Image by {r}evolution apparel.
So the Lorax movie may be effing up left and right, but take heart, nostalgia-trippers: you can still own a real-life Thneed! The Versalette is a cylinder of domestically sourced, domestically made, recycled, organic fabric, whose ingenious construction allows it to turn into a dress, skirt, top, poncho, scarf, or bag. You can also almost certainly use it for curtains, or covers for bicycle seats.
The fabric for these neo-Thneeds is being sourced, spun, knit, cut, and sewn within a 200-mile radius of Charlotte, N.C., from a combination of recycled cotton and recycled plastic. And the company that makes the Versalette, {r}evolution apparel, says this is only the start of their line of multi-use recycled products. This stuff is like the antidote to sweatshop-made, disposable clothing — kind of a reverse Forever 21. (Never -21?)
It takes incomprehensible amounts of energy and waste to produce the clothes we consume. Much of that apparel ends up in landfills, with the average American throwing away nearly 70 pounds of clothing and textiles each year. It’s time to rethink the way we design apparel — from the raw materials to the end use.
Sourcing locally recycled materials is a crucial part of sustainable design, but it’s not everything. Since no garment is “zero waste,” its important to us, as designers, to create clothes that serve many purposes and last a long time.
The Versalette is available for pre-order right now (and yes, it does come in different colors). Buy one now and you could start your own Uniform Project by April.
