You might not think of fire hoses
when you think of luxury accessories,
but that's exactly what London's Elvis and Kresse
use to craft handbags and wallets.
Over the past decade, the company has diverted
over 200 tons of hoses from landfills
and incorporated reclaimed materials
like coffee sacks and leather waste
into its products.
Instead of throwing away that old dress
that no longer fits, why not repurpose it?
At Zero Waste Daniel in Brooklyn, New York,
leftover fabric scraps are sewn on-site,
making one-of-a-kind works of art.
Each piece of clothing diverts
about 1 pound of fabric from landfills.
An easy way to contribute to marine cleanups
is by purchasing a 4Ocean bracelet.
They're made from nonbiodegradable plastics
and other trash recovered from
oceans and beaches in Bali, Haiti,
Guatemala, and 4Ocean's native Florida.
Since 2017, 4Ocean has cleaned up
almost 8.5 million pounds of trash.
Imagine using a concoction of fungus,
bacteria, and yeast to listen to music.
It might sound odd, but designers and scientists
at Korvaa in Finland are reimagining
the classic leather- and plastic-heavy headphone.
Baker's yeast is repurposed
to make a bioplastic headband,
and the cushioned ear cups are made
from fungus that resembles foam.
You might have heard about vegan leather,
but have you heard about its more sustainable
alternative, apple leather?
Sylven New York's footwear is manufactured in Italy
with innovative organic-apple waste
that feels just like the real thing.
Apple cores and apple skin that aren't used
to make juices and jams are dried into powder
and make this biodegradable product.
A partnership between Adidas and the
environmental organization Parley for the Oceans
is turning marine pollution
into sportswear like sneakers and jerseys.
So far, they've prevented over 2,800 tons
of plastic from polluting the oceans
by breaking it down into so-called Ocean Plastic,
or a replacement for virgin polyester.
Each item is made up of at least 75% recycled plastic.
Up-Fuse works with local trash collectors
in Cairo's Manshiyat Naser to upcycle
plastic bags polluting the city.
With the help of female artisans
from Egypt, Sudan, Syria, and Ethiopia,
it's managed to turn 250,000 plastic bags
into totes, backpacks, wallets,
laptop cases, and waist bags.
Your everyday running shoe is made of rubber,
leather, and plastic, which makes them
pretty hard to properly recycle.
French sneaker company Salomon is rethinking
this unsustainable manufacturing process
by making shoes out of a plastic
that can be reshaped when heated.
Customers can return the used sneakers to Salomon.
They're then reconstructed
to make a new ski-boot shell.
Billboards for your favorite new movies or TV shows
usually go straight to the landfills.
But California company Rareform recycles
about 50,000 pounds of these vinyl ads a month.
Billboards are cut and sewn into accessories
like laptop sleeves, surfboard bags, and backpacks.
Thrifting clothing and accessories is a great way
to stand out amongst the fast-fashion sea.
Spark Pretty is a New York City-based shop
that resells unique '80s and '90s pieces.
You can browse their selection from anywhere online.
The Liberate Air earbuds are made
of almost 100% recyclable materials,
from the packaging to the earbuds themselves,
which are made of recycled silicone and bamboo.
House of Marley created the noise-canceling earbuds
in collaboration with Bob Marley's family
to carry on his eco-conscious legacy.
This outfit by Kameleon Rose
is actually 10 outfits in one.
Wear it as a top, a pair of pants, or a pantsuit.
If it gets chilly at night?
No problem. Just convert your halter top
into a long-sleeved shirt.
Clothing designer Lucy Beizer uses nature
as inspiration for her Brooklyn-based
clothing line, Luce Threads.
She incorporates natural materials and dyes,
like berries and food waste,
into screen prints for her repurposed fabric
to avoid adding to textile waste.
Artist Andrea Bergart makes purses
out of the same material
she shoots three-pointers with: basketballs.
Working with designers in New York's Garment District,
she designs clutches and cross-body bags.
While her go-tos are basketballs,
she also experiments with cutting open
and sewing zippers on soccer balls,
footballs, and volleyballs.
You might have eaten a cactus,
but have you ever worn one?
Mexican-based company Desserto
styles shoes, handbags, and clothing
with the texture and color of your choice.
The best part?
The plant-based material is partially biodegradable.