International students rock the Reclaimed Runway
Posted on: November 2, 2014; Updated on: November 2, 2014
By Caitlyn McGuire
For the third year, two opposites will meet together for an all original fashion show. Sustainable Carolina has teamed up with UofSC's Fashion Board and BGLSA to stage Reclaimed Runway, a fashion extravaganza challenging students to make an outfit completely out of recycled goods in hopes to promote a more sustainable lifestyle.
Everything from tin foil to newspapers can be seen completely transformed into a style strutting down the runway- just like the design create by Valeria Salas and Francisca Toro, two exchange students from the Universidad de Chile. The two international business students and Sustainable Carolina interns have combined their design talents with their passion for the environment to make a dress out of a garbage bag, paper and potato chip bags.
"This type of thing is important because it shows people there are always ways to be sustainable and utilize what you have," Salas says. "Hopefully this will encourage other people to recycle."
After a little inspiration from Pinterest and a week of work, the two have seen their idea come to life — but this isn't the first time they have participated in an event like this.
"Sustainability is more second nature in Chile," Salas says. "I was involved in a few of these in high school."
Although they have always tried to live a sustainable lifestyle, they say coming to America has really opened their eyes to the importance of living a green lifestyle.
"Since we've got here we've really learned a lot more, just like how the U.S. is the country with the most waste," Toro says. "It's such a to-go culture here, and it's not like that at all in Chile. It was a big shock to us when we got here."
Despite their shock, they added that they are happy to see people at UofSC and throughout the state trying hard to make a change. Living far away from home, naturally they have seen an abundance of differences, from the language to the food, but as far as sustainability they also have seen plenty of differences.
"In Chile, sustainability is more engrained, and we are more focused on the individuals making a difference," Salas says. "But here, everyone is more focused on creating clubs and institutions that are meant to encourage people to be sustainable."
Salas and Toro say they hope their design is good enough to win the $200 cash prize, but are more excited to show American students just how fashionable recycling can be.
If you go
Sustainable Carolina's Reclaimed Runway will be held Nov. 6 at 7 p.m. in the Russell House Ballroom.
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