Bainbridge Island ReFashion Trashion Show is a fun community event sponsored by Bainbridge Island Zero Waste, an initiative of Sustainable Bainbridge. Zero Waste's mission is to reduce the amount of waste produced by our community, from the purchase of material to disposal, and encourage changes in behavior that lead to the sustainable use of resources. For more Trashion and ReFashion information and history visit https://bitrashion.org
ReFashion 2024 -- May 19 @ IslandWood
2023 Judges
Rebecca Rockefeller: Rebecca Rockefeller is an almost-lifelong Bainbridge Islander, co-founder of the Buy Nothing Project, a worldwide gift economy movement, Head of Community for the free BuyNothing app, and co-author of The Buy Nothing, Get Everything Plan, a primer on pursuing a multifaceted Buy Nothing lifestyle. Rebecca's work on Buy Nothing stemmed from citizen science projects documenting local marine and watershed plastic waste conducted with her Buy Nothing co-founder and co-author, Liesl Clark, and their respective children. Her Buy Nothing life includes regular experimentation on herself, including a year spent wearing the same secondhand dress every single day, accessorized only with items she received as gifts from Buy Nothing Bainbridge.
Gabriel-Bello Lawrence-Diaz Gabriel-Bello Lawrence-Diaz is a Puerto Rican artist, education activist and community organizer. Diaz has spent his career flexibly navigating through various mediums, projects and initiatives with this same focus on highlighting underrepresented voices through multidisciplinary collaboration. One of his techniques as an artist is combining 3D printing and laser cut technology with leather to create custom leather products for clients including: accessories, jewelry, bags and various garments. He has curated half a dozen fashion shows focused on using fashion as an artform to express a deeper dialogue. Ancestral Future was his proudest fashion vision of highlighting indigenous and ancestral traditions of textiles and symbols through digital fabrication to help hidden stories of community emerge into public dialogue.
Robin Little Wing Sigo Robin Little Wing Sigo is a Suquamish Tribal Member and Director of the Suquamish Foundation. She describes herself as a Researcher of Love, a Healer and Storycatcher. A mother to four children, she considers herself an aunty to every child she sees. Whether working or playing, you'll usually find her collecting sweet moments, helping others tell their stories and admiring everyone's style.
Thank You to Our 2023 Show Prize Sponsors!
Bainbridge Disposal has supported our show since its inception seven years ago. Bainbridge Disposal is a family-owned company that has proudly served our community for more than 50 years. Over the years, they have adapted to changes in the county waste streams by adding services for a more sustainable collection of the items we discard. The Vincent Road location has enhanced the recycling center so residents can properly dispose of their recycled items and keep them out of the landfill. They involve themselves in the community in more ways than we can acknowledge. Currently Bainbridge Disposal is are collaborating in the April Earth Month Island-wide Litter Pickup.
Jenn Herrmann returns as a second-year sponsor of our show. As she explains, “After studying and working as a textile designer, it became very clear that the fashion industry was a huge contributor to our landfill and air and water pollution. Frustrated that my passion of designing for textiles had strong negative impacts on our environment, I became compelled to think outside the box and support movements that can reshape the future of fashion. Collectively we can learn, support, and create positive change.” Jenn is also a sustainable chairperson for the PTSO in support of local groups and initiatives that will take us on the road to a cleaner greener future. Recently, she participated in the ReFashion clothing swap as an outfit stylist. As a realtor, Jenn is reachable here.
Bay Hay & Feed returns as another second-year sponsor for our 2022 show. As an island institution since 1979, Bay Hay & Feed has been at the forefront of running a sustainable business in our community. Known as a feed store, the business has expanded into so much more. Other departments in the buildings include plant nursery, clothing, food market, feed and chicks, propane refills, tableware/gifts and of course, their branded items that are seen around the world! In 2011, Bay Hay & Feed appeared on the “Washington Green 50” list as one of the most sustainably operated companies in Washington State. Besides composting, recycling, using solar generated power, and purchasing 100% green power for their main building, Bay Hay & Feed tries to purchase products in the most sustainable practice that they can for their customers. In 2019, the business was awarded the “Business Recycler of the Year” by the Washington State Recycling Association. Whenever possible, Bay Hay participates in community-minded sustainability activities. Currently these include Smartwool sock recycling during April Earth Month and nursery plant tag recycling anytime.
McCabe By Design LLC is a full-service design firm specializing in designing beautiful, functional spaces that embrace accessible + sustainable design. This Bainbridge-based company is another great partner that is in its third year as a cash sponsor. Principal Designer, Molly McCabe, previously founded and operated A Kitchen That Works LLC, a residential design-build firm that specialized in residential remodels. Molly’s business was designated as the “Sustainable Business of the Year” in 2017 by the Bainbridge Island Chamber of Commerce and has been nominated for the Kitsap County 2023 Earth Day Award for environmental stewardship. McCabe By Design provides clients with beautiful designs that seamlessly incorporate accessible and sustainable materials and design principles. Molly lives with her husband and their dog Mara in a Three Star Built Green® home that they designed and built in 2009. Molly holds the Certified Green Professional (CGP), Certified Aging in Place (CAPS) and Certified Living in Place Professional (CLIPP) designations. Along with her professional involvement in sustainability, she has been a long-standing volunteer with Bainbridge Island Zero Waste!
his is the second year that 2atara will be a Refashion Show sponsor. 2atara design + construction is a construction company on Bainbridge Island in WA State. Designing and building with the future in mind, they work on projects that have design integrity and a sustainable vision that aligns with world resource preservation. The company has a lot of experience with sustainable practices – life cycle analysis, reuse, recycling, energy efficient systems, air quality, etc. They leverage this experience to capture the best in sustainable technologies. Here is how 2atara describes their projects: How 2atara describes their projects:
Energy-efficient homes
Healthy for people and planet
Quality construction
Site friendly designs to minimize impact on the land
Spaces that are not just a place to sleep at night, but reflections of who you are and what you believe in
We welcome Ecological Market as a new sponsor to the ReFashion Show! Ecological Market is an online sustainable lifestyle store offering household products that are eco-friendly, zero waste, and fair trade. Whether you want to replace single-use plastics with reusable solutions or eliminate harmful chemicals, they are here to help you find ways to make eco-friendly living easier and more enjoyable. The owners recently relocated from Denver, CO, to Bainbridge Island, having been inspired by the pristine natural setting of Washington State. While the store is currently entirely online, the owners look forward to a more locally minded philosophy and are growing roots in this vibrant community, including by volunteering with Bainbridge Island Zero Waste. No matter the path, they maintain their commitment to help protect the environment, reduce waste, and strive for sustainability.
Additional funding to support ReFashion Bainbridge comes from a COBI Cultural Arts grant.
In-kind Sponsors
A special thanks to Bainbridge Arts and Crafts, which will be displaying some of our winners July 7-30, 2023.
Applicant Submission Criteria Fashion in the Forest 2023
All entrants must fill out thisapplication form. You may submit up to 3 entries total. Any questions, please email Naomi Spinak. The sketch proposal deadline is January 29, 2023.
Entry categories:
There are three entry categories, including a new one: 1) Upcycled Ready-to-wear: Outfits submitted to this category should be made from used textiles or used clothing. If using articles of clothing, they must be altered significantly from what they started out as. Newer notions allowed for closures (e.g., zippers, buttons, etc). 2) Mystery Box: Outfits must be made using the materials from a box of mystery items supplied by the committee. Mystery box designers do not need to send sketches, just request a box by January 29 and pick up the box by February 3. 3) Connections:What kind of connections do we see around us? What connections can we strengthen through ReFashion? Webs, roots, neural networks, communication networks, computer systems, woven fibers, mycelia, synapses, arteries, food webs, and quantum entanglement are ideas for networks that can be explored in your outfit.
Entry Guidelines:
All entries must be complete outfits. If your model can wear what you made without any store-bought clothing (other than shoes and undergarments), you are good.
Models must be able to move around freely and sit down in their outfit.
You must submit detailed sketches, to be juried, along with a list of raw materials that will be used.
All designers, if chosen, must provide their own models. Diverse models encouraged – all ages, gender, and ethnicity.
The deadline to enter is January 29, 2023. We will not accept any entries after this day.
You must be present for the event on May 21, 2023, at IslandWood 1-4pm, with a walk-through dress rehearsal TBD.
Each designer must submit a photo of the raw materials used to allow the audience to see what you began with. Photos must be at least 2000 px, 300DPI.
A descriptive paragraph of your outfit must be submitted that will be used during the event.
Other information:
All outfits will be judged on a scale of 1-5 in these six categories:
Technique/Construction: How did the designer create the garment? Is the construction high quality and professional looking? Was the technique a good fit for the materials? Is there good craftsmanship?
Creativity: Is the style interesting and innovative? Have you seen lots of clothes like this before? Did the designer look at the materials in a new way?
Presentation: How is the outfit styled? Does everything look good together? Was it well thought out? Were all elements of the outfit considered?
Difficulty: How challenging was this outfit to create? How much time did it take? What kind of effort was made?
Materials Use: Are all of the main materials repurposed from items that would otherwise be discarded? Do the materials give you ideas for new ways to use items for a new life? Are the materials reused safely and without creating new trash? Are the materials interesting and have they been used in innovative ways? The materials should not be new; they should be upcycled/repurposed.
Reuse: Please ensure the outfit is sturdy enough to be used again, keeping fiber out of the landfill.
There will be a reception for artists and models at Sisters Cider House after the show.
Winners' outfits will be displayed in the Bainbridge Arts and Crafts store window during July and will have the option to be offered for sale.
Congratulations to our 2022 ReFashion Trashion Show winners!
Upcycled Ready to Wear First Prize - Isobel Coney-Recycled Denim Puzzle Pocket Jacket and Dress (and hat) Second Prize - Savannah Bowman-Proud Trash and Proud Mini-Trash
Theatrical First Prize - Abigail March-Graham--Smoking Thread Second Prize - Finn McDowell-Soundsuit with Lynn Christiansen
Mystery Box First Prize - Leilani Borneman Avant Garden Second Prize - Jessica Ritter-Downtown Gypsy
Student Prizes Mary Voltin - Funky Fungus Frock Tabor Houghtaling- A Slice of Paradise
Thank you to all the artists, models, visitors, judges and volunteers!
Walk the beautiful trails of IslandWood anytime between 1-4pm on Sunday, June 12, to admire the 17 entries in the 2022 ReFashion Show and speak with the designers. Artists have created outfits in these categories: Upcycled Ready-to-Wear, Stage-ready Theatrical Wear, and Mystery Box.
Attendees will also have the opportunity to participate in the following:
voting for the Audience Award
a clothing swap (bring one piece of clothing in good condition)
