Cars, houses…heck, pretty much everything! They don’t make ‘em like they used to. And textiles are no exception. Today’s clothes are largely composed of strange synthetics that combined with shoddy mass manufacturing, just can’t take the wear and tear of regular use. And that’s how big companies like it. How else will they get you to go back for more! Well, that wasn’t always the case. Fabrics from 20 or 30 years ago were more substantial and rivalled today’s standards.

Now thanks to the rise of Conscious Consumerism, people are realizing that there is a lot of life left in old clothes. You know that gorgeous party dress that you’ve had to shelf due to that conspicuous tear? Save for the hole, the rest of the garment can be salvaged and become part of a cheeky and cheerful new design. That’s Melissa Ferreira‘s artistic view anyway. When the Vancouver-based designer started Adhesif Clothing, she was inspired by the quality of older textiles and just how many unwanted clothes were out there. “It just made sense to use recycled fabrics,” she said. “There was already an abundance of it.”

Wearing Melissa’s adorable, sustainable clothes is a great way to make your statement and celebrate the planet. “Start by taking small steps. Reduce, re-use, and recycle. At the very least, don’t be wasteful.”

For a listing of shops that carry Adhesif Clothing, click here.