What makes the Rubbish Renewed Fashion Show so compelling is that it blurs the line between art and advocacy. This isn’t just clothing—it’s storytelling. It’s a reminder that sustainability can be expressive, that environmental awareness can be beautiful, and that even the most unexpected materials can have a second life.
And maybe that’s the real takeaway: sometimes, the most inspiring designs don’t start with fabric—they start with a shift in perspective.
Experience the shifts at the 14th Rubbish Renewed Eco Fashion Show
In just 4 days, come celebrate with the Rubbish Renewed Eco Fashion Show transforming trash, inspiring community for a sustainable earth. It’s more than a trash fashion show it’s an experience, a mindset, a community transformation. Buy your tickets today and come to the event on Saturday, May 9th and experience:
An Electrifying Trash Fashion Show featuring designers from 14 different Central Oregon Schools, a diverse group of adult artists and aspiring trash fashionistas, a live auction of a select group of garments, and 9 local businesses celebrating their sustainable practices and competing for the Coveted Trash Trophy, all amplified by Flip Flop Productions professional stage, lighting, and sound!
A Local Maker’s Market & Interactive Booths – featuring 13 local makers and organizations selling their creative wares and creating interactive experiences.
An interactive walk through art exhibit by Bend’s ReCoHere Cooperative, showcasing the challenge of textile waste and solutions each of us can achieve.
A trash creation station for kids and adults to make hats, toys, accessories… facilitated by the Open Arts Center.
SATURDAYMAY 9th – THE RUBBISH RENEWED ECO FASHION SHOW!!!! Whether you come for the innovative runway trash fashion, the live auction, the eco marketplace, interactive art installation, the bites & sips, or just to witness the sheer creativity of Central Oregon students and artists turning garbage into garments — this night always delivers. Link for Tickets Here!
On event day, for designers and models the magic begins in the Greenroom. It’s a space that builds confidence and inspiration to showcase the art on the runway. Nicole Potter, a seasoned stylist, led the styling team, creating a professional and comfortably accessible experience for all ages. Greenroom Photos by Greg Maffei.
This year, for the 2nd time, we had a student makeup team! These budding make-up artists, Rowen, Bella, Ellie, Lila, and Ila, gained real-life event experience and mentorship while blowing us away with creativity, connection, support and fun. They were inspirational!
Model Sam with makeup artist Ila.
Designer/Model Ruby with makeup artist Bella.
Designer/model Abigail with makeup artist Rowan.
Designer/model Guthrie with makeup artist Lila.
Emcee Jessie with makeup artist Ellie.
A group of fabulous independent hair stylists came together donating their time to uplift the art. Raechel Gilland – Adventure Time Entertainments, Caligosto (Cal) Leis, Jessica Trainor, and Kaia Chopra worked their magic quickly and creatively, with a focus on making each model and garment stand out.
Designer/Model Bethany with hair stylist Kaia.
Model Ian with hair stylist Raechal.
Designer/Model Sloan with hair stylist Jessica.
Designer/Model Guthrie with hair stylist Caligosto.
We’ve now dubbed the space Mayra’s Greenroom. Mayra created an experience of joyous support for all the students and adults alike. We continue to hold the space with her spirit. Mayra Aguilar Stearns – March 1, 1972 – June 15, 2025.
Mayra Stearns making magic; Rubbish Renewed 2016. Archive Photos: Paula Bullwinkel
Calling all aspiring Trash Fashion Designers! It’s just over 3-months until the 2026 Rubbish Renewed Eco Fashion Show and a great time to start designing. With this unseasonably warm weather I’m not skiing, so why not tap into my creativity! Where do you get your inspiration? Check out past designer profile blog posts below to help you get motivated! We can’t wait to see what YOU create.
Revisit some Rubbish Renewed designer profiles by clicking on the links below. Many of these designers have gone on to create more garments for the Rubbish Renewed Eco Fashion Show:
“What do you get when a small group of visionary educators, artists, creators and environmentalists with a passion for the planet – and future generations – join forces with a mission to reimagine waste by creating couture with a conscience? You get Rubbish Renewed Eco Fashion Show: a dazzling event where landfill-bound debris is transformed into jaw-dropping garments and designs. You get an event where creativity becomes a catalyst for change.” Read the complete in-depth article by Lynette Confer at Bend Lifestyle Magazine here!
GARDEN PARTY Designer: DeeDee Johnson Model: Robin Copper Engle Photo: Kimberly Teichrow
Once again, we pulled off this multifaceted, highly engaging, sustainably minded, community connecting event! The 13th Rubbish Renewed Eco Fashion Show was enriched this year by more interactive sustainable thinking – art, activities, free design workshops, and a developed reusables system. These, in combination with the mesmerizing trash fashion show, raised the community impact of this even. Thank you sponsors, thank you Bend!We simply couldn’t have done it without you!
CREATURE OF FASHION – ReStore Business ChallengeDesigners: Lisa Mcluskie, DeeDee Johnson, Restore Employees Brian & KeeganModel: Lisa McluskiePhotographer:Joe Kline
Your support for creativity, the magical transformation of innovative materials, passion for our planet, and uplifting more than 700 people to find unique ways to think about waste, made the 2025 Rubbish Renewed the best fundraising and eco-elevating event in Bend!
Your supporthelped bring student designers from 17 Central Oregon schools 3rd grade to college and adult designers new to fashion and those who have been with us since the beginning. Your supportof diversity is what makes the Rubbish Renewed Eco Fashion Show matchless, engaging, and meaningful! And with your support we raised nearly $20,000 for REALMS Schools continuing the vision to foster scholarship, strengthen community, and inspire stewardship through active learning.
We feel so proud of the space and event we collectively created to celebrate and promote sustainability through the magic of trash fashion. It was a beautiful evening filled with hope, love, and community. Together we proved again, that Rubbish Renewed is not just a fashion show and not just a fundraiser, but a creative celebration of re-imagining waste, rethinking our relationship with trash, and inspiring people to live lighter on the planet. It is a testament to the power of people with aligned belief in a mission bigger than ourselves!
Mark your calendars for the Rubbish Renewed Eco Fashion Show May 10th, 2025
Bend’s coolest event celebrating sustainability, trash fashion, and local arts
Create and submit a garment
Support Local Schools
Rooted in a love of fashion, an appreciation of art and a passion for the planet, the Rubbish Renewed Eco Fashion Show fuses environmental responsibility, funky fashion and community.
Started in 2010 as a rogue fundraiser by a couple of teachers, it has turned into a Bend staple, a fashion-centered, sustainably run event that everyone in the community can enjoy.
The preparation and event encourage people to look at how much waste their lifestyles produce and inspires them to change habits that decrease their impact on the planet through small doable actions.
The Pavilion prepared for the start of the 2024 Rubbish Renewed Eco Fashion Show
A friend reminded me today, after taking a minute (or a month) to breathe, we need to get back to work. Each of us can make a difference by focusing action at the community level, on local legislation, and talking to people meeting them where they are.
Today I begin by highlighting the incredible trash fashion crafted by local Central Oregon adults. Creating trash fashion to showcase at the Rubbish Renewed Eco Fashion Show each year is a commitment to educate, inspire, and bring to the forefront the impact individuals can make to help the environment.
Rubbish Renewed 2024 had a diverse team of photographers. Thanks again to Kimberly Teichrow Photography, Joe Kline Photography, and Melissa Barnes Dholakia for the incredible images you’ll find in our galleries.
Since 2006 Cosa Cura has created an atmosphere of sustainable style, creativity, local support, and community service. A perfect companion for the Rubbish Renewed Eco Fashion Show. This unique business has partnered with Rubbish Renewed since our humble beginnings and is back for the second year of Presenting Sponsor!
Cosa Cura showing off Rubbish Renewed Trash Fashion from the past!
I’m not much of a current clothes shopper. Mostly because of *The Dark Side of Fast Fashion, but that’s not Cosa Cura. It’s my go-to spot to support local artists and purchase unique clothing pieces that will last and compliment my style!
Cosa Cura at Brookswood Meadow Plaza
As of this Spring, Cosa Cura now offers 2 locations supporting local artists and fashionistas with a locale to sell their designs alongside stylish reused fashion. This unique shop now bookends Bend, with one location in Northwest Crossing and the newly opened 2nd shop in Brookswood Meadow Plaza in Southwest Bend. The Plaza itself is worth a visit with a neighborhood atmosphere with local shops, services, and restaurants. Check out Cosa Cura’s new airy space and support local sustainably-minded, and community-supportive businesses!
*The Dark Side of Fast Fashion – “It dries up water sources and pollutes rivers and streams, while 85% of all textiles go to dumps each year...”
With the Rubbish Renewed season coming spring, people around Central Oregon are looking at trash with a new eye. What is the essence of the material? How can I make something from nothing? What impact can I have on contributing to a more sustainable earth?
RPA students dug into a trash fashion during their January winter intensives. They explored unconventional, tossed-away materials, visioned and drew, then started to work their magic with different techniques.
Working with trash is hard and inspiring. Here’s a few of their thoughts:
Juno: “The work is a lot of trial and error.”
Trinity: “It helps grow my creativity”
Asher: “It’s fun and interesting taking trash and turning it into something cool. It’s cool seeing other people’s creativity and their works of art.”
We’re hoping to see some of these finished pieces on the runway! Time to start thinking about the submission process.
What will you create?
Rubbish Renewed Eco Fashion Show Submission Deadline is Friday, April 5th for the May 11th event. Your garment does not have to be complete by the submission deadline, but the further along you are in the process, the more information the jury will have to make their decision.
Rubbish Renewed Eco Fashion Show 