Ai Ai Gasa is a Brooklyn based clothing boutique retailing all eco-friendly garments. Store owner Melanie McClintock created her own line are bomber jackets and jewelry that are constructed entirely from recycled umbrellas. The materials make her garments one-of-a-kind as well as practical for braving the elements. The inspiration for the garment and her materials came when she entered a design competition a few years ago:
"I designed a wedding dress for a rainy day which didn't win, but in preparation I spent weeks picking through trash cans with the help of friends, collecting over 100 umbrellas. With all these umbrellas cluttering my apartment, I decided to create something fun, hip and wearable out of them."
McClintock is taking her show on the road with a mobile pop-up shop which is set to traverse over 10,000 miles. She plans to host an umbrella drive in every city turning those finds into clothing, art pieces, and baubles to sell along the way. So what about the fuel used on that long trek you ask? To keep travel both eco-friendly and affordable, she'll be using a converted bus that runs on biodiesel or recycled cooking oil from local restaurants. Follow the adventures on the bus HERE (click images to enlarge)
