Five Trashion Fashions that You Can Recreate

wire coathanger butterfly wings Wire coat hanger butterfly wings and plastic mesh produce bag clown wig– my penchant for creating wearables for my daughters out of trash may fool you into thinking that trashion is merely child’s play.

I’m here to disabuse you of that faulty notion. Trashion fashion isn’t just for kids, and it isn’t just for the runway, either–you, too, can create fashionable garments out of trash for your own wear, and you can look amazing while doing so.

The best part of trashion is that it’s totally original and totally you. You’re not meant to make a duplicate of that same Target T-shirt that everybody else is wearing, not when you can rescue something from your own community’s waste stream and upcycle it into a garment that looks outstanding on you and you alone.

So jump into trashion fashion your way, but for inspiration, construction tips, and real-life examples, check out these five trashion pieces before you begin:

You may have already seen tote bags sewn out of fused plastic bag fabric, but the same characteristics that make fused plastic a terrific fabric for making water-proof, sturdy tote bags also make the fabric terrific for outerwear. Check out this fused plastic coat from Urban Woodswalker, and a clever fused plastic bag fabric tutorial that also shows you how to lay out clothing patterns on the fabric, courtesy of Our Everyday Earth.