Seamstress Turns Recycled Trash Into Beautiful Eco-Friendly Dresses

Nearly 81 percent of global ocean plastic is estimated to come from Asian rivers, and the Philippines alone contributes a third of the global total, according to a 2021 report by Oxford University’s ‘Our World in Data.’

Since the number of rivers contributing waste is much higher, global efforts are needed in order to improve waste management and plastic collection instead of targeting just a few of the largest rivers.

One seamstress in the Philippines is doing her part to help the Earth by recycling and utilizing used materials and turning them into beautiful dresses.

For the past seven years, 51-year-old Leonora Buenviaje, of Cainta, has been using waste materials such as recycled newspapers, plastic wrapping and rice sacks to make the gowns with a foot-operated sewing machine.

Buenviaje says bubble wraps that are used as packaging for deliveries are very useful for her designs. The wider ones can be used for the top of gowns.

She designs everything from fairy gowns to wedding dresses and everything in between. The dresses sell for $30 to $50 and have even been used in beauty contests and pageants.

Her goal is to organize her own fashion events to showcase her beautiful work and hopefully encourage others to design clothing out of recycled materials.

Hear Buenviaje’s inspiring story and see her beautiful eco-friendly designs in the video below: