SPOTLIGHT: Heather of Re-Zip It: Recycled Vintage Zippers Transformed Into Beauty

Green Recycled Vintage Zipper Brooch or Hair Clip

Heather of Re-Zip It transforms recycled vintage zippers into beautiful wearable works of art! Her eye-catching creations are one-of-a-kind and handcrafted with stunning detail. Heather has been featured on the Today Show as a top 10 finalist in the Art of Reuse Contest sponsored by NBC, and she has also been featured in the LA Times!

We have awarded her the "May 2011" Handmade Spotlight Award here on the Etsy Recyclers Guild blog!
Sunflower Up cycled Zipper Flower Brooch or Hair Clip

Tell us a bit about yourself.
I am a full time working, married, mother of a beautiful
boy named Benjamin. I work in a jail, as a therapist, with
individuals that battle from issues related to drugs and
alcohol. This career choice came after growing up in a
family of addiction. I have a very stressful job and have
learned over the years that it is important for me to have
some form of stress relief. My creative mind allows to express myself while making others smile and keeping the earth GREEN all at the same time!

Pink Recycled Vintage Zipper Brooch or Hair Clip

What inspires you?
Through my quest in creating an outlet for myself I was
inspired to work with old materials to make new treasures.
Zippers were attractive to me because I was reinventing
here conventional use.

Black Vintage Zipper Flower Brooch or Hair Clip

How did you start your business?
My process began with the search for zippers. I was
fortunate enough to find a lady that had 8000 zippers in her
basement, she acquired them from her great grandmother that
owned a sewing store. She had no use for the zippers and
just wanted to get rid of them. Little did she know that her
trash was about to become my treasure.

Orange Recycled Vintage Zipper Flower Brooch or Hair Clip

Tell us a about your creations; what do you want people to think when they see your products?
All my patterns have been completely inspired and
designed by me to attract a vast population. I only use
recycle vintage zippers that have the cotton metal
component.

Please visit:


ReZip it on Etsy HERE

The Megan Leone Shop - Interview

by Jo Ferris
Look at this beautiful necklace!

Look closer!

Megan Leone's creative use of upcycled zippers make for an unusual and beautiful piece of art that you can wear.

Her use of color is stunning.

Megan's creativity shows a fun, vibrant and interesting product that is not only eco-chic but stylish as well.

People who are concerned for the environment and the amount of waste being produced by the human species, need not settle for less when it comes to fashion.

Sometimes we just need to look a little further than the closest or easiest place we usually shop and we will find something unique, something beautiful, something that inspires us.

Digging a little deeper into The Megan Leone Shop there are also these fabulous bracelet purses.

She has a whole section of these great purses each is one of a kind and made primarily from upcycled vintage materials. You'll be sure to find something to match your wardrobe among these pouches.

Whatever your favorite color combo or style choice, I'm sure you will be inspired by browsing through the handbags, earrings, necklaces and belts in The Megan Leone Shop. If you decide to purchase anything from her shop you can rest in the knowledge that you have made a great choice for the environment and for the handmade movement. Also you will own a piece that really is a work of art.

Q. What inspired you to begin making accessories made from salvaged materials?

A. It was natural for me to choose vintage and repurposed materials. I have always preferred second-hand items. There are so many benefits to purchasing vintage and repurposed materials... nostalgia, the thrill of the hunt, quality, and most of all making a kinder choice for the earth. I became very aware of how wasteful and unkind we humans were to the earth at a very young age after my parents decided we would clean up a 10 mile stretch of road. That experience really opened my eyes.

I have also enjoyed the thrill of the hunt since I was a little girl. I can remember clearly the first rummage sale I went to with my Mom where I was free to wander on my own. There is just something about second-hand items that new can not emulate. I do spend a lot of time searching for my materials, but it is so worth it! I get so much variety that way. A lot of times the materials inspire me to create something around them which leads to a wide array of designs. It is a rewarding purchase as the items never come in a shrink-wrapped package and I am often helping a local business or charity out with each purchase. It feels good to keep the men and women who sell at flea markets in business because without them a lot of those things would end up in landfills.

Q. What other steps in your daily life do you take to reduce your footprint on our earth?

A. I recycle, of course. It is the least we can do. I always take things that are no longer useful to us to a thrift shop, list it on sites like freecycle/craigslist or put it on the curb with a "free" sign. I enjoy shopping locally at farmer' markets and thrifting for most of our personal items. When purchasing new, I check labels for post-consumer products and how far the item traveled. I am willing to pay more knowing that my purchase is a vote.

Q. What do you hope people will learn from you, or what message are you trying to get across with the items you sell?

A. I have never thought of myself as a teacher. I am just trying to offer beautiful products that were made with care and love while being good to the wonderful place we live.

Q. How much do you LOVE the Etsy Recyclers Guild Team?

A. Etsy has a LOT of different sellers, it is so nice to have a place to go where like-minded designers are making things with the kind of labels I like to find on my purchases. I am honored to be among them!

Thank you Megan Leone for offering your items as a wonderful choice for the environmentally conscious.

MeganLeone

Shop Name: MeganLeone (Megan Leone Designs)

Owner: Megan Leone (Kavanaugh) Miller

Location: Boston, MA

Etsy Link: http://www.meganleone.etsy.com/

Megan's Etsy Bio says it all: "fashion from the ashes recycled - reimagined"

Megan says, "I am a one-woman company. Everything is designed, cut, sewed and finished by me. My accessories are handmade with an eye for design and unique craftsmanship that makes each piece a pleasure to own and use. I strive to keep my company eco-conscious by using vintage and recycled materials. All packaging and paper I use is also recycled."

From belts, rings, and all upcycled things (even the best ever bracelet purses), you'll never know what creations await for you in this store. Megan Leone Designs has been the talk of many people, word is spreading and it's no wonder why. Make sure to read all the press HERE.

Visit her Etsy shop HERE.

Or, learn more about her on her website at http://www.meganleone.com/