Zero Waste Cart

Found wood, metal, donated clothing, recycled materials, and mending materials, 2016

The Zero Waste Trading and Mending Cart is a mobile pop-up that offers sustainable alternatives for environmentally friendly and low-income shoppers. The cart’s mission is to provide solutions to textile waste, post-consumer care, accessibility to sustainable fashion.

The compact nature of the shop grants the upward mobility of the shop to take place in any given location. Thus, bringing solutions to consumers first hand. The public space becomes part of the cart’s aesthetic, allowing the structure to adapt to the environment and be approachable like a lemonade stand or a food truck. There is a clothes rack where people can trade for a mixture of garments that are vintage, up-cycled, made from zero waste patterns, and biodegradable. An honor system is established. Take one. leave one. Rules are placed such as if you have a garment that has tears, fix it in the workstation before leaving it for trade. Garments should be clean for other users to take. No undergarments. Trade don’t steal.

The cart has an attached workstation, where the artist can simultaneously host mending workshops. The artist can engage with the public about solutions of post-consumer care. The public can use the workstation with the sewing machine empowering consumers to save their garments.

The Zero Waste Cart is a mobile pop-up that functions as a free community clothing circulation and sewing station. Give. Take. Repair.