In the world of glitz and glam there are certain criteria to adhere to. First you’ve got to be able to walk the walk before you talk the talk and you can’t do any glamourous walking without the proper glamorous attire. From satin chic to regal velvet there are rules in the blunt cut-throat world of the silver screen. Celebrities spend more than just hours at a time to prepare for a red carpet event. They need to be picture perfect because having the right look could bump them up the popularity list overnight…just think Liz Hurley with her safety pin dress, now who could ever forget that one!
Now one of the popular choices of celebrities as clothes for perfect for an evening’s event involves being shimmered up and down in sequins. Granted the shinny look isn’t for everyone, but celebrities aren’t exactly ‘everyone’ now are they?
If you can tear yourself away from how gorgeous your favourite celeb looks in that sequined dress, appreciate that sequins are actually small disc shaped beads, painstakingly sewn onto the dress to give it that glitter effect. And here is where I’ll have to add that cheesy line “all that glitters is not gold” because sequins – the ones we see used today are made of plastic…
In fact if you are a seamstress or a crafter then you’ve probably dabbled a little with sequins. They are after all quite lovely but you would know how difficult it is to work with those tiny pieces. But truth is they are difficult for you as they are for the environment because the two things about conventional sequins are how they are:
1. Made from plastic
2. Small in size, light and easily taken by the wind.
The effects on nature is simple, production of plastic is bad and when these little pieces somehow end up in the gullet of unknowing animals, death is almost certain. So what’s the eco choice?
Firstly there’s fish scales…if you read my last article on fish scale embroidery you’d know not only is it possible to embroidery with scales, it’s also very very beautiful. Secondly you find inspiration from great designers like Isaac Mizrahi, who unveiled a spring fashion line that featured “sequins” made from recycled beverage cans!
If you have any ideas on what will make great eco-sequins, do share…
