Recycled fashion trends are a very hot topic right now. Recycled clothes, footwear, accessories and many other items are being turned back into their original containers after they have been used, worn and discarded. Many fashion purists might be appalled at this thought, but fashion recyclers are simply reviving a trend that has been fading away for some time. Recycling helps to create more space in landfills and provides materials to help create newer items in our world. Recycling does not just benefit the environment, it also benefits those who produce the clothing by helping them pay for fewer resources and thus allowing them to sell more cheaply.
Recycled fashion trends include everything from old-fashioned dresses, school girl uniforms and cheerleader outfits, to eco-friendly swimsuits, shorts, skirts, and leggings, to go-go boots, Bohemian jewelry, Native American wear, leather, silk, and other non-bamboo materials. These items have been used before, and either discarded or returned to the landfill, only to be revitalized again when they are put back into a modern wardrobe. This reuse offers a way for fashion designers to not only keep their creations looking new, but to help those who cannot afford the same amount of money to buy the new item, since many of these recycled garments are sold at a fraction of the cost of the new items. When a designer can put together an entire wardrobe of recycled clothing, this reduces costs significantly, as well as the chemicals and waste that goes into creating the new items, reducing the amount of harmful materials going into landfills.
Recycled trends are not only limited to clothing, many items in the fashion industry have been considered vintage clothing before they were ever manufactured. For instance, leggings and tights have always been considered to be vintage, as have bathing suits and hairpieces. However, because of their longevity and uniqueness, many of these items cannot be manufactured into brand new pairs. Vintage clothing can be re-used in all sorts of different ways, including being turned into throw pillows, towels and more. Even items such as shoes, boots, belts, and earrings are considered to be in the “vintage” category of fashion trends, as some look exactly like they did 30 years ago. Many older pieces can be found for sale online, sometimes at incredible discounts.