new from old-
Recycled and Natural Products

ni9neLives has a soft spot for recycled and natural materials. Durable is perhaps a somewhat over-used word- but yes- banana trees and coconut palms grow back fast, as does bamboo, so what is made from coconut shells or banana bark doesn't harm the environment too much. This way the world may endure for a while yet. And if the fish is eaten, but its skin is not even chewable- why not let the fisherman's wife get some money when she sells it to bag manufacturers?
Wild silk cocoons, so popular with Dutch artists and craftspeople, are now grown on djati plantations. This Indonesian teak, the hardwood whose leaves the Cricula caterpillars love so much, is being replanted all over the archipelago. The Cricula worms transform the djati leaves into natural golden lace which is not only ideal for use in felting, but also inspired a young designer to make a bodice of a dress which is truly exciting.
Look at the n for Netherlands activities and you'll find that for the Big Event Santie de Klerk organised in 2009 and 2010, the Stichting Java Village Fashion Show, had students design very interesting garments using natural and therefore durable materials. We had hoped to run workshops where the older students taking part in Santie's 2011 Creative Mix Fashion Event would make prototypes of accessories for the younger Pay4Play children in Limo.
Circumstances made us decide to wait one more year with that. We are still working on designs for jewelry which is knit, plaited or crocheted with strips of material left over from sewing, or with bookbinders' grass or tree bark string, or which is shaped from candy wrappers, railroad tickets and pill packaging. At the Papier Biennale in Rijswijk we were promised help from people who have been making beautiful things with paper for years. We believe there are many possibilities.
This year the Creative Mix Fashion Event has as its Grand Finale the Colourful Cultures Wedding Dress, for which students have to find inspiration in traditional dresses from different cultures and which must be made with recycled materials. Quite a challenge! We'll be happy to supply our sewing remnants from the Oooom Piet days, and our experience with re-use.
At the 2010 Fashion Show Santie organised workshops where fashion magazines were recycled by folding them into origami shirts that became the tickets. In 2009 there was the Aqua Bottle Dress. In 2010 the Naughty Newspaper Dress had the skirt pleated in such a way that there was little left to guess except for: how did she DO it?
The cotton flour sacks once used for casual blouses and shorts at Oooom Piet, at the fashion show became elegant skirts and a little dress. We are hoping the workshops making accessories will turn out some exciting paper hats and belts and vests.
Oooom Piets popular flour sack bags re-incarnated as trendy and colorful fashion items. Gisette and Anke and Geertje of RiseforFashion have a whole range of shoppers and coolbags and even a great picnic 'mat' which folds into a bag holding a bottle or two, all using rice and flour sacks. We are still working on using used cement and milk powder bags. We have tried out shopping and diaper bags- which could be used for cloth or throw-away diapers.
At Pay4Play we are working on an idea for paper and bamboo Play Igloos with this sturdy recycled paper. We know that it is waterproof, as we once had huge market umbrellas using cement sacks protecting our wares from rain. Any engineer willing to help: get in touch with us!