Recyclable Materials Used for Carnival Costume Wear

One solution helping defray costs is a group of entrepreneurs, who create Carnival costumes out of garbage: flowers, hats, and dresses. Haitian teens, part of Good Demen Haiti (GDH), are making flowers to adorn carnival hats, both made from recycled materials.

The members of the organization, at-risk youth, use plastic bottles delivered from waste collection centers in Port-au-Prince by garbage collectors. After thoroughly sanitizing the plastic containers the members work creating innovative art objects.

Artist, Gumo Lormeus, instructs the kids to deconstruct each bottle and make it into a flower, with leaves, petals, and pollinators. Once accomplished, the flower centers are made from bottle caps, attached, and the objects dyed in Carnival theme colors: white, yellow, and red. The plastic flowers will adorn Carnival hats, also created from waste refuse. This year the Ministry of Tourism has requested GDH to assemble 400 whistles, and 200 hats and dresses each.

A primary aim of GDH is to keep kids off the streets and away from gang activity. GDH is a place for kids to develop in a healthy environment and learn a life skill.

GDH produces household objects such as trivets and pots, and personal items like sandals and jewelry to fund their work.

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Read more: Art, Recycled Metal Art, Carnival of Flower, Recycling, Craft, Energy Environment

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