Eleanor Ray Eleanor Ray

Announcing: The WasteShed Summer Camp

A grinning child holds up a piece of paper in front of their face that reads “The WasteShed Summer Camp, July 28th - Aug 1st, Aug 4th - Aug 8th”

This summer, The WasteShed is launching its first summer day camp, Camp WasteShed!

Camp Wasteshed will be a hands-on, exploratory experience for youth ages 8–13. The themes of Camp WasteShed are “City Garden Futures” and “Camp Imaginary Worlds”.

The camp will run Monday through Friday, 9:00am–3:00pm from July 28th, 2025 to Aug 8, 2025, and is designed to foster creativity, confidence, and environmental awareness through the lens of creative reuse. Camp WasteShed will be hosted at The WasteShed’s headquarters located in Humboldt Park (1754 N. Kimball Ave, Chicago, IL 60647).

Campers will explore unconventional and reclaimed materials, learning to prototype, build, and imagine new possibilities for everyday objects. Through this process, campersl develop (1) problem-solving skills, (2) materials literacy, and (3) an understanding of sustainability, all while having fun in a safe and supportive environment.

The camp is facilitated by Emily Prescott (The WasteShed - Evanston General Manager) and Grace Diepenbrock (The WasteShed Board Secretary), who bring years of experience in art- and craft-making, youth engagement, and community-based arts education programming. With additional support from two junior camp counselors, Emily and Grace will guide up to 12 campers per week through project-based activities, tool and materials exploration, and collaborative design prompts.

Campers will also participate in short neighborhood field trips to local parks, and community spaces, connecting their creative practice with the broader Humboldt Park neighborhood.

For more information and to sign up, please see our interest form.

This is a limited pilot program and we are unfortunately unable to offer scholarships for this season, but the signup form has an option to be notified about next year’s sessions which will have scholarships available.

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Enter the Trash Collective: The WasteShed’s Artist-in-Residence Program

The WasteShed’s Trash Collective Artist Residencies focus on visual art to promote environmental justice and creative community. Our network of artists have an existing “upcycle” focus in their work, and a Chicago focus or strong local connection. The program helps artists make new connections with other artists, youth, and members of the public interested in making sustainable culture part of their practice.

Our first two Artists-in-Residence were funded in part by the Arts Midwest GIG Fund.

Gregory “Goyo” Diaz

Our first Trash Collective Artist-In Residence was Gregory Diaz, a self-taught artist working primarily in wire and found objects. During his residency in The WasteShed’s classroom space in May and June of 2024, he worked on an evolving installation in the large classroom window that is visible from the Bloomingdale Trail, a popular biking and walking path and park.

Diaz's wire, whiteboard and graffiti installation in the window of The WasteShed's classroom

Diaz also created two exterior flower planter boxes to frame the workshop window, using discarded crates from the tile company where he works.

Diaz was born and raised in Humboldt Park and has strong roots in the area, a majority Black/Latinx neighborhood which is subject to intense pressure from gentrification. Diaz generally works on his small, vivacious wire characters during his CTA commute to work, and he was excited to expand a primarily pocket-sized art practice to the larger scale and almost unlimited materials available through The WasteShed’s artist residency.

Via Diaz, “I would like to leave my footprint in and around the space, looking to get some community involved with the graffiti artists across the street and working off the 606 Trail.”

During his residency, Diaz had art displayed in two local exhibits; “It’s All Love for Humboldt Park,” a fundraiser for Humboldt Park Magazine, and “Home Not Home” at Pilsen Arts and Community House. He also represented The WasteShed and the Trash Collective Artist Residency at the Logan Square Art Fest, a 3-day event that attracts thousands of visitors every year, and which The WasteShed’s small team didn’t have the bandwidth to table at without his assistance.

Video by Tanya Bermudez of Greg Diaz’s wire art workshop

Diaz hosted a wire face pin workshop, to teach people how to apply his wire character construction techniques to a small wearable art piece. This workshop was attended by several teachers who were interested in introducing his techniques to their classes; Diaz’s playful, cartoony work is accessible and very engaging for children.

He also taught a workshop for families to create a shadow box diorama from a cigar box for Fathers Day; two local families attended. We extended his residency through August to allow him to teach a few more classes, and to show his finished work at our partnership with Battle 4 the City 2024, a street art event and block party that took place next to The WasteShed’s Kimball Ave location, running a pop-up art table along with our outreach volunteers.

Greg Diaz showing off his work and his Trash Collective shirt at Battle 4 The City

“Gregory was very loose in his instruction allowing each student to truly create a unique piece. How refreshing! He still took time with each and every student while creating a piece of his own, working along side us. He offered various media for us to use and encouraged us to make a piece entirely our own. I’m proud of my wire piece and intend to make more.” -Gloria, workshop participant

"Greg's first workshop (wire pin faces) was WONDERFUL! I'm trying to rearrange my schedule to go to [his August workshop] too!" -Anna, workshop participant

Norma Diotzinantzin Rios-Sierra

Norma Rios-Sierra (right) with some pleased workshop participants

Norma Rios-Sierra, our second artist-in-residence, moved into the residency space in late November. Rios-Sierra’s work consists of stained glass and mosaics and is often inspired by her experience as a Mexican immigrant. Rios-Sierra grew up in the Humboldt Park/Logan Square neighborhood, and her art, activism, and cultural sensitivity reflects her upbringing and heritage. Rios-Sierra’s most recent work embodies community, unity and the idea that we all belong and deserve to feel welcome and safe.

“The Wasteshed has been an instrumental part of my journey as an artist. When I first started teaching, sourcing materials from The Wasteshed made it possible for me to provide affordable classes to my community. I am always grateful for the space to share my skills and love partnering with The Wasteshed to provide fun and creative experiences.
”
— Norma rios-Sierra

Rios-Sierra’s first workshop made traditional Mexican Nichos, a Central and South American “diorama” that evokes spirituality, and dates back to the Spanish colonial period. Traditionally, nichos are made from upcycled and repurposed household items; this workshop used aluminum soda cans. As she instructed participants on how to craft a nicho, she also described the cultural significance and impact that nichos have on creating sacred spaces and protecting one’s self and family.

Rios-Sierra’s also led a demonstration of how to craft repujado ornaments. “Repujado” meaning ‘embossed” is another traditional folk art practiced in Central and South America using scrap tin and aluminum. Because tin is light and easily manipulated, it can be used to create intricate relief patterns and shapes.

“I appreciated the learning curve for this workshop. Often, I find that arts and crafts workshops could be either really too easy or highly specific and difficult. This one was a good combination of new and interesting while still being accessible.”

-Katie, workshop participant, Repujado ornaments

Our artist residency and low-cost workshop programs are supported by fundraising and donations!

Donate today to help us continue these programs!

3% Cover the Fee
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Reviving Radical Mending as a Community Art Practice

 

Radical Mending book stored in The WasteShed book library

Completed visible mending project - embroidery technique

 

Welcome to The WasteShed’s Mobile Mending Project (MMP), a revived, hands-on mending experience where we rethink the way we approach our clothes, our wardrobes, and our impact on the world. This creative and empowering workshop series invites participants to learn the art of hand- and machine-mending, turning repairs into opportunities for self-expression.

But, this is more than just sewing. Together, we'll dive into conversations about the fast fashion industry and the growing problem of overflowing landfills, explore how our clothing choices shape the world around us, and rediscover historical fashion techniques in upcycling and repurposing, transforming what was once "worn out" into something that feels personal and new.

Workshoppers work on mending projects at the previous WasteShed location

Workshoppers enjoy some beers while "diagnosing" a sewing conundrum 

Whether you're stitching up a beloved jacket, reimagining an old dress, or simply curious about sustainable clothing, Mobile Mending  welcomes all skill levels. Join us in creating a more thoughtful, creative, and conscious approach to what we wear—because every stitch tells a story, and every repair sparks change.


Mobile Mending: Threading change into the fabric of your fashion!

Revived image from "Radical Mending" workshop series in 2014


Event Dates

Click the date to be linked to the Eventbrite registration page! We hope to see you there.

Chicago

Evanston

Thursday, October 24th, 5:30 to 8:00pm:

  • Introduction to Embroidery + Sashiko

Sunday, October 6th, 1:00-3:30pm:

  • Introduction to Mending

Tuesday, October 15th, 5:30-8pm:

  • Introduction to Embroidery + Sashiko

 

Thank you so much for your continued support! The WasteShed is thrilled to be reviving this mending project, a brain-child of Eleanor’s (Executive Director and Founder of The WasteShed). To contribute to this work and to help The WasteShed’s art education arm keep oiled, consider donating to our 10-year Anniversary Fund.

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Trashy #TBT: The WasteShed's first 4 years (2014-2017)

In observance of The WasteShed’s 10th Anniversary, here are some things we did in our first 4 years:

We opened for business in Humboldt Park, with some beat-up Ikea shelves and a hand-painted cupboard door for a sign, a couple of volunteers with no idea what they were getting into, in an old corner store with no real ceiling, no real floor and murderous front steps.

Opening day 2014

ReuseConex 2014

 

We travelled to Austin, Texas for ReuseConex, the biennial conference for the international Reuse Alliance. We met with representatives of many reuse-oriented organizations and companies, and compared notes with the leadership of creative reuse centers from San Francisco to Durham, NC. There are so many of us, and more all the time! Our ReUSA map illustrated all the creative reuse centers in the US at that time.

The ReUSA Map with every creative reuse center marked with a googly eye

That winter we hosted monthly Radical Mending, dyeing and wreath-making workshops, and tried to keep warm. We started our VolunTuesday volunteer parties.

The Young & The Reuseless

We started a meetup group to check out Chicago-area reuse businesses, organizing tours of sites like The Plant, Evanston Rebuilding Warehouse, Random Acts of Flowers, Repurposed Materials and the Chicago Mattress Recycling. We recently rediscovered the Y&R tumblr(!)

That summer we hosted knitting and stencil-making workshops, and finally made enough money to hire our first employee, Francesca Dana.

OG WasteShed crew Eleanor Ray and Francesca Dana

We celebrated turning 1 and gathered some friends

Remember the time we got in 400 plasticore signs from White Castle?

We made so many weird things out of them

We got our first few small grants from Chicago Community Trust’s Young Leaders Fund and the Lagunitas Community Foundation. Much love also to the small business and DIY scene friends who raised money to support us in these early lean years, including Archie’s bar, Cafe Mustache, Pinky Swear, The Stabettes and many more.

By the time we’d run out of space and decided to move to a bigger facility in the summer of 2017, we had diverted 36,000 lbs of materials from the wastestream, were receiving over 500 visitors per month, and had hosted over 60 volunteer events, music shows, workshops, and field trips. Most of this was self-funded by sales (a whopping total of $57,000 in 2017).

Stay tuned for Part 2 of The WasteShed’s Trashy Memories!

If you are impressed by or nostalgic about any of this, please donate to support our 10 Year Anniversary Fundraiser!

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The WasteShed is turning 10: Celebrating a Decade of Decay!

In the 10 years of The WasteShed’s existence, we have become a vital part of Chicago’s creative ecosystem…rather like a fungus.

 

The WasteShed: Embracing Entropy Since 2014

 

The WasteShed serves hundreds of schools and nonprofits across Chicagoland and beyond

Hear us out! Creative Reuse Centers like The WasteShed perform a vital and unglamorous role in their local creative community. Materials and resources that are released from local businesses, artist studios, schools, craft rooms and other arts organizations, are absorbed, processed and made available to other entities in the artistic and educational biome.

Like fungi, the true scale and impact of a creative reuse center is difficult to perceive, and even harder to measure. Materials that have passed through The WasteShed have permeated to the furthest reaches of the city and far beyond; our low-cost materials quietly sustaining the art closets and afterschool programs of hundreds of cash-strapped schools, helping small businesses cut costs for necessary items, brightening summer festivals and winter holidays, and providing an unending source of surprise, curiosity and even mystification for our visitors.

What you see on the surface (a thrift store full of art supplies and related items) is the momentary, ever-shifting manifestation of thousands of relationships, collaborations, collections, inspirations, frustrations, visions and sometimes delusions — the dreams of the city, a living, dying, shifting mass, at once beautiful and overwhelming.

we love to rot

🍄

we love to rot 🍄

And us! We’re the folks on the forest floor, resolving an uncountable number of curious and mundane tangles (176 tons to date) into re-consumable form (an estimated $3.5 million worth of cool stuff not landfilled). We are continuously creating new systems in response to new input and new demands, hosting and organizing many dozens of accessible creative programs every year, building programs and innovative partnerships with like-minded local organizations. And we are doing this… on a shoestring budget as thin as a mycelium filament.

Help us keep blooming into our second decade!

The WasteShed is living proof that it is possible to be a Chicago institution, a hidden gem, a pillar of our community, and utterly precarious, at one and the same time. We are asking our community to help us raise $30,000 by September 30th. Please donate today to support our work, and help us operate from a place of abundance, as we create abundance for those around us.

Thank you for being there for us all these years.

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The WasteShed’s Youth artist-in-residence Program wraps up

Hello! My name is Vahnaree Weis, and I am the Digital Marketing and Creative Reuse Assistant Intern at The WasteShed Chicago. We recently launched a new program that has been designed to cultivate artistic talent among young and emerging artists. This program provides a supportive environment where teen participants can explore their creativity, hone their craft, and develop skills for a successful career in the arts and related industries.

I have been working alongside the residents, Sal and Shi-Shi, discovering new mediums, processes and techniques. It’s been an incredible experience that has yielded some great works!


First, a little bit more about the program:

Our residency program included structured studio hours where interns and residents can developed their art practices across various media, from painting to digital art. Students also engaged in group projects and community art programs in the WasteShed classroom, fostering collaboration and gaining hands-on experience in public and community-based art. During Crit Week, participants engaged in constructive critiques, offering feedback on each other's work and techniques. Additionally, they received guidance in developing professional portfolios, both digital and analog, to showcase their work. At the end of their residencies (Aug. 2024) we will be showcasing their work in our Glass Case Gallery at our Chicago location! 

 
 
 

Shi-Shi, one of our youth residents, focused on the theme of reusing art supplies in their project. They created a story that highlights the importance of providing art materials to those in need, emphasizing how art enriches our world. The inspiration stemmed from a writing class where the class learned to adapt to the reader's needs, leading to the creation of a gender-neutral, alien character named Jax. The character serves as a mirror for the reader, emphasizing the freedom and adaptability inherent in art. 

“The story I came up with relates to reusing/underconsumption of art supplies because it encourages people to take art into consideration. With more artists, it would give a reason as to why we need to provide and distribute art materials to schools and people in need. This is because people can create beautiful works of art. Art is often seen as a pinnacle to how our world works. Many people have found a passion for art, and we should look back on how far we came with all of these amazing artists.”



Sal, another resident, explored the connections within their community and how these relationships give life meaning. They documented interactions with people, places, and animals, capturing the beauty and complexity of being part of a community through personal experiences. Through their work, Sal sought to represent the importance of these connections and how they contribute to a deeper sense of belonging and purpose. “I tried to represent the intricacies and beauty of being a part of a community through my own experiences.”

The WasteShed’s Youth Artist Residency Program was sponsored by the Illinois Art Council’s Summer Youth Employment in the Arts program.

If you’d like to support The WasteShed’s artist residency and other programs, please consider a donation to our 10 Year Anniversary Fundraiser.

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Blog archive!

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Announcing: The WasteShed's first-ever Youth Artist Residency!

If you're a youth artist who is looking to work on projects, develop new ideas, and explore your art/craft practice in an environment stacked with miscellaneous supplies, you're in luck! The WasteShed's Youth Artist Residency Program (2024) is selecting two youth artists to work on special projects this summer in collaboration with our staff and community.

This is a PAID opportunity for Chicago artists aged 13-18 to learn about art and art materials, help out with WasteShed communications and programs, and get firsthand experience with an organization working in environmental sustainability and grassroots art education.

Our students, called Youth Resident Artists, will:

  1. Be part of our regular Artists Residency Program. They will create work on site during regular hours, using materials from the reuse center, will participate in a public exhibition to showcase the work created, and will present a collaborative public workshop, which they will develop in conjunction with WasteShed staff, centered around a creative environmental cause, age-group, and/or material of choice.

  2. Work as regular staff members on the floor of our Humboldt Park (Chicago) creative reuse center


LOCATION: The WasteShed Chicago at 1754 North Kimball.


STUDENT BENEFITS: Youth Resident Artists will participate in an immersive, collaborative art-making and art-teaching experience in an unusual and inspiring environment. Youth Resident Artists will acquire hands-on skill or making experience, and a new understanding of materials and their use within a given media. They will improve their ability to problem solve and think creatively by working with reclaimed materials instead of ready-made options. Through their work on the floor and in creating an exhibition and a workshop, Youth Resident Artists will be connected to all aspects of the organization, including how artists interact with our programs and materials, program administration, programming, and community organizing, marketing, and volunteer coordination.

This program is made possible by Summer Youth Employment in the arts, supported by the Illinois Arts Council Agency and the National Endowment for the Arts

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DiscarDisco 2024 - PatchWERK! Recap

DiscarDisco 2024: PatchWERK was a creative triumph! Now we need your help to make it a success.

What an incredible night! The looks were phenomenal, the art was gorgeous, the tunes were bumping, and the community feeling flowed all around us. We really couldn’t have asked for a better outcome for all the work our designers and organizers put into DiscarDisco 2024.

Also, a generous donor has agreed to match donations to DiscarDisco up to $15,000, but we only have until Friday, April 19th to make the match!

Help us achieve our goal, and donate to vote for your favorite designer for the People’s Choice Award!

You can do this by choosing to “write us a comment” and comment the name of your favorite designer with your donation!

Runway photos from DiscarDisco 2024 by GlitterGuts (Sarah Joyce) and Brittany Sowacke

Video by Francis Son Photo

Learn more about all the designers here!

Check out the full show program here!

Here are the winners who impressed the judges and carried off the prizes at DiscarDisco on Saturday, April 13th at the Chicago Athletic Association.

Honorable Mentions

Designer: Kristin Abhalter Smith (she/her) and Eliza Fernand (they/she) team

IG: @anotherworldsend, @queer.quilting.chi

Bio: Kristin has a lifelong practice making costumes, sets, inflatable sculptures and art exhibitions and is totally inspired by abundant scraps. Eliza grew up on thrift stores and wanted to be a fashion designer since they started sewing at age 12 with the same sewing machine they have now. Eliza also has two art degrees and they are a professor. 

Designer: Jessica Woodburn (she/her)

IG: @holzbrennenstudio

Bio: Jessica has been a maker since 2018 but started using up-cycled items in 2020 and started sewing in 2022. She also hosts workshops on up-cycled fabric earrings and shrinky dink jewelry from #6 plastic.

Designer: Jordan Chavez (he/him)

IG:@InBetweenBranches

Bio: Jordan is a multimedia artist that focuses on creating avant-garde wearable art with a folk approach. He loves using accessible found materials to execute oversized silhouettes that impact how one interacts with their environment. His rural upbringing, studies in fine art, and queer lens all serve him in creating works that are familiar yet strange and new. 

 

3rd Place Winner

Designer: Kandace McVickar (she/her)

IG:@kandymcv

Bio: By daytime, Kandace is a technical trade designer, by night time she creates one of a kind looks for her and her dear friends. She has a passion for creating digital art and upcycling denim, textile samples and other damaged items from her 9-5.

Kandace McVickar’s Toucan Tango modeled by DeeVower

2nd Place Winner

Designer: J Kent (she/her & they/them)

Youtube:@CompostRoses

Bio: J Kent has a BFA from SAIC and an MFA from Northwestern University. Her practice engages bounty amidst professed scarcity. They have been teaching themselves sewing and construction and is excited to merge her constructions with a long-held interest in fashion. 

Detail of J Kent’s winning combination for DiscarDisco 2024, TRASH GIRLZ:  CHANEL IN THE  STREETS/  WESTWOOD IN THE  SHEETS

1st Place Winner

Designer: Hillary Rings (she/her)

IG: @hillary.rings

Bio: Hillary is a fashion designer, she graduated from the Apparel Design & Development program from Seattle Central in 2022 and moved to Chicago in 2023. She loves designing but hates waste so she sources second hand materials as often as possible. 

Hillary Rings accepting the 1st place prize for her piece in DiscarDisco 2024. Look modeled by Zai Jazai

DiscarDisco is The WasteShed’s major annual fundraiser, we depend on donations to this event to fund our programs.

Please give generously!

 

Thank you to our Emcee and Video Host!

Thank you to our DiscarDisco Judges!

DiscarDisco 2024 Judges Sky Cubacub, Lauren Lein, Blair Goldman, Melissa Carter, and J Frausto

Special thanks to The Apparel Industry Board, Inc.

AIBI is a non-profit organization specifically dedicated to the needs of the sewn  products industry. AIBI is comprised of the major players in Greater Chicago,  whose careers and business expertise span all facets of the industry, to nurture  and support designers based in Greater Chicago. AIBI is constantly developing  new programs to better serve and promote the industry as a whole.

AIBI has been a gracious advisor and co-producer of DiscarDisco since 2020.

2024 DiscarDisco Supporters + Contributors

Fleur, Wolfbait, Andros Taverna, Koval, Letherbee, Solemn Oath, Hopewell Brewing, Pipeworks Brewing, Halfacre Brewing

All Together Now, Verve Wine / Argot, Bee's Wrap, Bang Bang Pie, Pretty Cool Ice Cream, Honey Butter Fried Chicken

Joffery Ballet, Garfield Park Conservatory, Sprout, Lillstreet Art Center, Blick

Donald W Collier Foundation

Miles Bennett Hogerty, Paper Worm Studio

Jill Perez,CAA

Syd Haliburton, CAA

Sarah Joyce, Glitter Guts Photo

Brittany Sowacke, Glitter Guts Photo

DJ BrutalRuby of Birds & B-Sides DJs

Mimi Ozormoor

All our incredible volunteers!

2024 Discardisco Planning Committee  

Kat Anderson, AIBI 

Ulisa Blakely, WS Staff  

Wendy Callupe, Minted Media  Productions 

Ambar Campos, AIBI 

Yolanda Chen 

Grace Diepenbrock, WS Board

Marilyn Eiseberg, WS Board

Kristin Fields, WS Board 

Seva Gandhi, WS Board

Earl Mitchell, WS Staff

Frank Pollard, WS Staff 

Casey Vanderstel, WS Board

Katie Vota, WS Board 

Eleanor Ray, WS Staff 

Francis Son, Francis Son Photography 

The DiscarDisco Organizing Team! These people have all put in an amazing amount of work on getting this show together! Help reward their efforts by donating today!

Thank you to our Gold Sponsor, Ette Tailor!

Ette provides couture wedding gown alterations, vintage wedding gown revamping, bespoke services, and accessories, all perfectly tailored to fit your body and style.

Stay tuned for more updates!

Getting too excited to wait for the final DiscarDisco 2024 video? Check out 2023 show!

Videography by Francis Son, edited by Drew Durepos and Adam Geremia.

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DiscarDisco 2024 - PatchWERK! Meet the Designers

DiscarDisco 2024: PatchWERK was a creative triumph! Now we need your help to make it a success.

A generous donor has agreed to match donations to DiscarDisco up to $15,000, but we only have until Friday, April 19th to make the match!

Meet the DiscarDisco 2024 Designers!

Here are the fabulous Finalists who brought their incredible reclaimed looks to DiscarDisco on Saturday, April 13th at the Chicago Athletic Association. Our contestants put a lot of hard work and love into their pieces, learn a little bit about them below!


Designer: Kristin Abhalter Smith (she/her) and Eliza Fernand (they/she) team

IG: @anotherworldsend, @queer.quilting.chi

Bio: Kristin has a lifelong practice making costumes, sets, inflatable sculptures and art exhibitions and is totally inspired by abundant scraps. Eliza grew up on thrift stores and wanted to be a fashion designer since they started sewing at age 12 with the same sewing machine they have now. Eliza also has two art degrees and they are a professor. 

Designer: Simone Brandford-Altsher (she/her)

IG:@very_greasy

Bio: Simone been sewing and crafting for a long time, and loves to work with discarded material.

Designer: Jordan Chavez (he/him)

IG:@InBetweenBranches

Bio: Jordan is a multimedia artist that focuses on creating avant-garde wearable art with a folk approach. He loves using accessible found materials to execute oversized silhouettes that impact how one interacts with their environment. His rural upbringing, studies in fine art, and queer lens all serve him in creating works that are familiar yet strange and new. 

Designer: Ellouise Davis (she/her)

IG: @ellouisevictoria 

Bio: Ellouise is a costume technician and  truly loves her job! She is a maker at heart but loves the chance to exercise her design skills! She works within interesting parameters so this challenge is incredibly fun. She’s also very passionate about reducing waste, and practices it every day.

.

Designer : Elizabeth Dudley (she/her)

IG:@ladyduds_

Bio:Elizabeth Dudley- Elizabeth is an art history and design major at Northwestern. She’s been sewing since she was little, and did costume design in high school! She is mostly self taught.

Designer: Amy Jahnke (she/her)

IG:@aj_makes_stuff

Bio: Amy has sewed on and off for years, and during the pandemic came back to it in a big way. She haunts both Wasteshed locations, thrift stores, and the alley for pre-loved fabric and notions. She uses these materials whenever she can for both economic and ecological reasons.

Designer: J Kent (she/her & they/them)

Youtube:@CompostRoses

Bio: J Kent has a BFA from SAIC and an MFA from Northwestern University. Her practice engages bounty amidst professed scarcity. They have been teaching themselves sewing and construction and is excited to merge her constructions with a long-held interest in fashion. 

.

Designer: Ben Kress (he/him)

IG:@benargenta

Bio: Ben is a costume designer and visual artist who is always trying to deepen the sustainability of his creative work. Ben notes that the more his work centers on conscious environmental practice- such as through thrifting costumes or reusing materials- the more personal and exciting it seems to become. 

Designer: Shereene Manimala/ Upside Down Smile (she/her)

TikTok:@shereenemanimala

Bio: Shereen is a Malayalee-American creative. Her creative practices are visual art, fashion design, repurposing old saris, music and marketing strategy. She has been working on her own streetwear pieces repurposing old saris that are typically worn once into items you can rock casually multiple times, taking sewing classes, and learning the mechanics of sewing.

Designer: Kandace McVickar (she/her)

IG:@kandymcv

Bio: By daytime, Kandace is a technical trade designer, by night time she creates one of a kind looks for her and her dear friends. She has a passion for creating digital art and upcycling denim, textile samples and other damaged items from her 9-5.

Designer: Mary Miller (she/they)

IG:@mary.l.miller.5622022 

Bio: Mary has worked at a dress manufacturer, a design studio, and embroidering caps and sweatshirts. She has also painted silk scarves for a designer, exhibited in a Campy Classics movie poster art show and enjoys the money she saves from remaking, thrifting and reusing. 




Designer: Amanda Nadig (she/her) and Darcie Tashey (she/her)

IG: @amandanadigart @noseriiiiide

Bio: Amanda is a CPS high school art teacher and quilter. She make quilts using the clothes in her closet that she no longer wears as well as visiting thrift stores to buy quilting supplies such as bedsheets, pillowcases and secondhand garments. Darcie Tashey is a graphic designer with an eye for fashion, and will be modeling the look.

Designer: Mary O'Brien (she/her)

IG:@maryomakes

Bio: Mary loves creating and is spending more dedicated time on her art while at a full-time job with a long commute. This is her second year participating in DiscarDisco and she’s hoping to be a bit more competitive with her entry this year.

Designer: Shari Pundrich (she/they)

IG: re.madeinchicago

Bio: Shari was formally trained in painting but has always used her wardrobe as a means of creative expression. They’ve been compelled to work with secondhand textiles in the last few years due to the rise of fast fashion and it's impact on the environment.

Designer: Hillary Rings (she/her)

IG: @hillary.rings

Bio: Hillary is a fashion designer, she graduated from the Apparel Design & Development program from Seattle Central in 2022 and moved to Chicago in 2023. She loves designing but hates waste so she sources second hand materials as often as possible. 

Designer: Theo Shuler (she/her)

Tiktok: @girl.theo

Bio: Theo is am mostly self-taught (and mom-taught) artist. She makes clothes for herself and uses pretty much exclusively use secondhand materials in all her work! This is Theo’s third year participating in DiscarDisco.

Designer: Jocelyn Song (she/her)

IG:@jocelyn.h.song

Bio: Jocelyn is a sewist and upcycling enthusiast. She make patterns, garments, and has recently been learning how to silkscreen and dye fabric. 

Designer: Jessica Van Winkle (she/her)

IG:@jessicavwinkle

Bio: Jessica is a costume designer focused on theatre, drag and performance wear! She works to find extravagance, joy, and humor in everything she create and is extremely passionate about size inclusivity in fashion. She designs for everybody

Designer: Jessica Woodburn (she/her)

IG: @holzbrennenstudio

Bio: Jessica has been a maker since 2018 but started using up-cycled items in 2020.  She started sewing in 2022 and was invited to create a piece for the Trashion  Revolution last year (5th place winner) and just created another trashion piece for the Shadow Ball.  Both pieces were made using single-use plastic.  She also hosts workshops on up-cycled fabric earrings and shrinky dink jewelry from #6 plastic.

Designer: Andrea Zelen (she/her)

IG: @drea_zel

Bio: Andrea started sewing in 7th grade, and has actively been making her own clothing, running fashion shows for her high school, creating full looks and more until she graduated in 2015. Since then she’s focused more on mending, upcycling existing clothing and creative reuse than from-scratch creations. 

These people have all put in an amazing amount of work on getting this show together! DiscarDisco is The WasteShed’s major annual fundraiser, we depend on donations to this event to fund our programs.

Please give generously!

Getting too excited to wait for the final DiscarDisco 2024? Check out 2023 show!

Videography by Francis Son, edited by Drew Durepos and Adam Geremia.

 
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DiscarDisco 2024 - PatchWERK -Meet our Judges Panel!!

DiscarDisco, The WasteShed’s annual Trash Fashion Show & Garbage Couture Extravaganza, is just weeks away! Our illustrious judges will receive contestant’s video submissions of their work in the next few days, and will begin the difficult work of selecting the top 20 contestants based on creativity, design and construction.

These fierce and fabulous 20 will be competing April 13th on the runway at the Chicago Athletic Association for 3 illustrious prizes, and helping raise money for The WasteShed’s creative and sustainable mission! This year’s theme is PatchWERK; help them sew up a victory by donating here:

Contestants have used all their talent and ingenuity to transform our upcycled fabric, notions and bits into wearable works of art. This will be a difficult choice, but we’ve selected a well seasoned panel of judges for their work in fashion, design and sustainability.

Meet our Judges!

 
Sky, wearing bright geometric makeup and dazzlingly patterned clothes, sits in front of a gridded futuristic pastel background, Photo by Ryan Burk @ryburk

Sky Cubacub (They/Them/Xey/Xem/Xyr)

Founder/Designer, Rebirth Garments

@rebirthgarments

 

J Frausto
(they/them he/him)

Thrifter, Designer, Stylist
@the.thrifted.gay

 

Sky Cubacub is a non-binary disabled Filipinx neuroqueer from Chicago, IL. They are the creator of Rebirth Garments, a line of wearables for trans, queer and disabled people of all sizes and ages, which started in 2014. Sky is the editor of the Radical Visibility Zine, and a founding member of Radical Visibility Collective, which creates fashion performances with audio descriptive songs. Xey started a free online queercrip DIY fashion program and incubator with the Chicago Public Library called Radical Fit, which has a yearly celebration at Ping Tom Park called Queer Radical Fair. They are in the process of creating an online kids show about joyful disability access called “Sky and The Rebirth Warriors”.

 

J Frausto is a Mexican/Puerto Rican Chicago native who identifies as queer. They found their style through their gender expression that led to being an androgynous thrift stylist. After styling people who identified as queer they realized there is a need to bridge the gap to make clothes gender affirming. 

 

Lauren Lein (she/her)

Apparel Industry Board President
EndangerUS LLC.

@laurenleinfashiondesign

 

Lauren Lein is a 25 year Chicago Fashion veteran, four-term president of the Apparel Industry Board, Inc. and a proud member of The Service Club of Chicago. Lauren’s adult children, Andreah and Drew, serve as an inspiration for many of her favorite design pieces. 

EndangerUS - Lauren’s LLC- designs and/or produces their clothing with seamers and contractors across the city and beyond, practicing safe methods, sustainability, fair wages, and excellent working conditions. LLLTD uses primarily eco-friendly and natural fabrics — and practices re-purposing with all garments, masks, and samples produced.

 

Melissa Carter
(she/her)

Owner Kameo Vintage
I Am The Carter Projekt

@kameovintage

 

Melissa Carter is the CEO and Creative Director of Kameo Vintage, which has a showroom, boutique, and archive in Winnetka, IL. Kameo Vintage is a black-owned, preloved styling brand specializing in Casual Couture looks.They curate and reimagine clothing + accessories sourced from around the world, prioritizing quality, craftsmanship, and attention to detail.

Melissa is inspired by her life in New York and her international travels, and has hosted Kameo-style lounges in Chicago, New York, and Paris. In 2020, during the height of the Black Lives Matter Movement, she decided to inspire more than preloved style, creating a capsule collection of bygone pieces stamped with her colorful Afro-woman logo.

 

Blair Goldman (she/her)

Fashion Designer & Sewing Teacher

@blairs.wear

 

Blair Goldman is a lifelong trashionista and fashion designer. She is a former DiscarDisco champion and has served on the DiscarDisco planning committee. Blair has over 15 years of sewing experience and has dressed the likes of celebrities Lizzo, Dodie, and Dorian Electra. Currently, Blair teaches sewing and fashion classes at Hovet Fashion Studio and Elena Victoria Fine Arts. She believes buttered noodles with a little bit of cheese is the basis of her success.

 

Iyomi Ho Ken
(she/her)

Fashion Designer
CFDA Scholar

@iyomihoken

 

Iyomi Ho Ken is a fashion based artist, originally from Orlando, Florida, with a focus on sculptural bridal and special occasion wear. 

Iyomi graduated from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago in 2022, where she was awarded scholarships from the Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA).

 She currently works as a designer for “House of Aama” & continues her own practice, working on a 16 look collection to debut later this year. Her work stems from experiences of the self, and familial attachments to her Chinese-Jamaican heritage.


Meet our judges live at our show! Full event details are at thewasteshed.com/discardisco

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It's The WasteShed's Blue Whale-iversary

It’s our Blue-Whale-iversary

150 tons of materials saved
A blue whale made up of school and art supplies (illustrations by Anna Jo Beck)

After 9+ years, The WasteShed has hit a landmark; we've diverted 150 tons of materials (300,000 lbs) away from the wastestream and back into the community for creative & educational porpoises. After going through rhinoceroses and lesser cetaceans, we have officially run out of currently-extant animals big enough to measure our accomplishments by. We estimate the value of these materials to Chicago's makers and teachers at a staggering $3.2 million.

At the same time, we just passed our 100,000th customer visit. According to a recent customer survey, these can be broken out roughly as follows:
-15,000 teachers,
-50,000 artists,
-25,000 students,
-10,000 therapists/social workers
-100,000 of the raddest & most creative, lovely people you'll ever meet.

In celebration of this hefty victory, we are looking for 150 supporters (1 per ton!) who are willing to donate $10-$25 per month (the price of a sandwich, a streaming service, or 4-10 guppies) in 2024 to sustain our mission of reducing barriers to access for art and education for all Chicagoans.

These recurring donations will help us cover 100% of the cost of staff health insurance for our full time employees, as well as paid sick time. (Have you physically picked up and moved a whale? If so, you may understand the need for rest and healthcare).

If you'd like to donate a larger amount, or just once, that's also a huge help! Just select the One-Time donation option and enter any amount you like.

We’d like to take this moment to offer our gratitude to our community for supporting us through the trials & tribulations of the last few years; many creative reuse centers like The WasteShed never make it this far! Like blue whales, our existence is a challenge to the limits of human imagination. We’re here for the wonder and the exploration, thank you for taking this journey with us.

Love, The WasteShed Team

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There's a hole in our budget! Help us fix it

After a rough year, The WasteShed is a little bit the worse for wear

Dear community,


As you may know, this has been a really rocky year for The WasteShed. We've been experiencing a period of intense growth and change, and while the demand for the resources and programs we provide has continued to grow, the funding we need to continue our work has been much harder to find. Our fiscal year ends on June 30th, and we are currently almost $30,000 short of what we need to meet our budget this year.


Here's where you can help us out! We have a Challenge Match for donations to The WasteShed through our Donorbox this month, we are asking our community pitch in to help us keep doing what we do, including (but not limited to):


- divert 2.5 tons (think one block from the pyramids of Giza) of creative materials (about $45,000 worth) away from the landfill and back into the community every month
- provide over $81,000 of deeply discounted and free materials to teachers every year
- operate two vibrant, welcoming, and diverse community hubs with busy volunteer programs and accessible creative events every week
- celebrate the artistry, activism, and collaborative joy of our city, every day

Our goal is to raise $14,000 by June 30th, help us get there and our match will do the rest!

As when mending a hole, there are many ways to do it, and every stitch helps. Small monthly donations are wonderful! Or if you can connect us to donors, corporate support, or new board members, we can continue building The WasteShed into its second decade.

Donate at the Donorbox above to have your donation matched, if you’d prefer to send a check, we can count that towards the match as well (payable to The WasteShed, mail to 1754 N Kimball Ave, Chicago, IL 60647).

Thank you for believing in us and helping us create the future that Chicago deserves.

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DiscarDisco 2023: Rags to Riches Recap! Meet our Contestants and Winners! VOTE for your fav!

 

Our 4th annual sustainable sartorial soiree, DiscarDisco 2023, was a massive hit! Designer contestant finalists showcased their ‘garbage garb’ to a SOLD OUT show! We had 222 people in attendance at The Chicago Athletic Association’s fancy-pants ballroom overlooking Michigan Ave. and Millenium Park. (Check out these beautiful photos of the evening by Glitter Guts Photography)

Our show this year was dubbed ‘Rags to Riches’ for many reasons. For one, our venue glow-up took our show from the back of a bar punk show venue to one of the finest ballrooms in the city. Aside from the fancy digs, the nickname is also fitting as our contestants turn cast-off rags into elegant outfits fit for the finest occasions, while simultaneously ‘spinning gold’ by raising much needed funds to support the work we do every day at  The WasteShed: turning scrap fabric and art supplies into a rich resource for our community.

While our our expert panel of judges have already selected their favorite designs (see below), we are now turning our People’s Choice award over to YOU.  Donate to vote for your favorite designer and help us reach our $10,000 goal.  

Our PEOPLE’S CHOICE poll begins now. To cast your vote: simply make a donation of any amount and include your favorite designer’s name in the comments. See contestants' bios, process and pieces below, review the runway on our livestream recording and cast your vote! Polls will close at midnight on June 1st, and our People’s Choice winner will be announced on June 2nd!

guest entries (non-competing)

Triveni Institute - TRASHION REVOLUTION - preview guest entry

Alan Emerson Hicks

(he/him)
IG @Emerson_428

Bio: Alan was born in Chicago, Illinois and studied sculpture at Illinois State University where he received a Bachelor's of Fine Art degree. Alan is a a Chicago-based artist working in the media of found materials, plastics and time.

Title: Plastic Prairie Bride

Process: I consider my pieces wearable sculptures and not necessarily clothing. My background is in sculpture and I've always enjoyed working with the figure. With this work I've combined my affinity for both the figure and found materials.

Model: Donielle Davenport (she/her) Photo: Glitterguts

DiscarDisco 2021 1st Place Winner - guest entry

Blair Goldman

(she/her)
@blairs.wear

Bio: Blair is a fashion designer, sewing instructor, and two-time DiscarDisco alumnus.

Title: Electric Antoinette

Process: I wanted to incorporate my playful style into the Rags and Riches theme. I couldn't resist using the cardboard box to a Rococo style wig, and I highlighted the dino fabric by creating a pannier hoop skirt. The dress was constructed using a vintage sewing pattern from 1948 (bought at the WasteShed, of course!!).

Model: Veronica Williams (she/her) @ veronica.speaks_ Redeaux Clothing

Ette The Wedding Tailor - Sponsored Guest Entry

Ette The Wedding Tailor

ettetailor.com

Bio: Started in 2018 as a sister company of Mignonette Bridal, Ette Tailor provides couture wedding gown alterations, vintage wedding gown revamping, bespoke services, and accessories, all perfectly tailored to fit your body and style. Our inclusive approach to wedding style means that all brides are welcome, and our knowledgeable and highly skilled fitters and tailors believes that every bride is unique and deserves to be treated to a personal tailoring experience—luxurious but never fussy.

Title: Opulent Evolution

Process:Using the inspiration, we started with the under dress (the rags part) creating distress and texture. We then created the red pleated structures reminiscent of cocooning butterfly wings over the dress with gold details. The large hat was inspired by famous transformations in Hollywood such as Audrey Hepburn in My Fair Lady and Julia Roberts in Pretty Woman.

Competitive Entries

Designers below are listed in the order of runway their runway appearance.

Mary O’Brien

(she/her)

IG @_maryob_

Bio: I am a 24 year old budding sewist and artist residing in Logan Square with my amazing fiancé. Fashion and sustainability have always been passions of mine, but only very recently have I begun to explore creating my own clothing.

Title: Royal Star Fleet Commander

Process:I used the fabrics, zipper, buttons, beads, ribbon, marbles, thread, and wires from my box to create my design. I added a black fabric, which was in my stash and is secondhand, along with a slider obtained from the AIBI fabric sale. I wanted to make functional pieces, on top of a fun design, so I used the maroon fabric to create two fairly structured base garments and added embellishments and the removable fringe cape to build it out.

Model: Self

Mary Miller

(she/her)
@mary.l.miller.5622022

Bio: I've been sewing since I was eleven. I especially like plushie Peeps and bunnies.

Title: Flatforms and Bunny purse

Process:I incorporated trims, wool, scraps of foam, and a table cloth. I mainly sewed it all together.

Model: Self

Melissa Weinmann

(she/her)

@meliscity_creates

Photo: Ambercita

Bio: I am a creator extraordinaire, and I have done a little bit of everything. I love to cook and make cocktails, craft jewelry, sew clothing, and create homemade body products. I am on a journey towards a zero-waste lifestyle and I specifically love using trash or discarded items to create something new and practical.

Title: Country Western Meets East Coast Preppy Chic

Process: I wanted to create a look that I could wear after DiscarDisco, so I created 3 main pieces: a top, corset and skirt, so I could wear it in my everyday life. This way, I could mix these two mismatched fabrics and create items that can be worn on their own.

Model: Self

Rebecca Poulson

(she/her)

IG @betterwithsweaters

Bio: Rebecca Poulson is a folk fashion enthusiast sewing and knitting in Uptown. Previously she's been a software engineer, bartender, playwright and reality tv home renovation production assistant (DiscarDisco actually felt a lot like that last one). Rebecca grew up in a family of very serious quilters and reconnected with her sewing machine in 2020. She is currently in the process of developing a small collection of patterns for home sewists.

Title: Untitled

Process: Since the fabrics in my box were quite structured, the first thing I did was look through my stash for anything that could add drape. When I found the purple velvet, I decided to lean all the way in on purple and overdye the paisley which I had never done before. I was interested in making very feminine and traditional silhouette kind of slouchy and cozy and personal so I used a lot of topstitching and hand stitched details.

Model photo: Self
Model Runway: Zai Inee (she/her) @zai_inee Redeaux Clothing

Audrey Green

(she/her)

audreygreendesigns.com IG @audreydgreen

Bio: I'm an illustrator and graphic designer who happens to also love sewing as a hobby! I think it runs in my DNA because my mom is a proficient sewist and was/is always experimenting with fun and creative textile projects. I learned how to sew clothing for myself about 5 or 6 years ago from following simple patterns, and became really interested in figuring out how different kinds of garments come together. It was great being part of this challenge because I hadn't really made as much time for sewing lately and it kind of reignited my enjoyment while pushing me to try new things, like drafting a jacket pattern!

Title: Clown College Prep

Process:The pink and green plaid fabric that I got in my box inspired me to go with a preppy/sporty varsity look (the "riches"), while the overall soft colors and other fun materials in the box made me want to take a whimsical, clown-inspired spin on it (the "rags"). I also used the skirt in my box for the jacket lining fabric, and for the other main fabrics in the outfit I thrifted a light green plaid pillowcase, a pink tee-shirt (for the collar and cuffs of the jacket), and a light pink tablecloth. The wire is sewn into the shoulder and shorts ruffles to give them some extra structure and shape, and after spray-painting the buttons and marbles with a paint I already had, they worked great for the accessories and other adornments.

Model: Self

Marie Wohadlo

(she/her)

fodomosaics.com IG @fodopro

Bio: A lifelong fabriholic and sensible hoarder, Marie always looks to that which can be repurposed. Currently she is working with recycled glass, to make representational and semi-abstract Fodomosaics(.com) but will always return to fiberarts when inspiration strikes from within or randomly imposed, such as DiscarDisco.

Title: Untitled

Process:Hand smocking, machine stitching, glass fusing, beading, wirework, macrame, and metalwork.

Model Photo: Krissy Rodriguez
Model Runway: Veronica Williams (she/her) @ veronica.speaks_ Redeaux Clothing

Susan Abelson

(she/her)

IG @susanhats

Bio: I am an artist who currently focuses on making hats, using recycled materials such as felted sweaters and other discarded clothes. I have a business called *SUSAN*HAT* and a wee shop in Rogers Park.

Title: Tartan Walking Outfit

Process: My challenge was how much I should honor the symmetry of the plaid. I used nearly everything in the box, adding only a few golden beads I had in my studio. I enjoyed "drawing" with the yellow thread, and using the wire for a sculptural touch. Outfit is sewn on machine and a bit of hand stitching.

Model: Self

Ben Argenta Kress

(he/him)

IG @benargenta

Bio: Ben Argenta Kress is a costume designer and visual artist primarily interested in who we are and who we can be, together and alone. Informed by his interest in psychology and sociology, these musings have been central to Ben’s work.

Title: Dream Suit

Process:I was inspired by my attraction as a kid to the flashy lining of suits, so wanted to really highlight that with my two fabrics. The rest of the materials were used for the accessories and detailing on the suit (paracord piping and metallic thread detail stitching). The glasses were inspired by the early 2000s narrow glasses I had when I was younger.

Model: Self

Hereaclitus

(xe/they)

linktr.ee/hereaclitus @hereaclitus everywhere

Bio: What if Madame Curie was a Transgender Trashionista. And being a Queer Maxmillist was regarded as the lauded scientific inquiry that it is. Then, I'd win a noble prize for my re-activity creativity. Discovering that curiosity, experimentation, and wonder is how we transform trash, ourselves, and probably the planet.

Title: Madame Curies Wonder Cape where she discovered the secret spell of the fiddle ferns spiralling to save the planet from mass destruction!

Process: Brainstorm, fantasize, test, repeat, test, experiment, repeat, reflect, detail, and have fun. In the free box I found a Harry Potter map, where I cut out the castles, dragons, and ships. They were glued onto the sequins oceans scape. Leather scraps and Feathers made a burning factory. The Fiddle ferns hold the secret to the abundance tree.

Model: Erik the Red (they/them) @extrabig

Amy Jahnke

(she/her)

IG @aj_makes_stuff

Bio: Amy is a third-generation home sewist who is always up for a creative challenge. She promised to buy no "new" clothes a few years ago, and has done pretty well thrifting or making things since then. Fellow sewists will note that she did not vow not to buy fabric. Amy works in graphic design and lives in the Albany Park neighborhood of Chicago.

Title: Holly Golightly Goes to an Art Party

Process:I leaned into the really nice herringbone and linen fabrics, making the base dress and bolero garments that can be re-worn. The 60's-inspired outfit is made Disco-worthy with the addition of fun elements like the necklace, marble button, and in particular the Party Armor (made of scraps from AIBI). It was a blast using so many techniques to create this outfit: not just sewing, but sculpting, paper mache and good old hot glue all played a role! Vintage earrings from the WasteShed complete the look.

Model: Self

Anna Hart Turner

(she/her)

erranthart.com IG, TikTok @errant_hart

Bio: Anna Hart Turner is a mixed media textile artist with a background in fashion design. Combining materials and techniques in unexpected ways is what drives her creative processes.

Title: Progress not Perfection

Process: I used all the materials in my box and supplemented with fabric from FabScrap (sash on top) an old road kit sample from work (facing of pant) and my mask I made from fabric that was in the free bin at a fashion company where I interned (I think it was a test print) I draped my top on a dress form and patterned my pants based on Holly McQuillan’s zero waste spiral pant concept. I looked at blogs and made mock-ups from AIBI fabric sale fabric before making my final pant.

Model: Self

Stephanie Wong

(she/her)

stephanieynwong.com IG @studioswong

Bio: Calling many places around the world home, I design, weave, sew, and dye mostly in Chicago. Many archives inspire my work: the histories of the queer community, Asian America, and the Spanish Pacific. I am currently writing my doctoral dissertation about Mexican history at Brown University.

Title: Caliban

Process: In the spirit of global Southern zero waste, I handwove the central garment from rags gleaned from the DiscarDisco box, AIBI scraps, my own stash of offcuts, and those of my friends and colleagues. The inner garment is sewn from drag costume offcuts; I made accessories from the DiscarDisco box (nunchaku, purse); the wig and shoes are repurposed from drag costumes.

Model: Jaime/Auntie Chan

Theo

(she/her)

Tiktok @girl.theo

Bio: When I was little I told my mom I wanted to go to fashion school and she said no but now we both make clothes and love trash so that’s cute

Title: I watched 5 and a half seasons of Gilmore Girls while making this

Process: It’s supposed to be a transformation from the first look (rags- shapeless cape with unfinished hems) to the second look (riches: the cape becomes a long and impractical train. Who wears trains? Rich ppl).

Model: Tina (she/they)

Jose Ochoa

(he/him)

Photo: Natasha Mraz

IG @jose_makes_art

Bio: José Ochoa is a self-taught visual artist who began developing sustainable fiber assemblage pieces in response to his grief of personal loss. In the short time since José began this journey, his art has been included in exhibitions nationwide, such as River Oaks Art Center (Louisiana), View Center for the Arts (New York), Webster Arts Center (Kansas City), and Fine Line Art Gallery (Illinois). Most recently, one of his pieces was part of the Next Gallery’s Annual Casa Bonita Show, which Westword media describes as “one of the biggest, most high-profile gallery shows in the Denver area.”

Title: Jardín para Elfida

Process: I am an emerging sustainable mixed media artist who transforms used textiles and materials found at home into colorful, sustainable art. The fashion industry is one of the most significant contributors to global pollution and waste. Seeing all types of textiles piling up in my own home prompted me to experiment with different ways to give these materials a second life and to keep them out of landfills. The old saying “one man's trash is another man's treasure” is relevant and needed today, but “one person’s old t-shirt is someone else’s wildflower landscape collage” is much more fun.

Model: Aeris Brown (she/hers)

Jessica Van Winkle

(she/her)

jessicavanwinkle.com IG @jessicavwinkle

Bio: Jessica Van Winkle is a costume and fashion designer based in Chicago. She specializes in theatre, drag, and performance wear and seeks to find extravagance, joy, and humor in everything she creates. Jessica is passionate about size inclusivity and designs for EVERY body. She is so excited to be part of this year's DiscarDisco!

Title: Inferno

Process: I received 2 fabrics, a variety of buttons, lace, a belt buckle, colorful wire, a yellow zipper and some marbles as part of my mystery box, my goal in this process was to create something really high fashion out of these things that didn't- at first- seem to naturally go together. I started with creating my turtleneck, dress, and legwarmers and then worked on incorporating all the unconventional materials. The actual box and confetti filling became a purse, wires became external boning, purse handles and support for a giant bow, marbles became the purse fastener and lace and buttons were used to embellish! I am especially proud of the invisible zipper install!

Model: Merle (she/her) @afemmemerle

Alice Maiterth

(she/her)

Bio: Alice Maiterth is a writer and comedian from Chicago. She likes to play with context, exaggeration and colors.

Title: Space Age Barbie

Process:Using the required material was paramount, so I staged them as statement pieces on a black bodice background. I loved using the bendy wires as structure and the bold patterns as building blocks.

Model: Self

Jess Crane

(she/her)

jesscrane.com @jesscranedesign

Bio: Jess Crane is a multidisciplinary creative professional, business consultant, and founder of Jess Crane Design LLC. With expertise in various fields, including concept design, product development, marketing, event planning, business development, graphic design, music, and writing, she offers consultation and services to help businesses thrive. She is also a connector who brings creative and business communities together through networking and public events.

Title: Down the Rabbit Hole

Process:I was inspired by the embroidered bunny and though of a wonderland tea party with the rabbits. I utilized all of my materials and incorporated one extra fabric, gold spray paint, reused elastic, sewing, glue, a old headband, patternmaking, and hand embroidery.

Model Photo: Self
Model Runway: Madeline Ray @madhazray

Jenna Summa

(they/them)

@jennaraeart

Bio: Jenna Summa is a multidisciplinary artist, who went to art school for painting but focuses primarily on textile and print production. They were raised in the South but are proud to call Chicago home. They strive to make work that is joyful, layered, and textural.

Title: Lush Garden

Process: I incorporated all items from the box in some way, primarily the two striped cotton fabrics, though the light white cotton was dyed orange and used as lining in the hat and mask. I supplemented with completely thrifted items: two bed sheets, one bright orange tshirt, and the shoe base, along with a pack of polymer clay. Riches for me is a lush garden, which was the inspiration for the twisting shapes and cut away layers.

Model: Self

Ellouise Davis

(she/her)

Bio: I am a costume maker, I work professionally at the lyric Opera. I take the reuse, reduce, recycle, repurpose life seriously. I love to be creative, especially within restrictions of using what I have on hand!

(Design left)

Title: Layers and structure

Process:I used only items from my discard box or what I already owned. I pulled the bulk of my patterns from items in my closet with a lot of modification for those lantern sleeves!

Model: Self

Courtney Batio & Michael Dreger

(she/her) & (he/they)

 @Courttbattio @itsmemdd

Bio: Courtney BATIO is a creative director and visual artist in Chicago. Her multidisciplinary background of fashion design and performance art are what informs her work today. She works with a material based approach, creating wearable art pieces like this through draping. She is the founder and creative director of Batio Studio located in the historical Flat Iron Arts building.

(Design Right)

Title: Blossom The King

Process:Took each material & evolved it: the salmon fabric had the flowers cut out & structured, using the rest as rags with the black faux snakeskin as the skirt base. The buttons & beads became crown adornments while the cord became dress structure & the wires flower stamen! We pulled a few remnant pieces from a pile, 2 for structure & 1 for accent. Overall, a fantastic challenge of making something less exciting shine bright!!

Model: Self - Michael Dreger (he/they)

judges’ accolades

Honorable Mentions

-

Honorable Mentions -

Stephanie Wong and Jose Ochoa received honorable mention from our judges panel for outstanding work. Judge J. Frausto applauded Jose’s story telling through his garment construction and Judge Iyomi Ho Ken acknowledged Stephanie’s incredible hard work in constructing a hand woven garment.

winners!

-

winners! -

2nd runner up - Jenna summa

Judge Anna Hovet Dias introduced Jenna Summa’s 2nd Runner up prize - noting the judge’s love of the complete execution of a joyful interpretation of their materials. Watch here.

 
 

1st runners up - courtney batio & michael dreger

Judge Lauren Lein announced that the high-couture design by Courtney Batio (and collaborator Michael Dreger) won 1st Runner up prize for the ‘beautiful beautiful beautiful wonder cape’ for the detail and handiwork. Watch here.

 
 

and our GRAND PRIZE 1st Place Winner - Ellouise Davis

Judge Melissa Carter awarded our grand prize to Ellouise Davis for her construction, design on her beautiful suit piece with interesting mod inspired silhouette. Ellouise’s face was pure shock! Watch here.

 

1st place awarded to Ellouise Davis (Design Left)

 

Thank you to all of our contestants - <3 -The wasteshed team

 
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DiscarDisco 2023 - Rags to Riches -Meet our Judges Panel!!

DiscarDisco is just around the corner! Yesterday our illustrious judges received contestant’s video submissions of their work and scorecards. Judges are tasked with rating each contestant on: Creativity, Design and Construction.

The top 20 contestants will be competing for our top 3 grand prizes and to help raise money for our mission! Help them turn Rags into Riches by donating to The WasteShed at donorbox.org/discardisco-2023

Contestants have poured their heart and soul into this transformation of our upcycled fabric, notions and bits. This will be a difficult choice, but we’ve selected a well seasoned panel of judges for their work in fashion, design and sustainability.

Meet our Judges!

 

J Frausto
(they/them he/him)

Thrifter, Designer, Stylist
@the.thrifted.gay

 

J Frausto is a Mexican/Puerto Rican Chicago native who identifies as queer. They found their style through their gender expression that led to being an androgynous thrift stylist. After styling people who identified as queer they realized there is a need to bridge the gap to make clothes gender affirming. 

 

Lauren Lein (she/her)

Apparel Industry Board President
EndangerUS LLC.

Lauren Lein is notable as a 25 year Chicago Fashion veteran. Lauren is a four-term president of the Apparel Industry Board, Inc. and a proud member of The Service Club of Chicago. Lauren’s adult children, Andreah and Drew, serve as an inspiration for many of her favorite design pieces. 

EndangerUS - Lauren’s LLC- designs and/or produces their clothing with seamers and contractors across the city and beyond practicing safe methods, sustainability, fair wages, and excellent working conditions. LLLTD uses primarily eco-friendly and natural fabrics — and practices re-purposing with all garments, masks, and samples produced. 

 

Melissa Carter
(she/her)

Owner Kameo Vintage
I Am The Carter Projekt

 

Melissa returned to Chicago by way of New York in 2020, Melissa launched her successful slow impact style studio, Kameo Vintage, and it’s sister brand – I Am The Carter Projekt, with a variety of services including, style curation, influencer and speaking ventures. When she is not serving “lewks” and inspiration on social media, you’ll find her making waves in her community. She’s shaken up the North Shore with her vibrant energy, her commitment to the art of storytelling through fashion—specifically slow fashion—and her commitment to provide inspiration to the youth and budding fashionistas of Chicago. She is an active mentor and philanthropist, and often speaks to groups and working with organizations that help others nurture their dreams. She is a member of FGI, Chicago Costume Council, Josselyn Auxiliary Board, and Jack and Jill of America.

Melissa is uniquely talented implementing a modern luxury approach to slow fashion.  That is what you will find at Kameo Vintage.  I Am The Carter Projekt reveals the magic that she brings through her own personal style, personality and creative direction.

 

Anna Hovet Dias (she/her)

Owner Hovet Fashion Studio
Director Chicago Fashion Incubator at Macy’s|
SAIC - Faculty

 

Anna Hovet Dias is a fashion designer, entrepreneur, and educator with 17 years experience in corporate and small business fashion companies. After running her own fashion line for 9 years, she pivoted her company into Hovet Fashion Studio, a fashion school and consulting agency. Anna is also the Executive Director of the Chicago Fashion Incubator at Macy’s on State Street, a nonprofit that supports local fashion designers. Anna teaches at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, where she earned her BFA in 2007. Anna is passionate about sharing her knowledge and experience to encourage creativity and female entrepreneurship in Chicago.

 

Iyomi Ho Ken
(she/her)

Fashion Designer
CFDA Scholar

 

Iyomi’s first interest in clothing began when she was younger, drawing clothes and making them for her dolls. Wanting to expand, she focused on creating clothes for herself after finding most didn’t fit her properly as a long limbed adolescent. This- along with her love for drawing, painting, and all things craft- opened up a world of self expression. Deciding to primarily focus on making clothing as art in her college years sprouted from realizing fashion is an art form. She grew weary of only creating pieces that would “sell.”

With this came a series of exploration, involving race and color theory in a majority of her undergrad work. During this period, she was awarded 2 scholarships from the CFDA for her third year collection; making her the largest scholarship recipient of the CFDA & SAIC’s undergrad history.

Her work has been shown through in person & online exhibition’s, along with the SAIC Fashion Program’s Show in the Spring of 2022. She currently works in Chicago pursuing her personal practice and as a fashion designer for the brands "House of Aama" & "Kercher Studio.”


Meet our judges live at our show, or watch streaming! Tickets and info at thewasteshed.com/discardisco

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DiscarDisco: Rags to Riches! Pair of Tickets Giveaway Contest Rules

Enter to win a pair of General Admission tickets to DiscarDisco, The WasteShed’s annual Trash Fashion Show Fundraiser and Party to take place on Saturday April 15th at The Chicago Athletic Association. To learn more about the show please click here.

How to Enter

Enter the Giveaway by making a donation or by submitting your first and last name, home address, email address and phone number on this form. Entries may be made by making a gift of any amount at donorbox.org/discardisco-2023 or clicking here to enter drawing without making a gift. No purchase or pledge necessary.

Eligibility

Anyone 18 years of age or older can enter the Giveaway except employees of The WasteShed and its related organizations, and family members currently living in their household. Void where prohibited by law.

Selection and Notification of Winner

One winner will be awarded 2 General Admission Tickets. Winners will be selected by a random drawing within 5 days of the contest deadline (April 3rd) and notified by email. One winner per household. If confirmation or additional contact information is requested from winner and the winner does not respond by the deadline indicated in the email notification, the prize will be released to another winner. The chances of winning are dependent upon the number of entries. A list with the winners' names will be kept on file at The WasteShed and are available by emailing volunteer@thewasteshed.com.

General

By participating in this Giveaway, participants agree to the Official Rules, and that The WasteShed, its agents and employees will have no liability whatsoever for any injuries, losses, or damages of any kind resulting from their use of the prize or their participation in the Giveaway. Prize is nontransferable and cannot be exchanged for cash. There can be no substitutions for a prize. The WasteShed may use winners’ names for publicity purposes without further compensation. Taxes and expenses as a result of winning each prize are solely the responsibility of the winner. The WasteShed will not disclose any address, phone number, or email contact information without permission from the contest entrants unless otherwise noted in the Giveaway description.

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Chicago Store Move Update: The Chicago location on Kimball Ave is now OPEN! Store hours are Tuesday—Sunday 11am-6pm. Come check us out!


Due to additional unplanned closed dates, we continue to ask for your support by donating to our fundraiser to help us recover lost sales, and cover our payroll.


The story so far:

Volunteers and staff worked tirelessly over the holidays to close up shop at our Chicago Ave location. All was packed away in tidy little boxes, furniture was dismantled expertly by volunteers, donations from yesteryear crawled out from their hidey-holes, our beautiful WasteShed sign was unscrewed from on high.

While we worked inside, dozens of people flocked to our FREE pile to help rid us of hundreds of pounds of materials and all the while, all across the internet, our supporters rallied to help us BEAT OUR FUNDRAISING GOAL! The movers showed up early! Things were looking good!

We were all ready to move into our new Kimball location early on New Years Eve, with two trucks full of our HQ in tow. Only to discover that our space wasn't quite ready!

Our new storefronts still need some finishing touches on construction. We're unable to move in our operations yet. Imagine our disappointment!

We are still not certain on our opening date for donations or our store front at this time. We are asking for your patience while we continue to pause our donation intake and cancel volunteer shifts and events for this week.

Our staff was anticipating coming back to work early this week to help set up the new store, but we're going to need a little bit more time. In the meantime we're not just watching concrete set and paint dry, our staff is hard at work on some special projects behind the scenes. We hope to bring you the Best in Trash in all of Chicagoland by mid January. Stay tuned! Please follow this page for updated timelines.

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Join us! We are seeking new board members

 

The WasteShed Board


The WasteShed is also currently in the process of filling four Board seats beginning in February of 2023. In light of many of the organizational changes happening at the WasteShed (we have opened a new store and moved our flagship store!), we would like this to be an open and transparent process and welcome folks who are interested, have the time and capacity to support us during a time of transition, and have gifts and skills we could use to complete our board team.

We are seeking board members who bring a diversity of perspectives (arts/education/community-based/organizational support) and diverse identities (gender/race/ability/age/economic status) and have time and capacity to put into doing work (this board is a working board!) and have gifts and skills to share in one or more of the following areas:

·       Familiarity with organizational finance systems

·       Familiarity with technological infrastructure

·       Familiarity with Media/Marketing

·       Familiarity with Re-use market/ Sales 

·       Connections or familiarity with the Chicago philanthropic community or ability to support the WasteShed’s development efforts,

·       Connections with CPS Educators or CTU.

Board terms are two years long and members can serve two terms before rotating off the Board.  Please learn more about the role here.  Our monthly meetings are 1.5 hours long and held once a month, but we expect board members spend about 5-7 hours a month supporting the organization.

If you are interested, or know someone we should consider, please fill out this brief interest form no later than 1/21/23 and we will follow up with you.

Thank you,

The WasteShed Board

 


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The WasteShed's First 110 Tons

In 2019, we created a zine about the first 50 tons of reusable materials that we'd diverted from the landfill. in 2022, we updated the zine to reflect what we’ve done since then, and here it is on the internet!

The WasteShed: The 1st 110 Tons

In June of 2022, The WasteShed hit 220,000 pounds of materials diverted away from landfills and back into the community. That's 110 tons of art and educational materials that have gone back into use in Chicago's schools, art organizations, health services, studios, etc. (The interior of the zine features a list of accepted materials, plus a list of over 350 schools and organizations that use our materials).

We physically picked up and redistributed the weight of The Bean

(or if that's too abstract, 2 adult sperm whales plus an adolescent one). These materials represent an estimated $1,936,800 to Chicago's makers and teachers. *The number of people we have to thank for doing this important work will no longer fit on this page, but we are endlessly grateful to everyone who has put their time and backs into this undertaking.

The portion of this that has accrued to The WasteShed as income is significantly smaller, our retail operation covers basic costs and provides our awesome staff with a living wage (annual budget: $320k) (the love of our community is priceless)

Just for kicks, we calculated what part of Chicago's total annual household waste production this 110 ton intervention represents. If 365 days equaled 1.62 million tons of trash in 2020 (according to the Delta Institute's Chicago Waste Strategy report of 2021), that's 3 tons a minute, and The WasteShed's total diversion equals...

Just over half an hour: 35 minutes and 42 seconds out of an entire year.

Is this depressing? Yes! But aren't you glad someone is working on this?

In 2022, we are on track to divert 78,000 lbs, about 36% of our total EVER (and another $702,000 not landfilled)

Donate today to support our work to create a more sustainable and awesome Chicago.

When you donate funds to The WasteShed you are also supporting hundreds of local schools and nonprofits that rely on us for affordable materials

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The WasteShed is MOVING! Help us grow!

The WasteShed will be moving into a new space in January of 2023!


In September of this year, we got the news that The WasteShed's creative reuse center on Chicago Avenue will be redeveloped into condos in 2023, and our tenancy here is at an end. We have negotiated a move out date of January 1st, 2023, and are currently working out our new location; we are committed to staying close to our Humboldt Park community. 



The WasteShed (as a hermit crab) contemplates with some trepidation the move to a larger home (shell). Illustration by Anna Jo Beck

We are very sad to leave our lovely little block on Chicago Ave, with all our awesome neighbors, and the farm and the trains and the good lunch spots. In the spirit of reuse, we are choosing to see this change as an opportunity to reimagine the organization, expand our space and our programming, and metamorphose to better meet the growing demand for the resources we provide.



We need to raise $23,000 by December 31st to cover the costs of moving to our new location, including the deposit, first month's rent, hiring movers, new shelving and lighting for our new larger location, and staff time for coordinating the move and setting up the new space.

We are very excited for the opportunities presented by this new space; donate today and you'll be the first to know the details as they develop!


Thank you so much for your support during this absolutely wild year, we could never have made it this far without our wonderful community behind us all the way.

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