Madeline Webber

~ Sustanability ~

Coming from a family with a zero waste policy, I learned to reinvent old things into something new and original. Each of these designs have been created to highlight the idea of the waste we produce in this world and provide possible ideas for upcycling.

While in Warsaw Poland, I noticed the number of receipts I was given, even if I was buying something as small as a bottle of water. I began to wonder if there was a way to recycle these receipts into something more. I became inspired by the ballet Swan Lake which was the inspiration for this original design.By creating an entire dress out of used receipts, I hoped to highlight the ubiquitous waste they produce. For the base layer of this dress I used plastic carrier bags, which is another enormous source of waste.

The inspiration for the Sainsbury top came from a reusable shopping bag that my mom had for over 15 years. When the handle broke, and it was no longer practical to use it as a bag, I decided to turn it in to a wearable statement of continuous sustainability.

Currently, I am researching and writing a twenty page paper on sustainability and the fast fashion industry as a capstone project for my senior year. It is a topic that I find infinitely interesting and it is a subject that I will continue to explore throughout my academic career.