Trash to Fashion (Trashion)

“Our choices reflect how we care for ourselves and each other, and together, no matter who we are, how we sound or look, or what neighborhood we call home, we can co-create environmental justice!” - Rebekah Fraser

Please join us for Rebekah Fraser’s Trash to Fashion programming. Learn from her ongoing dedication to using less, reusing more with concrete and accessible ways to achieve it. 

Fraser (artist, writer, activist and educator) has spent years creating wearable garments and accessories out of items such as plastic wrappers, torn ‘beyond use’ clothing, and even glass (seen as a decorative element in her skirt to the left.) 

If you want to help make our environment safe but don’t know where to start, learn how to upcycle with flair to refashion our environment at the Trash to Fashion Workshop, led by Fraser and other fashion designers. Whether wild, ridiculous, or glamorous, wear your creation at the Trash to Fashion Ball immediately following the workshop.

When: October 11, 6-10 pm
Where: Bregamos Community Theater (wheelchair accessible, 1 block from the bus line, ample parking)
With: photography by Lotta Studios, live DJ, textile recycling drive (bring those old clothes, leather goods, and home décor), zero-waste catering, and more.
Cost: FREE, but advance registration is required for both the workshop and the ball.

Get the Trash to Fashion newsletter so you don’t miss your chance to sign up! 

As we lead up to the event, Fraser and her team will be holding space to talk about the environmental impact of our textile purchasing and disposal choices.

PROGRAMMING:

June 21, 2025 - 2pm Panel talk for “What if we get it right?” as part of the International Festival of Arts and Ideas. Location TBD
October 11, 2025 - Trash to Fashion Workshop & Ball

Learn more about how the choices in garments can show a story HERE.
Learn more about what “Trashion” is HERE.
Want to volunteer? Sign up HERE for a list of our different teams!

We love our collaborators, sponsors, and partners:

COLLABORATORS
•Bregamos Community Theater
•Haven’s Harvest
•Helpsy 
•New Haven Solid Waste Recycling Authority

SPONSORS
•Design School for Regenerating Earth Forests of the Northeast Fundshare
•Goodwill of Southern New England
•Hull’s Art Supply and Framing
•Peels and Wheels Composting
•Pistachio Printing

NONPROFIT FISCAL SPONSOR
Dwight Hall at Yale

To Donate to Trash to Fashion, click here.

ECOCA’s Environmental Leadership for Artists programs are supported by the City of New Haven’s Creative Sector Relief Fund.