life to a new journey with Christ.”

 

Bible scripture 1 Kings 7. -Solomon builds his Temple.

 

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1%20Kings%207&version=NIV The cons of Fast Fashion. https://earth.org/fast-fashions-detrimental-effect-on-the-environment/ COVID Litter https://theconversation.com/amp/covid-litter-we-mapped-discarded-masks-and-gloves-in-11-countries-with-the-help-of-citizen-science-171078

 

Vintage fabric, vintage buttons, vintage pearl buttons, masks, and curtain holders.

 

I was inspired to make this wedding dress from king Solomon’s account (In Kings 7.) of creating his detailed and extravagant palace out of Gold and floral engravings. “The capitals on top of the pillars in the portico were in the shape of lilies, four cubits high (1 Kings 7:19).

 

Hand painting the gold trim around the shawl.

 

I am a native Texan, resident of Flower Mound. I have been sewing and crafting for more than 50 years and just started making outfits out of nonconventional materials about six years ago when my daughter wanted a dress made out of playbills for a Broadway convention. The crafts that I enjoy most involve paper and fabric.

 

Electronic waste represents only 2% of America’s trash that winds up in landfills. But it equals 70% of all the toxic waste due to the metals contained in them. Up to 50 million metric tons are disposed of worldwide every year. it is the fastest growing waste stream in America according to the EPA. (Source: DoSomething.org)

 

Phone cords and plastic bottles

 

The shape and color of the chords inspired me to use these materials and find a design that worked with them.

 

Macramé phone cords that are not the most flexible element has been the most difficult part.

Design Modeled by:

 

The essence of Lauren Cordova can be summed up thusly—Loves Cats; Hates Waste; Ravenclaw.

 

Tyvek is non-woven high density polyethylene fabric. It is lightweight, breathable, and water-resistant. Most people know Tyvek from those indestructible mailing envelops, but you yourself may be living in a Tyvek envelope and not even know it! That’s HDPE barriers such as Tyvek HomeWrap are the most common type water-resistant barriers used in new home construction. Perhaps you’ve driven by a construction site and seen the naked frames of houses being clothed in a large white sheets. That’s Tyvek! Considering that over 16 million new private homes were constructed last year alone, there’s a lot of scrap Tyvek out there that could be repurposed into water-resistant clothing, tents, and packaging.

 

Additionally, this wonder material’s breathability and resistance to bacterial penetration means it’s widely used in health care settings. Sterile devices are packaged and shipped in it, and you’ve probably seen medical personel in full-body Tyvek PPE garments when treating highly contagious diseases such as Ebola or COVID-19. Annually, 200 million protective garments are produced, used, and discarded. Recycling these garments is difficult, and therefore the vast majority end up in landfills.

 

^ https://www.dupont.com/news/tyvek-50th-anniversary.html ^^ https://www.census.gov/construction/nrc/pdf/newresconst.pdf

 

 

I love the properties of Tyvek and would like to see more of it being repurposed.

 

My biggest challenge was obtaining scrap Tyvek from a construction site without having to dumpster dive.

April Spring Powell; Olivia Meadow; Ivy Rogue

 

I am a multi-faceted, multi-media artist with an ongoing approach to fashion as art. I have a passion for finding eco-minded solutions to everyday problems of waste. As a mother of two wonderful girls, my artistic expression is often fulfilled through creating beautiful wearable art for my children with materials mostly consisting of repurposed or salvaged materials.

 

Municipal solid waste facilities process an average of 5 pounds of solid waste per person per day to a total of nearly 300 million tons of garbage every year (EPA.gov). Increased attention and available information about waste have had a positive effect on making recycling a regular part of the daily routine for American consumers. Over time, recycling and composting rates have increased from just over 6 percent of Municipal Solid Waste generated in 1960 to about 32.1 percent in 2018 (EPA.gov).

 

While many items are able to be recycled, the question remains, what to do about everyday use items that cannot be recycled at most municipal facilities. Chief among these non-recyclables are the bags that contain the vast variety of snacks ubiquitous with American lifestyles. From bags for chips to candies, the mixed composition of snack food packaging precludes them from being recycled at many recycling centers, including those local to the DFW area (dallascityhall.com). So how much waste are we talking about? It is estimated that over 200 million potato chip bags alone, from a single manufacturer were consumed last year (Time.com; Washingtonpost.com). These figures alone indicate how limited any efforts in recycling are currently.

 

My design is composed almost entirely of these non-recyclable materials collected from my family and friends over the few months. I have chosen this as a medium to highlight the unnecessary waste that occurs every day, even by those of us that strive to make a difference in maintaining and preserving the environment for future generations. It may be impractical to suggest massive increase in community budgets to allow for the inclusion of these items to be recycled. It would also likely be unpopular to suggest people simply opt out of partaking of their favorite snack. What can be done however, is consumers can work to encourage manufacturers to move to sustainable and even compostable forms of packaging, already in use by some, to reduce the negative environmental impact of these items. However, until recycling technology and capacity does catch up to meet the demand of our consumption, it is incumbent on us to find a new use for these items so that while their impact is somewhat inevitable, a greater use can come from them than simply to deliver a tasty treat.

 

https://dallascityhall.com/departments/sanitation/Pages/recycling.aspx https://www.epa.gov/facts-and-figures-about-materials-waste-and-recycling/national-overview-facts-and-figures-materials#:~:text=Over%20time%2C%20recycling%20and%20composting,to%2032.1%20percent%20in%202018. https://time.com/3030517/pepsico-lays-fewer chips/#:~:text=Lay's%20potato%20chips%20bring%20in,bag%20is%20somewhere%20aroun %20%244 https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonk/wp/2014/07/24/no-you-arent-crazy-some-lays-potato-chip-bags-actually-do-have-fewer-chips-inside/

 

Polypropylene packaging and other plastic, food and product packaging.

 

A new found interest in traditional quilting, as well as rainbows and singing in the rain.

 

Learning to quilt and working with very unconventional fabrics and colors.

V'Ann Giuffre

 

Michelle Terry is a first time participant in Reuse Runway. Michelle is not a fashion designer by any means, but a lifelong creative who loves new challenges and crafts. She has been so excited to spend time working alongside her talented daughter as she has created her own design. Michelle is a Colleyville resident who went to college in Denton and loves to spend time in Denton on the weekends with her family.

 

I used both plastic and paper grocery bags in my design. Plastic bags have caused me a lot of grief lately bc I heard you should not recycle them bc it contaminate the recycle stream. After researching I found this: (Small segments edited from the following website) https://earth911.com/recycling-guide/how-to-recycle-plastic-bags/ "Can I recycle plastic bags in my curbside recycling program? -While there are a handful of curbside programs on both coasts that accept plastic bags curbside to keep them out of the oceans, you’ll definitely want to check with your local program before recycling plastic bags at the curb. -If you ask a recycling official in the U.S. what is the #1 source of contamination in a city’s curbside program, the answer is almost always “plastic bags.” People see the recycling symbol on the product and assume it can be included with other plastics. Unfortunately, bags are usually a nightmare for the machinery at recycling centers.

 

Why Recycle Plastic Bags -Plastic bags are among the most common sources of marine debris, where they can be mistaken as food by birds and fish. -Plastic bags don’t biodegrade, meaning it will take hundreds of years for them to decompose in a landfill. -Recycling a ton of plastic bags (about 450,000 bags) saves 11 barrels of oil.

 

Which is better for the environment: paper or plastic bags?

-When it comes to production, paper bags require 2.2 times more energy and 4.7 times more water to manufacture than plastic bags. Paper bags are also nine times heavier, meaning they use more energy to transport. -When it comes to disposal, both products are very easy to recycle, but paper bags are accepted in far more curbside programs. Paper bags are also an insignificant source of marine debris, and they biodegrade, unlike plastic."

 

So overall, I learned that I am going to try my best to forgo the bag or bring my own. If it's not an option, pick paper. And the biggest thing I learned was to remember that there is an order 1. Reduce 2. Reuse 3. Recycle

 

1- Plastic grocery bags, 2- Brown paper bags and packaging, 3- Promotional magazines and mailers, 4- Water/ soda bottles with labels, 5- plastic take out containers.

 

The amount of stuff in my recycle and trash! How I don't know what I can really recycle, if it makes it through the system or just gets thrown away anyway (and messes up the good recycling!). And how COVID has made my family find it really easy to rely on a disposable plastic "take out" lifestyle". This project has helped me to see how super fast and easy it was to collect materials mostly out of my own household, and to making some simple changes like less paper plates and plastic water bottles, more reusable grocery bags, etc.

 

Cutting, melting and coloring the plastic- the different types of plastic can all be so different and hard to work with.