Mission artists turn trash into fashion accessories

In Judith Bollain’s home, almost nothing is thrown away.

Plastic bags, milk jugs, clothes, newspaper and even trash bags become materials used to make something new and useful — a concept of Bollain’s which evolved into the small business Recycled Dreams.

“Our main idea is to make something that is going to be useful,” Bollain, 36, said.

Items that have already served a purpose are given a new life and a new goal.

The finished products are then sold wherever Recycled Dreams sets up a table, such as Archer Park during the McAllen Art Walk, which is where the group will be at 6 p.m. Friday, Feb. 3.

Bollain wanted to create a business, but she didn’t like the idea of investing a lot of money into it. Instead, she wanted to invest time and effort.

“Everybody’s complaining about the trash all the time,” Bollain said. “So let’s do something about saving the planet and you don’t have to invest (money).”

Two years ago, she gathered friends and family and they began the journey together.

“So, we’re saving the planet, we’re creating jobs and the best part is you’re (using) creativity,” Bollain said. “And when you’re doing that you’re always happy.”

Abi Garcia sifts through bits of broken jewelry to find pieces to save. Reusing charms and links to make new bracelets is Abi’s favorite project.

The 22-year-old eco-conscious dental assistant has been recycling and re-using for as long as she can remember. Her mother, Paula Garcia, who is also involved in Recycled Dreams, wouldn’t have it any other way.

“I call my mom a modern-day hippie because ever since we were kids, it’s always been about recycling,” Abi said. “Our house is very energy-efficient, we minimize on water … we were raised that way and we’re just passing that on to other people.”

Once Abi learned how to sew, she began to modify clothes she found at ropa usada stores and turning them into something new for her.

“I haven’t been to the mall in three years,” she said.

She estimates that 80 percent of her wardrobe is made up of updated old clothes.

“My mom has really shown me creativity,” Abi said. “She’s the one who showed me how to sew and how to do all this stuff.”

Paula Garcia learned to sew in a home economics class while in high school.

Other than sewing clothes for her children when they were babies, Paula, 51, didn’t do much sewing as a hobby.

She started making bags for the group, and they’ve been such a big hit that Abi listed some of them on www.etsy.com, an online shop of handcrafted items.

Old scraps of T-shirt, denim and other clothes are cut into large petal shapes and then draped onto a handmade messenger bag. Paula adds a flap cover with big felt owl eyes and a fabric beak. She then sews on an old cloth belt to be used as a strap.

Currently, Recycled Dreams has 15 members.

“To belong to this group, all you need to have is (the drive) to do it, and commitment,” Bollain said.

Everyone meets Monday evening at Bollain’s home and they all bring recycled materials for the group to use.

“It’s not just about recycling paper, aluminum or plastic,” Abi said. “What do you think happens to all the clothes no one uses anymore? It ends up in a big trash pile, as well.”

Blanca Salinas transforms surprising recyclables into handmade bags and purses.

Salinas, 47, collects and saves old T-shirts and plastic bags to stretch, cut and spin into yarn used for her bags.

“Most of my time is spent cutting the material,” she said, in Spanish.

Pointing at a medium-sized bag in several shades of green, Salinas estimates it took about nine shirts of varying sizes, but mostly small, to create.

After crocheting the bags and handles, the artist adds a cloth liner with pockets, sewn in by hand.

“A lot of people may think one person isn’t going to make a difference, but it really does,” Abi said. 

Find the recycled owl messenger bags at http://www.etsy.com/shop/ReVampedd.

Amy Nichol Smith covers features and entertainment for The Monitor. She can be reached at asmith@themonitor.com, (956) 683-4420 and on Facebook.