WeMa Designs recycled raincoat from plastic water bottles
March 10, 2010 by karenvitt
Filed under Neat STUFF
WeMa Designs fashion designer Wendi Martin is taking out Portland’s recycling just in time for spring showers: The inventive local designer has created a stylish, modern raincoat made from recycled plastic water and beverage bottles.
Available exclusively at Physical Element boutique in Portland and through local online retailer pdxboutique.com, the coat’s outer shell is made from waterproof PacificTech fabric (made right here in Portland by Rose City Textiles), which is comprised of 100 percent recycled plastic bottles. The coat comes in basic black or shimmery silver and is lined with bright cotton.
Martin said she’s been searching for the perfect raincoat since moving to Portland a few years back, and now she’s taken matters into her own hands – literally. She was already working on a modern raincoat design when she heard about the new recycled plastic fabric, so she put the two together to turn our rainy-day frowns upside down.
“It was frustrating to cover up a really fun outfit with a boring coat, especially in a city where we need protection from the elements almost year-round,” Martin said. “I liked the irony of repurposing the plastic for keeping water out, instead of keeping water in, and it keeps the bottles out of landfills.”
Better still, the recycled raincoat isn’t just sustainable and functional – it’s also fashionable. “The fabric has an amazing drape, and is super soft to the touch, which is uncommon for a waterproof material,” Martin said. “I haven’t seen anyone use a fabric like this in a stylish way.”
The new coat complements the current WeMa collection, which includes jackets, dresses, pants and more, also available at Physical Element and pdxboutique.com (remember to use code “NEATSHEET” at checkout to save 20 percent on your purchase!)
Physical Element
1124 N.W. Lovejoy St.; 503-224-5425
www.physicalelement.com
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That silver is sooooo pretty and soft in person!! What a great coat!
This is the coat to make you love a rainy day!