For immediate release
March 11, 2015
Contact: Kris Hall
Phone: (309) 454-3169 x.12
The Ecology Action Center is looking for creative shoppers to participate in this year’s Renewable Fashion Challenge which will take place at the Illinois Sustainable Living and Wellness Expo on April 11 at the Illinois Wesleyan Shirk Center.
This event encourages consumers to extend the life of existing textiles, and spread out that environmental cost by re-using clothing which is already here. Each year in the U.S., 25 billion pounds of textiles are produced and over 21 billion pounds of textiles are sent to landfills. Getting a garment from design to retail store requires a mind-boggling amount of environmental resources – water, pesticides, chemicals, energy and more. Making a conscious choice to reduce our impacts through creative re-use can have significant environmental benefits.
Participants will find a fashion “look” from a magazine or online source. They will then scour area thrift stores, consignment shops and even their own closets to replicate that look, by using only pre-owned garments. The challenge will culminate with a fashion show at the April event.
The Ecology Action Center and RFC Co-sponsor Home Sweet Home Mission Mart will launch the 2015 Renewable Fashion Challenge at a Kick-Off event on Thursday, March 19, at 6:00 p.m. at the Mission Mart at 301 E Oakland in Bloomington. At this event, designers will receive discounts at the Mission Mart, have opportunities to win prizes and learn more about the challenge. Pre-registration is not required for the Kick-Off event, and attendance at the event is not required to participate in the challenge. The deadline for submitting final entries is April 2.
For a complete list of the rules for the Renewable Fashion Challenge, please visit renewablefashion.org. Please contact Kris Hall at the Ecology Action Center with any questions at 309-454-3169 x.12 or [email protected].
The Ecology Action Center is a not-for-profit walk-in information and environmental education center with a mission to inspire and assist residents of McLean County in creating, strengthening, and preserving a healthy environment.
