Trashion

Trashion comes from the mix of "trash" and "fashion"

Trashion is a term for art, jewelry, fashion and objects for the home from used, thrown-out, found & repurposed elements.

Trashion is a philosophy and an ethic. It encompasses environmentalism and innovation, and respects the human creative and healing potential. Making traditional objects out of recycled materials can be trashion. Objects made from discarded waste contain an important embodied message about the value of material and the irresponsibility of throwing away precious resources. Making avant-garde fashion out of cast-offs or junk can be trashion. Similar to upcycling.

Initially Trashion was used to describe "art-couture-costume" usually linked to contests, or fashion shows -- however as recycling and 'green' fashion become more prevalent, trashion has taken a turn for the more wearable.

The term was first coined in New Zealand in 2004 [http://www.thread.co.nz/article/958] and gained in usage through 2005. [http://www.treehugger.com/files/2005/06/vaho_is_trashio.php]

The term trashion is now widely used in creative circles to describe any wearable item or accessory that is constructed using all or part materials that have been recycled, including clothing that has been thrifted and reconditioned.

American Artist Ann Wizer started using plastic waste in her wearable art in the Philippines in the 1990's. Titled the 'Virus Project' Wizer created a set of trash costumes made entirely from post consumer plastic waste to celebrate Earth Day. The first plastic packaging tote bags were accesories to these costumes. There are now numerous small scale poverty intervention projects throughout South East Asia, creating similar "trashion" accessories and other fashion and homeware items, including the XSProject, a not for profit organisation based in Jakarta, started by Wizer herself.

External links

* [http://xsprojectgroup.com XSProject Global Site]
* [http://etsylove.ning.com/group/etsytrashion/ Trashion group]
* [http://www.fantazya.ca/recuperationeng.html Fantazya]
* [http://www.gayeabandon.com/ Gaye Abadon]
* [http://www.thimblescratch.com/ Thimblescratch Clothing]
* [http://www.dismantled-designs.com/ Dismantled]
* [http://www.skrunch.co.uk/ Skrunch]
* [http://www.lousupcycles.etsy.com/ Lou's Upcycles]