Students make novel use of waste agri products
THREE Mayo students have come up with an alternative use for waste agricultural products – they've turned them into high end fashion.
Ballinrobe Community School students Allannah Duffy, Amy Keane and Rosin O'Brien have created a stunning dress from an assortment of farm materials, including nut bags and rushes.
Allannah explained how they used sheep nut bags, fertiliser bags and other sorts of animal feed bags to create the flowers at the base of the skirt (secured onto a chicken wire base). The skirt itself is made from cow mats (the slat cut outs from the slat mats). The bodice was made from a bulk bag and the blue corset from crocheted baling twine. The hat is made from rushes.
As part of their transition year course, the girls entered the Junk Kouture competition which challenges students to make wearable high end fashion out of waste materials. They chose a farming theme, creating a dress out of 100% waste agricultural products.
From Monday to Friday, February 22 to 26, the girls will be campaigning for online/Facebook votes for their dress, 'The Devil Wears Cow Mats'.
The trio's entry is a finalist in the western regional heats of the competition and they will be modelling their design in the TF Royal Theatre, Castlebar, on March 9.
Photos: Elizabeth Toher (Elizabethtoher.ie)