– Words by Sally Frost
The University of KwaZulu-Natal hosted a unique cocktail themed fashion show titled “Waste to Art” at the KZNSA Art Gallery in November.
Engineers are not normally associated with high fashion, but such was the case as sassy young UKZN Engineering students sashayed down the catwalk. They were dressed in stylish and eco-friendly designs created out of recycled materials by final-year Durban University of Technology (DUT) fashion design students.
To the rustle of plastic bags and the swish of hessian, the enthusiastic young models demonstrated just how stylish “trash” can be.
“Waste to Art as a Means of Social Upliftment”is the brainchild of Professor Cristina Trois, the newly appointed South African Research Chair (SARChI) in Waste and Climate Change at UKZN.
Trois is passionate about finding innovative waste management solutions to mitigate against climate change and ensure a sustainable future for the planet.
‘The event provided the opportunity to showcase local design talent and creative ideas to turn waste into a means of income generation,’ said Trois. She said the event also presented a platform to network for local and foreign role players in the waste and climate change space.
Other highlights of the evening included a display of fashionable gowns made out of recycled materials by Grade 10 Maris Stella pupils who were inspired by the Vodacom Durban July 2018 theme “It is Time”.
Angela Shaw of the KZNSA Art Gallery said the waste-inspired artwork made by local designers and Robin Opperman of the trendsetting Umcebo design house, presented a stunning mural of black manta rays made from plastic, bottles and wire.
“Waste to Art” was run in conjunction with the international training seminar and summer school on Managing Waste as a Resource, which was staged from 26-30 November at UKZN under the aegis of the UKZN SARChI Chair in Waste and Climate Change, UKZN Extended Learning, the South African National Energy Development Institute (SANEDI) and the International Waste Working Group (IWWG).
Key focus areas of the summer school include waste as a problem and its impact on climate change, the environment and society; waste as a resource; waste characterisation techniques; integrated waste management systems and the management of industrial and organic waste; waste management models as a decision making tool for municipalities; waste management in developing countries; and lessons learnt from waste management projects.
The summer school in waste and climate change is aimed at practitioners, waste managers and regulators, professionals, companies in the waste sector as well as postgraduate students at tertiary education institutions.
*Dr Sally Frost is the College PRM: Science, Agriculture & Engineering at UKZN