The United States Environemntal Protection Agency (EPA) estimated that almost 17 million tons of textiles from fashion ended up in landfills in 2018. That same year, the recycling rate for all textiles was only 14.7 percent, according to the article.

To bring awareness to the environmental impacts that fashion can have, Fashion Week Columbus (FWC) hosted a “Recycled Runway” Wednesday evening, which highlighted six designers who each curated one piece made from materials considered to be trash.

The event brought awareness to the large amounts of clothing and accessories that end up in landfills every year and combated it with a show featuring upcycled and recycled pieces, proving that fashion can and should be sustainable.

The show, sponsored by Nurtur Salon, included unique hair and makeup looks created by employees of the salon, whose mission is to create holistic beauty and wellness while simultaneously caring for the planet.

To begin, the first model walked the runway wearing an orange, off-shoulder, floor-length gown and a white fishnet high-low skirt adorned with black bows trailing along behind the model.

Following behind was a red and blue corset-style dress made out of water bottles and newspaper. The dress was asymmetrical and featured a boasted off-shoulder, yet sleek look.

Next was a purple and green dress, juxtaposing a high-leg slit and a low-cut v-neck. This piece also had a matching headband and was composed of vinyl from Columbus Coated Fabrics, a factory that produced fabrics in the Columbus area before its demolition in the early 2000s.

Following along was a crocheted and rose-adorned dress made entirely of plastic bags. The bags were cut into thin yarn-like strips which were used to weave together the piece.

“I have never worn placstic bags as an outfit before,” said Kadar. “The experience actually felt quite normal.”

Model Paige Kadar strutted down the runway while boasting plastic bags from commonly shopped stores, including Target and Marshall’s.

“I have never worn plastic bags as an outfit before,” said Kadar. “The experience actually felt quite normal. It felt like I was wearing just a normal corset-style top which makes me think that we could possibly see more fashion made from repurposed materials since I felt that my garment was very wearable.”

Kadar’s hair was tied back using plastic bags and she had a short train of plastic following her down the runway.

Kadar said that she had volunteered at the Finale Runway show in 2022 but that this was her first time getting the opportunity to be in one of the shows.

“The designer I modeled for, Alex Trembay, is a part of the Fashion Production Association here at Ohio State and that is where we first met,” said Kadar. “Alex asked me to model and I was so excited to be a part of a professional runway show, which is something I have never done before.”

The next model who took to the stage, walked the runway displaying a two-piece set created from masks and gloves, which filled landfills during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic.

According to an article in the scientific journal Environmental Science and Technology, during the peak of the pandemic, around 129 billion masks were being used globally each month and many of them ended up discarded on sidewalks and the sides of the roads.

This look, meant to draw attention to the amount of waste that came from mask litter throughout the pandemic, was topped off with a mini handbag designed from an old Stella Artois case.

The final designer of the night used newspaper to create an extravagant Cruella de Vil-inspired piece.

Motifs of leather were incorporated throughout the look, from the gloves to the skirt underneath, giving a sense of luxury to something as simple as a newspaper.

The piece also included a large bow made from newspaper in the front, and a newspaper train running behind the model, proving that recycled fashion can be just as elegant.

FWC continues until Saturday, with upcoming shows including the Philanthropy Meets Fashion event held at the Columbus College of Art and Design, FWC’s Mixer and the 14th annual Finale Runway, which highlights headline designer, Prajjé O. Jean Baptiste.

For Scarlette’s full gallery of photos from this year’s Recycled Runway show click here.

PHOTOGRAPHY Yasmine Skalli