Fashion becomes sustainable

The Brazilian cooperative Comunidade do Jardim Teresopolis in Betim has created bags and fashion accessories with recycled materials from the demolition of old FIAT automobiles. By using the interior upholstery, seat covers, and safety belts, they were able to produce and hand-painted objects of considerable appeal. The 2016 collection, dubbed ''Vista-se de Flores'', was inspired by the beauty of nature, with its top of the line being a bag "assembled" with pieces of safety belts, a floral coin purse, and a padded drink holder. Since 2006, the date the ''rvore da Vida'' began, the cooperative has already repurposed 24.7 tons of materials to create and sell 233,000 fashion accessories and home objects.