Kukui Cup Salutes Goodwill, Andy South and Green Fashion

University of Hawaii at Manoa student Hana Bowers is a Communications Intern with the Kukui Cup Project, a National Science Foundation and University of Hawaii funded project that utilizes information technology to elevate students’ awareness about their energy consumption. Running from October 17 to November 6, the Kukui Cup competition was a series of workshops that showcased the means by which students may conserve energy. One of the workshops was the Recycled Fashion Design Workshop with Andy South, Season 8 Finalist of Project Runway. The goal [of the workshops] was to highlight the ways thrifted clothing and textiles can be reused and turned into high fashion.  This wasn’t the first time Andy South and Goodwill have worked together.  Andy is a supporter of Goodwill’s mission - helping people with employment barriers to reach their full potential and become self-sufficient.

Welcome our newest Guest Blogger Hana Bowers.  Here’s her story:

Fashion and sustainability are becoming exponentially trendy.  But the link between fashion and sustainability can be forgotten, or passed off as an avant-garde anomaly. However, the cohesion of these two trends is one that should be taken full advantage of, especially in Hawaii, where every resource is precious.  Two organizations devoted to sustainability in Hawaii, The Kukui Cup Project and Goodwill Industries of Hawaii, collaborated and celebrated the marriage of fashion and sustainability for the first ever Recycled Fashion Design Workshop, on the Hale Aloha Ilima Rooftop at the Freshman Residence Halls at the University of Hawaii at Manoa.

The Kukui Cup is an innovative, three-week long, dorm energy competition which took place in the Hale Aloha Residence Halls at the University of Hawai’i at Manoa.  Neophytes in this endeavor, our goal is to utilize information technology to change the way in which Freshman living in the residence halls think about and consume energy.  One of the measures my colleagues and I have taken to achieve this goal is by hosting a series of interactive workshops in conjunction with local businesses and organizations, such as Goodwill Industries of Hawaii. The Recycled Fashion Design Workshop which took place [October 19] Wednesday night at the Hale Aloha Ilimia rooftop. With local designer and Project Runway Season 8 finalist, Andy South as our guest judge, prizes from Goodwill, and ono- licous desserts from Chef Kate of Not Just Desserts Hawaii, the workshop was bound to be a success!

One of the teams - creating the look for the Recycled Fashion Design Challenge

Five designers from the Apparel Product Merchandise Design Department (APDM) who are also part of the Manoa Innovators of Fashion Club volunteered to help me out with this event. Admittedly, I could not have done it without their creative skills, construction knowledge, and expertise! Each APDM student was the captain of a team of five students, all of whom are residents of one of the four Hale Aloha Towers. Each team was given a dress from Goodwill, which donated zippers and other accessories which are all recycled, as well as other recycled materials such as rice bags, trash bags, duct tape and bubble wrap.  The students were also given one identical  white silhouette dress designed and constructed by the APDM students which they could use for the construction process.

Winning in White - Team and model wins Goodwill Dollars

With only forty-five minutes to construct, Andy and their APDM advisor’s words of wisdom, the Freshman had a true challenge of creating a piece of recycled fashion to waltz down the runway. Each team came up with a look that completely exceeded my expectations. The winners were difficult to choose, but it ended up being the team which used the most “wearable” look. On top of Andy’s approval, the crafty winners and their model each got $10 to spend at Goodwill.

This brings me back to my initial point, which is , sustainability is fashionable.  Paradoxically, not enough clothing is “eco friendly”, be it ready to wear or runway. One day, perhaps, all fashion will be re-used, re-purposed or recycled.  This method, I feel, actually forces the designer to be more authentic and creative.