Gary Harvey is a designer who does most of his shopping on eBay! He is a strong believer in recycling for fashion.
"I have been recycling clothes for the last 20 years, this was something I started when I was first at college and couldn't afford to buy new fabrics, I would use whatever I could find, and this led to an enduring relationship with used clothing," he said in an interview with EcoFriend.org.
"The design of the dress is the easy part; it starts with the vision, a strong and refined woman with a street-tough glamor and a silhouette that enhances her figure. The manufacturing process is where the real creative challenge comes, especially when working with new materials you have to look at new and inventive construction methods."
Shown in the pictures are dresses made from denim, laundry bags, military fatigues, and newspaper.
"Environmental sustainability is a major issue affecting the global population, it's not on the horizon, it's on our doorsteps," he says of the industry's future. "Renewable fashion is just one way of dealing with world's limited natural resources."
In the interview, Harvey explains how and why he came to this point in his career and what the future holds. For the full interview, check out EcoFriend.org
Eco-Couture Designer
Gary Harvey Interview
Trend Themes
1. Eco-fashion - Opportunity for designing sustainable and renewable fashion using recycled materials and inventive construction methods.
2. Upcycling - Opportunity to transform used clothing and materials into high-fashion garments.
3. Environmental Sustainability - Opportunity to address the global issue of limited natural resources through fashion innovation and renewable materials.
Industry Implications
1. Fashion - Disruptive innovation opportunity for designers to create eco-couture using recycled materials and sustainable production methods.
2. Textile Recycling - Disruptive innovation opportunity to develop efficient and scalable processes for upcycling used clothing and textiles.
3. Sustainable Manufacturing - Disruptive innovation opportunity for manufacturers to adopt new methods and technologies for producing environmentally friendly fashion products.