Eco Fashion – Reuse, Recycle, Accessorize

I grew up in California during the 70’s and 80’s, where numerous recycling and anti-litter campaigns were pushed through the media. Remember the “Keep America Beautiful” campaign? The thought of the crying Indian still gets to me! Since then, I’ve been a faithful recycler, a steadfast proponent of “do not litter” campaigns, and an environmentally-conscious citizen.

In efforts to be kind to the earth, many products now focus on recycled and sustainable materials — from shopping bags to wine glasses, people are finding funky and creative ways to go green. How does this apply to fashion? One of the hottest trends emerging from the style world is “eco-fashion,” which uses recycled materials in the creation of clothing and accessories. Some are repurposed from items we are very familiar with, like candy wrappers, soda cans, plastics, fire hoses, computer circuit boards and other waste-bound materials.

One of the great things about upcycling/recycling in fashion is that creativity has run amuck. Designers have found unique ways to re-use discarded materials to create one-of-a-kind pieces that are chic and environmentally responsible at the same time. And because I love the unusual, my head is spinning from the choices. Yes! I want a handbag made of Snicker wrappers, a bangle bracelet made from recycled soda can tabs, jewelry from computer circuit boards, and even jewelry made out of long-forgotten Legos. I want to use a fashionable reusable bag when I’m grocery shopping!

Take a look at these eco-fashion accessory finds. They’re sure to make you smile, and you can feel good about wearing these items too, knowing you saved one (or ten) more plastic bottles, soda cans or trash bags from the landfill.

Soda pop lovers, unite!