As individual community members we have a responsibility to think about our choices and take actions to minimize our impact on the earth, but it is exponentially important for businesses to do the same. Poor waste management contributes to climate change, air pollution, and directly affects ecosystems and species. Reducing the carbon footprint of their products, creating initiatives to help employees reduce their impact, producing a climate conscious workplace, are all ways that businesses can step up their sustainability.
That’s why we love the Rubbish Renewed Business Challenge! We get to highlight the sustainable work of local businesses who take their impact seriously.
Each year a group of businesses come together to celebrate sustainability, support Realms education, and compete for the Coveted Trash Trophy.
Celebrate the 2020 Business Challenge Runway participants through the captivating photos of Jazmine Turner Photography’s Mindy J. Turner and SHE Photography’s Suzette Hibble!
Rubbish Renewed has developed into a showcase for talented community artists. Many designers submit year after year inspired to up their game in sustainability, material manipulation, and style each event. Pieces tell a variety of stories like the challenges of medical waste, excessive packaging from our mail order and coffee on-the-go obsessions, and how to transform discards into truly wearable art.
We all know the impact of too much trash – Air pollution, climate change, soil and water contamination… but it’s easy to ignore when it’s whisked away from our homes each week and hidden from view of our daily lives.
Our student designers elevate these issues to the forefront of their creativity and learning, then take the mantle, using Rubbish Renewed Eco Fashion Show as a platform, to inspire and educate the themselves and the rest of us. It’s time for us to listen!
Photo: SHE Photography
Savor the inventiveness of these young artists’ fashion from our 2020 show through stunning images by SHE Photography’s Suzette Hibble and Jazmine Turner Photography’s Mindy J. Turner.
After the nearly 2-year plunge into the pandemic, we are finally coming up for air and reviving Rubbish Renewed!
Student designers/models – unaware of life changes ahead. Photo: Jazmine Turner Photography
The pandemic seemed to come out of nowhere. Suddenly life drastically changed. As teachers, we had to rethink, redesign, readjust, and renew our commitment to students in a completely new environment. The first balls dropped were the things not immediately in front of us. Rubbish Renewed fell into the pandemic abyss.
Now, somewhat adjusted to our new normal, it’s time to reacquaint ourselves with the Rubbish Renewed mission and inflate the balls that we dropped after the 10th annual Rubbish Renewed Eco Fashion Show!
Scraps from old dress, upholstery project, old pillow sham, aunt’s closet . . .
During the pandemic many of us included in our lives the essence of the Rubbish Renewed tagline – transforming trash, inspiring community for a sustainable earth! Discarded scraps of fabric became one of the most common community connectors. Ordinary people created masks for family, friends and colleagues, out of those little pieces of fabric they just couldn’t throw away. My sister, a Rubbish Renewed designer from the past 2 shows, lives in Belgium. She made more than 200 masks to give to family, friends, and neighbors. And that’s a tiny amount compared to some.
Anticipate mesmerizing photos by Jazmine Turner Photography and SHE Photography from the 2020 show that share the 10th annual and look ahead to Rubbish Renewed Revival!
Designer Panambi Elliott does it again with her signature style, meticulously manipulating business waste, and brought to life on the runway by Leah Nagel.
Left Photo by: random Friend; Right Photo by: Rebecca Penny
I spend most of the evening behind the curtain. I get to feel the nerves of the young models before they take their first step, sending them onto the runway. And about a minute later, I get to experience their exhilaration when they step behind the curtain again. My favorite moment Saturday night was when 4th grade designer/model, Laila, supported each nervous model (students and adults alike) behind her, “it’s like a roller coaster. Before you go, you are so nervous, and once you are out there, it’s awesome!”
Thank you Bend for embracing the mission of the Rubbish Renewed Eco Fashion Show, “transforming trash, inspiring community for a sustainable earth,” and making our community such a great place to live!
For our 10th year and our 9th Business Challenge we have 8 local businesses competing for the 2020 Rubbish Renewed’s Coveted Trash Trophy! Each year a group of businesses come together to celebrate sustainability, support REALMS education, and have some … Continue reading →
Rubbish Renewed Eco Fashion Show is just 4 days away, and for the 1st time it’s a Saturday night! One of the most engaging events in town, this fundraiser features two eclectic, wearable art (trash fashion) runway shows (one that features local students), our Business Challenge (competing for the Coveted Trash Trophy), a live auction of a select group of runway garments, a silent auction comprised of local sustainable donations, a pop up “marketplace”, featuring sustainable, creative products from local artists, local food and drink.
The animated atmosphere, features environmental responsibility, funky fashion and celebrates the best of our Bend community. Buy your tickets today!
One of the most inspiring aspects of the Rubbish Renewed Eco Fashion Show is the student designers. For the 2020 show on Saturday, January 25th we will have 10 local schools represented on the runway. If you come to the first show (6pm show/doors 5pm) you will see students from Realms Middle School, Realms High School, Cascades Academy, Skyview Middle School, Amity Creek Elementary, Bend High School, Central Oregon Community College, OSU-Cascades, Summit High School, and High Lakes Elementary School.
Kiki Kogan, designer and model, from the 9th annual Rubbish Renewed Eco Fashion Show – “The inspiration for this outfit was my struggle with Scoliosis. I made my old back brace the center of the piece in order to embrace my insecurities around it. In using an old tent I explored the way people interact with nature. We pollute our earth but still expect to reap the benefits of it in the form of recreation etc. I want to bring attention to this double standard in my outfit.” ~Kiki Kogan
In 2013, the Century Center broke up the space we had been using, and Rubbish Renewed set out to find another home. Bend is lacking in large open event venues, and after countless failures, finally we procured the Armory Gym down near the Old Mill. The location was ideal, close for walking, and dedicated parking. The Gym atmosphere, however, was hard to transform, and the military systems challenging to negotiate. We moved the venue and rescheduled the event to January 2014.
Designer: Vanessa Granger Materials: Chip bags
Designer: Olivia Rose Barnes Materials: Biking materials and parts Quote: “I learned that trash is never gone but with some creativity we can make magic happen!”
Designer:
Photos by Tambi Lane photography
Year 4: Of 46 Central Oregon designers submitting garments, 23 of them were students from 9 local schools (3 elementary, 3 middle, and 3 high schools). Rubbish Renewed had taken its spot as a place where young, inspired designers had a chance to try their hand at a public runway event! Not only had Rubbish Renewed become an outlet for students around the district, locals were taking ownership of the event too! Beyond designers we had 21 sponsors, 9 Business Challenge participants, 11 local vendors, 60+ volunteers!
Serial Designer: Kelly Powell Model: Sasha Lawless Materials: Fused plastic bags
The “Tentalizing” Tarpaulin Designer: Karen Holm Model: Marley Weedman Materials: Old Blue Tarps
Year 5: The 5th annual Rubbish Renewed Eco Fashion show was the best ever! More fun, more energy and more style. With professional sponsors like Sonic Solution generating our runway and lights, Flip Flop Sounds creating the shows background buzz, with the nimble hands of the stylists from Bishops Barbershop and Velvet finessing our bar, our humble beginnings had blossomed into a full blown anticipated event. We saw just under 1000 people in our 2 shows (students, adults & business) and they rose to the challenge, keeping a passion for the planet front and center! Our trash for the night is highlighted in the photo below! (Everything else was reused, recycled, or composted).
Rubbish Renewed Eco Fashion Show 