Cosa Cura Supporting Community with Sustainable Style

Posted on May 5, 2024 by Rubbish Renewed

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 2^nd 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...”

The Sustainable Fashion Legacy of Harriet Langmas

Posted on May 4, 2024 by Rubbish Renewed

Rubbish Renewed is one lucky event to have a rich array of participants. Harriet Langmas, now in her 90’s, has been a staple at the Rubbish Renewed Eco Fashion Show. Always hosting a marketplace booth of her repurposed, discarded scraps that she knits & crochets into hats, scarves, vests, sweaters, and rugs; sews into stuffed chickens, gift bags, and pillows… and often creates garments for the runway. This year is no exception.

Locals donate their cast-off materials to the Presbyterian quilters and the quilters pass their scraps onto Harriet! Materials that others believe are too small to reuse become embellishments in Harriet’s pieces. We were lucky to visit her long time Bend home to see her current creations and listen to her stories.

Harriet’s Sustainable Fashion Legacy goes way back in Bend. It was the 1960’s when Harriett taught at COCC and started the “Displaced Homemakers,” the predecessor to today’s Clothing Connections (a joint venture between COCC and OSU, a free donated clothing service for students). Harriet created a seminar to prepare students for job interviews and a closet in the gym, to provide professional clothes to wear.

In 1972 Harriet appeared on the popular show “What’s My Line” showcasing her patchwork fashion. She once dressed 1st Lady Betty Ford in a patchwork skirt to watch the 4th of July fireworks, and had 3 phone numbers for Katharine Hepburn who she met when filming ”Rooster Cogburn” in Bend with John Wayne. Ms. Hepburn wanted to buy Harriet’s skirts on a whim to give as gifts.

Before leaving Harriet’s she shared her rule of 3, rule of 4, and rule of accessories: Rule of 3 – don’t take any clothes on a trip that doesn’t do at least 3 things. Rule of 4 – it is the 4^th thing you put on that makes the pow! Rule of accessories – rhythm, cluster, pow!

Thanks Harriet for helping make the Rubbish Renewed Eco Fashion Show an incredible Bend Event!

Read this 2006 article in the Bend Bulletin to dig into Harriet’s fascinating legacy:

Redmond Proficiency Academy Digs into Trash (Fashion)

Posted on March 4, 2024 by Rubbish Renewed

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.

Runway Submissions are Open

Posted on February 9, 2024 by Rubbish Renewed

It’s the designers, and their creativity, material manipulation, passion for fashion and our planet, that makes Rubbish Renewed unique, entertaining, and meaningful. Each year designers, like you, have made this one of the most coveted and exciting shows in Bend!

The Student and Adult Designer Submission Forms are up and will be open until the Garment Submission deadline at midnight on Friday, April 5th. For inspiration on the trash fashion creation process, student and adult designs, the runway show, the event, and our garment criteria, watch one or both of these short videos (3-4+ minutes – with some slightly different information):

Let us know what you are working on. We will highlight several designers again this year. Spread the word and get designing!

What will you Create?

Calling All Aspiring Trash Fashion Designers!

Posted on January 13, 2024 by Rubbish Renewed

Calling all aspiring Trash Fashion Designers! It’s 4-months until the 2024 Rubbish Renewed Eco Fashion Show and a great time to start creating. This cold, blustery weather is the perfect moment to snuggle in and start visioning. Where do you get your inspiration? Check out past Rubbish Renewed blog posts below to help you get inspired! We can’t wait to see what YOU create?

Click on the following links to revisit some past idea generating blog posts:

Calling All Creatives – Discover the Essence of Rubbish

Material Manipulation from Waste to Wear-ability

Project Runway Uses Real Refuse for Once

Organic Matter isn’t Rubbish

RR Student Designers in Action

Inspiration from The Unconventional Challenge

Virtual Inspiration

Where does your inspiration start? Design? Materials? Techniques?

Rubbish Renewed 2024 Confirmed!

Posted on December 16, 2023 by Rubbish Renewed

Last Spring the revival of Rubbish Renewed Eco Fashion Show, at the Pavilion, was a hit! Rubbish Renewed has secured the Pavilion again on Saturday, May 11th, 2024 for our 12th trash fashion show event.

Mark your calendar.

Start collecting and designing.

We can’t wait to see what you create?

Taking their Impact Seriously – Business Challenge Gallery Posted

Posted on November 22, 2023 by Rubbish Renewed

Click here to explore the captivating 2023 Business Challenge Gallery

The effect of Climate Change is more pronounced every day. It’s mind boggling. Each consumer decision we make aggravates or reduces our impact on the planet. I believe our collective actions make a difference. One positive step is to support local businesses who take their impact seriously. Just the habit of buying local minimizes carbon waste – less fuel for shipping, less packaging… and supporting businesses who put the environment at the forefront can increase your positive impact.

That’s why we love the Rubbish Renewed Business Challenge! We highlight the sustainable work of local businesses who take their impact seriously.

This year ReStore, Gear Fix, Lonza, Ida’s Cupcakes, Humm Kombucha, Tiina and Zoey Designs, Aloha Blinds and Design, and Eastlake Framing came together to celebrate sustainability, support Realms education, and compete for the Coveted Trash Trophy.

Celebrate environmentally conscious businesses by experiencing the 2023 Business Challenge Gallery through the diverse photos from Deb Quinlan, Joe Kline, Kimberly Teichrow Photography, Melissa Dholakia, and Paula Bullwinkel and highlights from these businesses’ sustainable practices.

It’s About Time – 2023 Student Garment Gallery Posted

Posted on October 27, 2023 by Rubbish Renewed

Suddenly, it’s the end of October! Fall is the time my Rubbish Renewed brain kicks in. It’s the time designers, show goers, and art teachers start to connect, and it’s the time to post the 2023 Show Galleries!

2023 Student Garment Gallery

Rubbish Renewed 2023 had a diverse team of photographers. Thanks to Kimberly Teichrow Photography, Paula Bullwinkel, Deb Quinlan, Joe Kline, and Melissa Dholakia for the incredible images you’ll find in our galleries.

Enjoy the first of the series with the 2023 Student Garment Gallery!

Adult Garment Gallery and Business Challenge Gallery coming soon!

Event Night, Behind the Scenes

Posted on July 3, 2023 by Rubbish Renewed

With each event year and venue change (this is our 4^th venue in 11 shows) what happens behind the scenes has to be flexible and shift to fit. Rubbish Renewed thrives with skilled volunteers and sponsors who create hidden magic in the greenroom. Coordinated by a humble talent, Mayra Stearns, “frames” are created with makeup and hair styling that illuminate the inspirational trash fashion on the runway.

High school senior Elliana Bowers getting illuminated. *Photo: Joe Kline*

Mayra manages the action in a way that sets a comfortable tone supporting even the most nervous young models. She also generates a team of volunteer makeup artists who balance the feel of the garment with enhancing for stage presence. And since 2014, Bishops in Bend has honored us by bringing a team of professional stylists who whip up hair that highlights the flair of each piece. It’s fast and furious fashion at its best in the Rubbish Renewed greenroom!

Bishops stylists whipping up hair! Photos: Rylee Courtois

Mayra Stearns making magic, Rubbish Renewed 2016. Archive Photos: Paula Bullwinkel

The Garments are the Show! Peak at the Portraits

Posted on June 4, 2023 by Rubbish Renewed

Photos by Kimberly Teichrow Photography

The “models” bring the trash fashion garments to life that local designers from elementary students to adults create and showcase on the Rubbish Renewed Eco Fashion Show runway. After a 2 year pandemic pause the 2023 event blew our minds! On Saturday, May 20th, 50 trash fashion pieces graced Flip Flop Sounds stunning runway, highlighting waste from plastic produce bags to blinds, slides, and medical waste. 26 were student designed garments and 24 were designed by adults including 8 Businesses.

Thanks to a team of photographers, we’ll be posting a variety of photos over the next few weeks (including galleries), that capture the story and the details of all the pieces. Get a taste of the artistry through Kimberly Teichrow’s portraits, a stunning new addition this year! You can go to Kimberly’s Rubbish Renewed 2023 Proofs to access all her stunning photos for purchase.