Recycled Runway is getting ready for take-off, with a broad aviation theme set to feature on September 2.
This year’s theme is ‘Come Fly With Me’ and fashion enthusiasts will get creative to upcycle a bag of second-hand clothing into a new, wearable garment or themed outfit.
Categories include novice, experienced, open, high school and unmodelled and all garments will be modelled at the Recycled Runway fashion show at the St Martins Lutheran College gymnasium.
Event organiser Trudy-Anne Doyle is looking forward to the event returning again this year, which raises funds for ac.care.
“We are very excited, we have started selling the bags,” Ms Doyle said.
“It is nice to see them going out the door, you spend a bit of time getting them all ready.
“It looks like we are gearing up for a good event, there is plenty of interest and quite a lot of young people who are interested and a lot of new people buying the bags.
“We started off thinking that we wanted an aviation-style theme, and then we made it Come Fly With Me so it was broader, and people could do birds or hot air balloons or something else.”
Some changes have been made this year, including the extra materials that people can contribute decreased to $10 and 10%.
“It is a bit tighter and will make the challenge a bit harder,” Ms Doyle said.
The $100 prize per category has also been changed to two $50 prizes per category, with one prize awarded for a themed outfit and the other for an outfit that has the potential to be worn again.
A’el Estë creative director Ashlee Kalantarian and YellowBird, who make handmade purses and bags, will also provide prizes, and proceeds from a raffle will be donated to the Royal Flying Doctor Service.
“We have asked the Royal Flying Doctor Service to get involved with the raffle because it is an air and nautical kind of theme, so I thought it is always nice to involve another group,” Ms Doyle said.
On the evening, the gymnasium will be decorated according to the Come Fly With Me theme and people will enjoy themed food and cocktails.
Ms Doyle said it was important to spread the message about sustainability to try and reduce the amount of waste.
“There are lots of stats being released about people who buy 56 new outfits every year and things like that, it all ends up in landfill,” she said.
“How much can we cope with, we are just piling it all on, so that is where this all started; the garments are ones that are rejects from the rejects.
“Hopefully it makes people think and I hope it helps people think to try and get wear out of the clothes they already have.
“Buy things in op shops and maybe even have some fun upcycling things, not just once a year at a contest, but throughout the year.”
Bags are available for $10 from the Belltower Op Shop and garments must be lodged for judging by August 11.
