Lopez Sustainable Textiles and Fashion Week

Lopez has a long history of creating cool, innovative upcycled clothing as an alternative to buying new fashions.

In memory of Sarah Eppenbach — the local heroine of Trashion Fashion, as well as SWAP (Solid Waste Alternatives Program) founder — Lopez Solid Waste Disposal District and SWAP are launching Lopez Sustainable Fashion Week for the last week in July.

This corresponds with the “Year-to-Zero Waste” campaign begun in January 2018, which focuses on a different material each month. July’s focus is on sustainable textiles.

Americans purchase 20 billion articles of clothing annually, 85 percent of which eventually end up in a landfill somewhere in the world. Many people don’t know that nearly 100 percent of textiles can be repaired, reused, repurposed or recycled and that LSWDD does recycle all clean textiles and shoes.

Lopez is also lucky to have a cutting-edge outdoor clothing designer Tracey Cottingham as a resource for the most innovative and sustainable global textile industry solutions, including new bio-synthetics, bio-spider fiber, and fiber created from algae.

There is a lot of good news to share about clothing that is produced with recycled PET (polyethylene terephthalate) water bottles turned back into performance textiles, designed to be long-lasting in style, repairable and fully recyclable at the end of its life. As well as companies and non-profits that are working to eliminate micro-fiber plastics from polluting the oceans and land.

As a kick off for Lopez Sustainable Fashion Week, there will be a pop-up Tea and Wine Party at DeJaVu, from 4 p.m.–6 p.m., Wednesday, July 25. Play dress up in the DeJaVu’s awesome “closet.” This is a consignment store that gives a second life to fashion-forward, wearable clothes at discount prices.

Join Nikyta Palmisani and owner Theresa Lynch for another famous pop-up tea party (this time including wine) for a fun and free event.

Then to learn and discuss, come out to Vita’s, from 5–8 p.m. on Saturday, July 28, for a night that is a “Party with a Purpose.” Arrive at 5 p.m. to purchase a glass of wine or plate of Vita’s Wildly Delicious edible delights, then get ready for sustainable fashion presentations which will start at 6 p.m. The line-up includes: Tracey Cottingham presenting “Good News about Sustainable Clothing and Textiles,” a parade of shirt-to-skirts made out of up-cycled “Take It Or Leave It T-shirts” by SWAP volunteers, as well as other sustainable and up-cycled island fashions.

Nikyta Palmisani will close the night with an in-depth presentation how LSWDD is partnering with Goodwill Industries and the Lopez Thrift Shop to recycle and reuse textiles, and the behind the scenes of what happens to your recycled textiles after they leave the island.

Prizes will be given for the best recycled, upcycled outfits in attendance.