Peace By Pieces

Peace By Pieces

NOLA Designer Traci Claussen REpurposes Your Morning Latte

By Rebecca Marshburn

One medium Chai latte… A small black coffee to go… A double shot of espresso. So goes the morning conversation for the barista at your local PJ’s Coffee shop. That is, until the day entrepreneurial designer and repurposing extraordinaire Traci Claussen has her turn at the counter. Along with her decaf southern pecan iced mocha, Claussen requests the used and discarded burlap sacks the PJ’s coffee beans arrived in. Her order not only catches the attention of the sleepy barista, it also catches the attention of eco-conscious style mavens for the fashionable forms the burlap sacks become through Claussen’s chic ingenuity.

The burlap bean sacks, transformed by Claussen into beach bags, totes, clutches, and dresses, were the catalyst to creating her company REpurposingNOLA in 2009. For the past two years, the designer has been placing her morning order at PJ’s in this same way, converting the transport sacks into fashion-forward and eco-conscious clothing and accessories.

Inspired by the wealth of found and reusable materials in New Orleans, Claussen gives new life to old things, crafting limited edition, excitingly wearable pieces. Her repurposed repertoire utilizes much more than burlap bags.  Every feature of her clothing and accessories lines is a reincarnation of other materials—whether the leather purse straps of your bag came from a thrift-store found belt, or the halter top of your dress from a previously worn men’s oxford shirt.

Each of Claussen’s creations has evolved from something else in New Orleans. Claussen, like her creations, is herself continually growing and changing, “Everything with me is a constant evolution, a constant flux of how we can make [things] better.” A triple-bottom-line company, REpurposingNOLA’s intention is not only to make their clothing line better, but also to better their community and the world. Claussen works toward that goal by exclusively employing local workers and production methods, and by promoting sustainability through the creative reinvention of salvageable materials.

Proud to be a part of New Orleans, Claussen is keen on sharing her love of the city. As long as there are reusable materials to be revitalized, she will continue to resurrect them- giving them new lives as stylish eco-wear. Each of REpurposingNOLA’s creations is a relic from The Big Easy, and Claussen intends on repurposing salvageable material into fashion-savvy works until everyone can wear a piece of New Orleans.

REpurposingNOLA’s latest line is a limited edition street-style collection. Check it out at their website repurposingnola-piece-by-peace.com and catch up with their blog over your morning latte at repurposingnola.blogspot.com.

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