It’s that time of year again–you know, when it’s better to give than to receive–and there’s no greater way to get the ball rolling this holiday season than by observing

Started by the National Recycling Coalition back in 1997, the day was created with the intention to raise awareness about recycling and the purchase of recycled goods. Today, millions of Americans participate, some by attending or hosting one of the more than 2,400 events registered on the America Recycles Day website.

Included among the good-hearted samaritans and organizations is the initiative developed by Cotton Incorporated, called the Blue Jeans Go Green program. The program collects denim from across the nation, upcycling it into Cotton Incorporated’s patented and trademarked UltraTouch Denim Insulation. From there, the environmentally safe, non-itch padding is made available to the public for purchase, but is also donated to Habitat for Humanity affiliates (more than 3 nationwide, to date) and can be requested for use in building civic structures by way of a grant program.

Andrea Samber, co-director of Consumer Marketing in the Strategic Alliances department at Cotton Incorporated, describes the Blue Jeans Go Green program as being “rooted in the idea of giving recycled denim ‘new life,’” with the intention of helping the environment “by reducing the volume of textiles going to landfills.” Samber also adds that what “started as collection events with colleges and universities, has grown to include direct mail and retail partners.”

And helping to alleviate landfill waste, it does. The average person in the United States throws away 70 pounds of clothing each year. Couple that stat with more than 518 million pairs of men’s and women’s jeans being sold in the U.S in 2015, and you can bet your bottoms that there will be at least a pair or two in that pile of discarded clothing. However, thanks to the Blue Jeans Go Green program, Samber points out, “over 1.7 million pieces of denim” have been recycled. “That equates to 2.7 million square feet of recycled denim insulation,” she asserts, thereby “keeping 750 tons of denim out of landfills.”

Participate today, or any day of the year. The Blue Jeans Go Green program has made it easier than ever for any and everyone to donate their old denim for a good cause. Samber says “by partnering with some of the best brands in the industry, people can recycle their denim locally.”

In an ongoing promotion, Madewell, a retail partner of the Blue Jeans Go Green program, is offering $20 off full-priced Madewell denim on the day of donation. Rag & Bone stores in the U.S. are also participating through the end of the year by offering 20 percent off full priced Rag & Bone denim on the day of recycling.

Can’t make it to a retailer? No Problem! Blue Jeans Go Green is also accepting mail-in denim donations every day of the year. Although the only incentive here is knowing you kept a piece of denim out of a landfill (and created some much-needed space in your closet), this easy-ship option is definitely a great way to give back anytime you come across a denim piece you no longer need or want, promoting what Samber refers to as “do good consumerism.”

As for what types of denim are accepted, the “anything goes” rule applies to mail-in donations. The pieces can be ripped, contain holes, be dyed any color, have embroidery, or even bedazzling (a perfect guilt-free excuse to get rid of those experimental DIY-projects-gone-awry). And, it doesn’t have to be a pair of jeans, either. With the mail-in program, you can ship denim tops, jackets, skirts, and maybe even that old acid wash fanny pack in the back of your closet.

Acceptable donations at local retailers are regulated by the individual store, so it’s best to check before showing up with your goods. For example, Madewell and Rag & Bone are only accepting jeans. Samber notes, “There are always new partners that participate at different times of the year,  so it’s a good idea to check the BlueJeansGoGreen.org website.” Here, you can get the scoop on participating retailers, as well as local college drop off locations in your area.

In the midst of our nation’s discarded clothing epidemic, the Blue Jeans Go Green program is offering us a way to keep consciously buying and recycling our favorite cotton apparel on America Recycles Day and beyond. “This program is just one illustration of how cotton touches our lives,” says Samber. “Whether it’s your favorite pair of jeans, your favorite way of giving back, or both,” your donated denim can and will make a difference.

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images via Blue Jeans Go Green

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Upcycling ideas are on trend in the DIY space. This involves taking any ol’ item and re-using it so that it functions with a different purpose. Practically anything can be upcycled. Not only is it an environmentally-conscious activity but also is practical, fun, and inexpensive, too.

So, why not get a little creative and help yourself and the environment? Here are 14 upcycling ideas for regular household items. Get the family involved so you can all be environmentally-friendly together!

1. Plastic Bottles

Plastic bottles are one of the worst offenses in terms of litter. From water to fizzy drinks, plastic bottles are a cheap way to package our favorite beverages. However, they cannot be reused more than a few times after refilling with new beverages, as the plastic begins to leach toxins into the liquid it holds. So in order to get the most out of plastic bottles, without tossing them in the trash, is to find a new life for them! Here’s an idea: dip the bottle of various shaped plastic bottles into paint and imprint it on a blank piece of paper, creating a flower figure. This is a great activity to do with kids – they get to paint and learn about upcycling all at once!

2. Wine Bottles

There are so many creative and beautiful things you can create out of used wine bottles. Instead of putting wine bottles into the recycling bin after a boozy evening, save them in order to create decorative vases. Use a paintbrush or spray paint to decorate the vases, fill each with water and then stick a few long-stem flowers into neck.

3. Tennis Balls

Tennis balls can fall flat after repeated use, but that doesn’t mean they are no longer any good. Cut a 3-inch long slit parallel and about 1-inch up from the white line on the ball. Adhere the opposite side of the ball to the bathroom wall. Now, push the top of a towel into the slit and watch it hang gracefully and securely from the tennis ball.

4. Ketchup Bottles

When you’re out of ketchup, wash and rinse the bottle and then use it as a dispenser for pancake batter. Ketchup bottles also safely store unused batter for a later use.

5. Old Doors

If you’ve replaced your doors or have old ones hanging around somewhere in the shed or attic, don’t just let them rot in loneliness. Instead, get use out of them. Transform an old door into a table top. Doors are flat, sturdy and rustic-looking. All you have to do is install legs and you’ve got yourself a unique piece of furniture.

6. Mason Jars

If you are anything like me, you have more mason jars than you think to use. Now they can be transformed into beautiful lights. It’s so easy to do, even kids can accomplish it on their own.

7. Egg Cartons

Egg cartons make for great storage containers for small, easy-to-lose, easy-to-tangle jewelry. Separate necklaces, earrings and other pieces of jewelry from each other by reserving each shell for its own piece.

8. Toilet Paper Rolls

Finally, a way to store cables! From your phone to your computer to your mp3 player and beyond, it’s hard to keep track of all the cables and cords. To remedy this, simply take a shoebox and take a collection of paper roll center cartons and stand them upright, side by side. Make sure you have enough so that you fill the entire box. Next, roll up your cables individually and slide them into the rolls.

9. CD Holders

Not sure how to pack that bagel sandwich to work or school? Place it in one of those old-school CD holders. It’s not like you’re using CDs these days, anyway.

10. Picture Frames

Picture frames make for great serving trays for when company comes over. Whether the frame contains a picture, painting or nothing at all, the frame makes for a useful (and hopefully well-adorned) alternative to a plain old tray you’d otherwise use to serve food or beverages.

11. Kleenex Boxes

Reuse Kleenex boxes much in the same way they were used when first bought – as a dispenser. Store extra plastic bags in the box and pull a bag out every time you need one.

12. Bulletin Boards

Place a bulletin board on the wall near the main door of your house or apartment and use it to hang keys and chains.

13. Bicycle

This may seem far-fetched, but it’s a great idea for those into alternative designs: use an old bicycle as a base to bathroom sink! Install a flat board on top of the bike and then place the sink above that. You’ll need help from a professional to install it properly and to make sure that it is sturdy, but it’s most certainly possible and looks charming once finished.

14. Mini Fridge

An out-of-service mini fridge operates as an excellent storage cabinet. Just be sure that if the fridge still works, that it is not turned on when being used as storage, else your belongings will go frigid.

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Hydrangeas in bottles image  via Shutterstock

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Plastic waste is building up all around the world. And now, in some countries, it’s being used as a currency of sorts.

It’s a pretty brilliant concept: offer people useful services and products for plastic waste they collect from the streets and beaches in the developing world and bring into regional “plastic banks.”

The idea is the brainchild of Vancouver entrepreneur David Katz who created the organization Plastic Bank.

“If we can reveal the value in the things around us, then we can give people the opportunity to make a better life with that,” he told Fast Company.

Here’s how it’s going to work in Peru, where the first Plastic Bank is set to open this spring: Plastic waste “pickers” will be able to visit the Plastic Bank and trade in their collection of mixed plastics for food, shoes and other necessities. And, according to Fast Company, they can even use the bank’s 3D printing facilities to make items they may need. “Perhaps they’re working with waste from a gas station and the mechanics need components they can print on site. It gives them an opportunity to take the waste out of the environment and make something worth $5, $10, or $20,” Katz says.

Other countries are being targeted for Plastic Banks as well, including the Philippines, Colombia and Indonesia, where plastic is a problem, and an opportunity.

According to Katz, Plastic Banks will also be providing on-site training to the waste collectors so they can expand their skill sets and perhaps even start their own recycling facilities to boost their revenue and take some of the ick factor out of collecting waste.

There is so much plastic floating in our oceans right now that it’s the equivalent of thousands of giant blue whales, the largest creatures on the planet. And it’s not doing the oceanic ecosystems any good. So even as minuscule as collecting a trash bag’s worth of plastic bottles from a beach may seem, it’s no small effort. In fact, it may be way more important than many of us realize.

So, what happens with all the plastic delivered to the banks?

A “major corporation” is going to take the collected plastic waste and turn it into new products, Katz told Fast Company. “Knowing that the plastic came from a waterway and that it helps people out of poverty through its collection and reuse—that’s a strong story.”

Find Jill on Twitter @jillettinger

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Plastic bottle image via Shutterstock

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Wine bottles are great at what they do – they hold the elixir of love, laughter and life and I wouldn’t change a thing about that. And wine bottle crafts bring new meaning to these sacred vessels.

But, as we all know, wine can have a huge turnover rate in the household and the recycle bin fills up with bottles that could otherwise be reused around the house in both a functional and aesthetic way. The following 3 wine bottle crafts will bring new meaning to being a “wino.”

3 DIY Wine Bottle Crafts

1. Candle Holder

There are two ways to go about turning a wine bottle into a candle holder. The first is quite easy. The second requires a bit more effort and is not the most failproof.

Method one: Wash the bottle and slide a candle into the wine bottle hole. You can carve the candle so that its diameter is fitting. As you light the candle and let the wax drip, it creates a trail of wax along all sides of the wine bottle’s throat. It looks very rustic and adds a unique charm to any setting.

Method two: This method requires some elbow grease, and in my experience, slight uncertainty. Either way, it’s worth a shot, and you will be quite proud of the resulting candle holder. Using the entire length of a bottle as the base to a candle is quite high and a bit inconvenient. To remedy this, it helps to cut the bottle in half, or at any particular area so as to reduce its height to your liking. To do this, score a consistent line around the bottle at the height you desire to cut the bottle. Do this repetitively, applying deep pressure. Next, apply heat to the scored lines. Hold a candle light to the scored lines or pour boiling water over them. Concentrate the heat around the line, only. After about 10-15 minutes of applied head, immediately put the bottle under cold running water, turning it so the entire scored line is covered. Continue to do so until you hear a “pop”. The bottle will split into two pieces. The top portion can be used as a smaller candle holder to that mentioned in method one, or you could use the top as a pedestal for the bottom half, fit for holder larger candles – simply glue the tip of the top of the wine bottle in the indent at the bottom of most wine bottles.

2. Vase or Cup

The bottom of the split wine bottle can be used as a vase for flowers or a growing space herbs. Fill them up with soil and watch seeds grow. The bottom also makes for a solid cup – just make sure the edges are smoothed and sealed and not in the position to harm your mouth while drinking. You could also just use the entire wine bottle as a vase for long-stem flowers, such as roses. Paint the bottles to your liking to add an affect that complement the décor of your home.

3. Grain & Spices Storage Decoration

It may seem odd to fill wine bottles up with grains, especially when the hole is quite narrow, but it actually works quite well and helps to decorate a room at the same time. Fill grains, spices and even olive oil in used and washed wine bottles. Display them in your kitchen so that they have both a functional and an aesthetic purpose.

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Photo Credit: Angelo Amboldi, Jordan Johnson, Christine Majul, Baynham Goredema

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Pivot TV’s new reality show about converting waste materials into new better quality stuff, is changing the definition of trash TV. The new half hour comedy show, “Human Resources,” premiers August 8. It’s based on the eccentric staff at New Jersey upcycling company Terra Cycle.

The world of reality TV has few, if any, boundaries. The era of weird people’s life on camera has included such Emmy worthy programs as “Vanilla Ice Goes Amish” and “What Would Ryan Lochte Do?” And then there was the ever twisted reality show “The Swan,” which took women deemed “unattractive” and gave them extreme plastic surgery-laden makeovers. But that’s not quite the flow for “Human Resources.”

According to Terra Cycle CEO Tom Szaky, it’s all about eliminating the concept of waste by making things that were formerly unrecyclable, recyclable. They reuse, upcycle, and even recycle nearly everything that you could imagine. It’s a nutty crew in a nutty workspace with daily lunch yoga, rain dances on the front lawn, superhero sock day, and vegan lunches.

But most importantly, the show is shining a light on a really cool company whose mission is to create waste collection programs called Brigades for things that are traditionally difficult to recycle. The waste is transformed into brand new products from recycled park benches to upcycled backpacks.

Terra Cycle is trying to fix a big problem, considering that 90 percent of the stuff we buy will be in the dump within the year. But by changing our perspective, nothing needs to be trash because one system’s trash is another system’s food–just like in nature. Either way, it’s certainly an upgrade from “My Big Fat Obnoxious Fiancé”, “I Cloned My Pet”, or “Living Lohan.”

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Image: Sabrina Dalman

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Looking for home decorating ideas? You might not think to rummage through the trash. But that’s where Berlin-based WesternTrash finds 100 percent of the materials for designer glassware and light fixtures.

Spring is on the way, and before we know it, summer will be hanging around. If you’re looking for some eco-friendly furnishings to spruce up your kitchen or outdoor entertaining areas, a new start-up out of Berlin, Germany might be worth a peek.

WesternTrash is a designer lighting and glassware company operating under the motto “Something out of nothing.” Although the gorgeous glasses, carafes, vases, and pendant light fixtures they produce rival the wares of any boutique studio, there’s something that makes WesternTrash unique: the raw materials for their products come directly from the streets outside their door.

“Every WesternTrash item is handcrafted with care and precision, explain the designers. “We source recycled bottles from some best Berlin restaurants, carefully selecting our glass by size, color and quality.”

First, the discarded bottles are soaked to remove any labels, then cut to size with a diamond saw. The cut edge is ground until smooth and consistent. Each product is then triple-polished for a brilliant shine, then sandblasted with the company’s logo, the WesternTrash Star (symbolizing a broken window from one of Kreuzberg’s frequent riots). Finally the glass pieces are put through an industrial-grade dishwasher, so they’re ready to face the world–and your kitchen. The finished product is packaged by hand in unbranded, reusable boxes.

“Our handmade glasses pay homage to the defiant spirit of Berlin’s most vibrant district. Think differently and follow your own path – that’s the WesternTrash philosophy,” the designers said.

There’s something especially beguiling about the sleek simplicity of WesternTrash products. They’re unique, yet classic enough to fit in with many different home decorating ideas.

Here are some of our favorites. Use them to inspire your own upcycled home decorating ideas!

The Festi Carafe (pictured with glass) – Easy to hold and easy to pour, this is the ideal jug for casual parties or communal meals on a warm summer day.

Dahme Vase –  With a deep green tint to complement any flower or plant, this vase will impress your guests and add some serious wow-factor to your floral arrangements.

Burgundi Pendant Lamp – Burgundi lives in design studios, coworking offices and the homes of inspired people. Edgy and expressive, it’s the kind of lamp that illuminates creative spaces.

Bordo Pendant Lamp – Bordo’s neutral shape and soft curves will make friends with any interior design. Crafted from a reclaimed bottle, it’s equally at home in a city apartment, bohemian cafe, or rustic old house in the countryside.

Related on Ecosalon

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Images via WesternTrash

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 Check out America’s hottest upcycled fashion designers making wonders from waste!

Upcycling means taking waste materials from factories with leftover scraps or from consumers who no longer want their used goods, and creating something new, functional and incredibly chic with it. As one of the largest producers of waste in the world, the U.S. needs designers with clever ideas for how to give new life to everything that would otherwise end up in our ever-expanding landfills. Luckily, we’ve got some pretty amazing ones to be proud of. Five are highlighted below. Find your next treasure, sustainably and creatively made from someone else’s trash!

1. Armour sans Anguish
Oakland, CA based Armour sans Anguish is a collection of whimsical and romantic dresses, tunics, and bridal wear made entirely from found and recycled materials. Designer Tawny Holt uses vintage tablecloths, bedsheets, nighties and prom dresses to piece together one-of-a-kind garments that evoke wood nymphs, Greek goddesses and flower children. The Asa collection offers dreamy everyday dresses, bridal gowns, flower girl dresses and thematic bridesmaid dresses perfect for your summer or early autumn woodland wedding.

2. Looptworks
Founded by Scott Hamlin and Gary Peck, Pacific Northwestern Looptworks is the answer to a better solution for the billions of pounds of waste produced by large name brand apparel and sportswear companies. The result is a company that sources top quality, leftover materials like leather and performance textiles from premium producers, creates functional and aesthetically pleasing designs, and pays a fair wage for the production of these re-fashioned items. To top it off, Looptworks offers a lifetime guarantee for each product, as the company believes that the phone and laptop cases, iPad sleeves and garments it offers should be made well and made to last.

3. Piece x Piece
The team at Piece by Piece collects sample fabric swatches at the end of each production season and crafts them into gorgeous, wearable attire. The label has turned the concept of patchwork designs from hobo hippie-wear to sophisticated, chic and edgy everyday garments that help keep thousands of textiles from the landfill. Since the fabric chosen for each garment is selected from an ever-changing stock of luxury discards, each piece is naturally unique and limited edition, but also designed to be timeless. As the team states “Our mission is to create beauty from this waste, and progress toward a new philosophy about what waste really means and how we address it. We hope you enjoy our work as much as we do.”

4. ReMade USA
Shannon South, the genius behind ReMade USA, has created a fantastic service where customers can send their vintage leather jackets into her studio to be artfully crafted in to incredibly fashionable, high quality and one-of-a-kind bags, purses and clutches. These completely personalized creations give new life to garments that would otherwise sit in closets or end up in the trash. Each jacket is carefully deconstructed and reconstructed according to the style preferences of its owner, resulting in an accessory that is unique and looks like new. Make sure to also check out Shannon’s amazing collection of handbags made from remnant luxury leather from the furniture industry!

5. ReUse Jeans

So, almost everyone in the U.S. wears jeans, which are in fact part of our national style definition. Unfortunately, the denim industry is extremely toxic, wasteful and exploitative. That’s why ReUse Jeans has come out with an awesome denim collection that is made almost entirely out of recycled fabric. These fashion forward and affordable jeans are made from denim with 80 percent recycled content obtained from factories in China, helping to clean up the waste of the apparel production hub. Choose from skinny styles, bootcut, pastel colors, bright shades and everything in between!

Images: Armour sans Anguish, Looptworks, Piece x Piece, ReMade USA, ReUse Jeans

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Green design for the home is hardly newsbreaking. But a forward-thinking collaborative in Boulder, Colorado, makes  sustainable home furnishings, clothing, and little luxuries accessible to everyone.

As a resident, I feel confident stating that Boulder practically invented the ethos of green living. Yet even amongst the  city’s (third party-certified, controlled wood) forest of eco-chic boutiques; green design firms;  grocery stores and restaurants defined by locally-sourced ingredients;  hybrid automobiles; LEED-certified buildings;  cyclists, and non-profits devoted to planetary salvation, madelife stands out.

Formerly known as factoryMADE (the branding transition is happening as you read), this groovy, green design showroom located just off happening East Pearl Street is a store and collaborative artist space boasting cutting-edge products made from reclaimed or ethically-made, – sourced-and-shipped materials. Eighty percent of the stock is made by Colorado artists, designers, and other creative folk.

Before you start envisioning hand-loomed hemp yoga mats and recycled beer bottle bongs, allow me to explain: madelife’s largely consignment-based inventory is super-stylish, and undeniably cool. The vibe might best be described as “agrarian-urban-mod,” or, perhaps, “etsy-meets-Design Within Reach.” There are trendy threads and funky dining tables made from repurposed basketball court hardwood. Shed antlers are gilded and decorated with beguiling curlicues (Suggested use: hat rack or necklace display.).

Jewelry, both delicate and chunky, is crafted from copper wire, old bike parts, feathers, antler, leather, metal scraps, and other odds and ends. Luscious apothecary goods are chock-full of natural ingredients like beeswax, essential oils, and other botanical goodness. Woodblock-printed pillows accentuate modernist sofas sheathed in nubby fabric; wee woodland dioramas are housed in old cigar boxes. Once, I dropped by and discovered a gloriously refurbished, peony-pink Frigidaire; you never know what kinds of treasure you’ll find at madelife, but the place never fails to inspire or incite desire.

This is why they also offer workshops and events for all ages (The company website states, “We curate + cultivate creative talent, community, and culture;” they also do custom video, music, and design for select clients, and donate 10-percent of their net profits to “underserved young people with creative potential.”).

Kids’ summer camps this year include classes on storybook making and functional art. Big people can try their hand at silversmithing, making beauty products, constructing terrariums, sewing, and reupholstering furniture. Check out the summer schedule and get your craft on.

Images: (top) madelife (All other images) whimseybox

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H&M teams up with fashion students at Beckmans School of Design in Sweden to launch a one-of-a-kind upcycled collection that will be auctioned off to benefit UNICEF.

For the first time ever, H&M has teamed up with Beckmans School of Design in Sweden to work on a project to raise awareness around sustainability and the power of upcycling. This comes on the heels of the fast fashion retailer being one of few large fashion brands signing an industry agreement aimed at preventing future garment factory disasters.

One of the winning designs by Leonard Kocic

Thirteen design students were given a week to design unique outfits made from recycled garments collected through H&M’s takeback program, launched earlier this year. A jury consisting of H&M’s own Margareta van den Bosch and Catarina Midby as well as Swedish fashion industry insiders judged them on how well they pulled off a design that was sustainable, wearable and high fashion.

One of the winning designs by Jonna Ru

“It’s been a fun project and exciting to see how the students in a playful way created unexpected outfits that are very fashionable and of the moment,” says van den Bosch. “The winners have been very creative and thought of sustainability when they’ve, for example, used a maximum of two recycled garments in the creation of their design in order to avoid textile waste. One example is a bomber jacket that was turned into a dress by repurposing the lining.”

The winners were Jonna Ru, Leonard Kocic och Malin Unga, whose outfits will be exhibited at H&M’s flagship store in Stockholm for a week before being auctioned off on Swedish site Tradera. All proceeds will be donated to UNICEF, and H&M will also match the winning bids.

One of the winning designs by Malin Unga

“With this collaboration we want people to realize that you already have the very latest right in your closet,” says Pär Engsheden, project manager at Beckmans School of Design. “With just a few simple adjustments you can create tomorrow’s trends, and that’s what these students have shown with this design project.” So, next time you feel like buying something at H&M, just repurpose something from your closet instead!

Images courtesy of H&M

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Hong Kong-based fashion non-profit Redress launched a sustainable fashion design competition to inspire emerging designers from East to West to reduce waste in the fashion industry.

As you may have heard, fashion is one of the world’s most polluting and resource-intense industries, and our accelerating consumption and taste for fast fashion are contributing to environmental pollution, depletion of natural resources and human rights abuses. Integrating sustainability thinking into massive global supply chains often presents significant challenges to fashion brands, but that does not mean it can’t be done.

Reconstruction, by EcoChic Design Award 2012 China finalist Chen Qin Zi. Photo by Mathieu Lunard

Designers are the main influences when it comes to sustainability thinking and are thought to influence about 80-90 percent of the environmental and economic impact of a product through the choices they make in design sourcing and manufacturing.

The EcoChic Design Award is a sustainable fashion design competition with a mission to educate and enable emerging designers to create mainstream clothing with minimal textile waste. In its fourth year, The EcoChic Design Award 2013 is expanding its search for creative design talent to Hong Kong, Mainland China, Taiwan, Singapore, UK, France, Belgium and Germany.

The competition is open to designers and students with less than three years of industry experience. For many of these emerging designers, particularly in China, this is their first introduction to sustainable fashion design. They are challenged to utilize zero-waste, up-cycling and reconstruction techniques to create their collections. Following nine months of education, design and judging, eight finalists will be chosen by a panel of acclaimed judges to present their sustainable collections at Hong Kong Fashion Week in January 2014, for a chance to win “career-changing prizes that will further ignite positive change in the industry.”

“Sustainability in the fashion industry is an over-discussed but under-actioned issue,” says Christina Dean, CEO and Founder of Redress, the fashion NGO organizing the awards. “Not enough focus is being put on reducing waste. We must crack the industry’s problem of excessive waste production and lost economic value. The EcoChic Design Award 2013 fires-up emerging fashion designers from East to West to make tomorrow’s mass market and independent fashion industries sustainable from the source.”

The winner of the EcoChic Design Award will get to design a recycled textile clothing collection for global retailer Esprit. “The collaboration with Redress allows us to bring talented emerging designers with new innovative sustainable ideas to the forefront of the fashion industry by bringing their works to life,” says Charles Dickinson, Head of Global Quality Management and Sustainability, Esprit.

The EcoChic Design Award Hong Kong 2012 Winner Wister Tsang

Kuan Teo, Winnie Cheng, Christina Dean, Sandy Lam, Margaret Kutt, Johanna Ho and Charming Ho at The EcoChic Design Award 2013 launch in Hong Kong. Photo by Colin

Zero-waste design on the runway by EcoChic Design Award Hong Kong 2011 Winner Janko Lam

Second prize is an educational trip to learn how jewelry designer John Hardy integrates environmental and social sustainability into the core of design, production and business philosophies. A Special Prize winner will get to design a sustainable outfit for artist Sandy Lam to wear on the cover of a fashion magazine to “redress” consumers’ attitudes towards sustainable fashion. All semi-finalists and finalists receive a career-boosting educational package, including a combination of mentorships, promotional opportunities and a selection of sustainable fashion books and journals. Entries are open now until August 15, 2013.

Images courtesy of Redress

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