I like what Rosie Martin has to say in this video;...

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Your daily source of inspiration for creative reuse and mindful consumption.

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[Background on, & press coverage of, Unconsumption can be found here and here.]

Consumption is a word used to describe acts of acquisition – generally, the acquisition of things, in exchange for money.

Unconsumption is a word used to describe everything that happens after an act of acquisition.

Unconsumption is an invisible badge.

Unconsumption means the accomplishment of properly recycling your old cellphone, rather than the guilt of letting it sit in a drawer.

Unconsumption means the thrill of finding a new use for something that you were about to throw away.

Unconsumption means the pleasure of using a service like Freecycle (or Craigslist, Goodwill, or Salvation Army) to find a new home for the functioning DVD player you just replaced, rather than throwing it in the garbage.

Unconsumption means enjoying the things you own to the fullest – not just at the moment of acquisition.

Unconsumption means the pleasure of using a pair of sneakers until they are truly worn out – as opposed to the nagging feeling of defeat when they simply go out of style.

Unconsumption means feeling good about the simple act of turning off the lights when you leave the room.

Unconsumption is not about the rejection of things, or the demonization of things. It’s not a bunch of rules.

Unconsumption is an idea, a set of behaviors, a way of thinking about consumption itself from a new perspective.

Unconsumption is free.

CONTRIBUTORS:

Founder & Editor: Rob Walker, journalist, Savannah, GA

Editorial & Community Manager: Molly Block, marketing and business development geek, Houston, TX

Brian W. Jones, designer & writer, Göteborg, Sweden

Kashvi Kumar, Environmental Studies and Economics major at New York University

Deirdre Nelson, ever threading artist, Glasgow, Scotland

Shanna Trenholm, writer. catalyst. force of nature. San Diego, CA

* * *

Alumnus & Unconsumption logo creator: Clifton Burt, graphic designer, Portland, OR

Further information about Unconsumption can be found here.

11:51 am - Sun, Jun 3, 2012: 87 notes

I like what Rosie Martin has to say in this video; I haven’t seen her book, but her attitude about the relationship between making and meaning is pretty cool.

A DIY revolution has been sweeping over the blogosphere for a while now, creating a legion of crafting enthusiasts looking to make for themselves the things that they see in stores, or wish that they did. We’ve seen a lot of jewelry and accessory how-to’s, in addition to an abundance of home goods and gifts – but what about clothes?

If you haven’t had much experience with sewing and patterns, the whole premise can be pretty intimidating. Rosie Martin’s book DIY Couture: Create Your Own Fashion Collection will help you to conquer that confusion with simple, visual instructions and cool styling. The DIY Couture collection is comprised of 10 stylish, easy to make pieces of clothing that you can recreate in your favorite fabrics, textures and colors.

Create Your Own Collection With DIY Couture - PSFK