Filipino designer showcases creations made from recyclable materials

A designer, together with his partner, proved that there is 'gold in garbage' through his world-class creations made from recyclable materials.

The designer and makeup artist, Roseller Cagas, also known as Nivil Arsy – dubbed the 'ecoqueen' and 'ecovlogger' of their town – hails from Pagadian City, Zamboanga del Sur. Meanwhile, his partner, Jemie Apare, is a photographer and artist.

They both advocate for the 'Trash to Class' initiative, where they create costumes using trash such as snack wrappers, plastic bottles, caps, and soda cans. Netizens were captivated by the costume-making process, resulting in 196,000 reactions and over four million views on the designer's Facebook and TikTok pages.

Nivil started creating designs in 2014, and now he has crafted countless costumes. He and his partner personally gather materials from streets and junk shops.

Nivil explained, "It's different when you're an eco-lover. Whenever we see trash, regardless of what people might say, we pick it up, even from the trash bins. Sometimes, we also go to junk shops."

He mentioned that the trash is literally dirty, and they have videos showing the collection and processing. They firmly believe in the saying "there is money in garbage."

Their costumes are used in local pageants within their province and have even been showcased on national and international stages, including Vietnam.

Creating a single design takes about three to four months, reflecting Nivil's intense dedication to his craft.

He also owns Guna's Diseños, a shop where his creations can be rented. He shared, "I am a gown shop owner... because I am a coordinator. So, this is my main business. In my shop, aside from the costumes, we have wedding dresses, rental gowns, and tuxedos. It's an all-around business."

Additionally, the partners create lace, plaques, frames, DIY bouquets, and souvenir items, using indigenous materials like cacao leaves and corn husk.

Nivil emphasized the importance of protecting the environment and encouraged turning recyclable materials into unique creations. He stated, "We have a lot of trash... So, I really encourage using creations made from recycled materials. It looks more unique if you use different materials.

Source: ABS-CBN News