Beanies, Belts & Bracelets : A Creative Sustainable, Upcycling Workshop

About this event

Join fellow sustainable fashion minded Chicagoans at CCRX for a FREE panel discussion and workshop. Event attendees will hear from multidisciplinary artists Dayo, Kristine Brandel and Warren Cole Ackerman about their experiences incorporating sustainable practices into their textile works. After the discussion, event attendees will get to try their hand at a variety of sustainable fashion projects with beanie, bracelet and belt making with the panel members!

Warren Cole Ackerman

Warren Cole Ackerman is a Chicago-based multidisciplinary artist working in fashion, film, and sculptural material exploration. He is the founder of AKS-FAB , an independent fashion label known for its one-of-one, upcycled garments created from unconventional and repurposed materials.

Cole's global upbringing deeply informs his approach to language, collaboration, and self-expression. His work challenges systems of waste and consumerism by transforming discarded materials into wearable art, reframing sustainability as both aesthetic and ethical practice.

Dayo

Dayo is a multidisciplinary artist based in Chicago, currently building his fashion brand, Òjìji . Rooted in his Yorùbá heritage and the beliefs of indigenous African societies, the brand reimagines these traditions through ready to wear and one of one pieces that push the culture forward. Dayo studied graphic design at Boston University, where he experimented with blending physical and digital media, creating mixed-media work inspired by his daily life and heritage. His designs pair traditional African weaving and fabrics with upcycled garments, merging his upbringing with contemporary sustainable fashion.

Kristine Brandel

Kristine Brandel is a Chicago based fiber artist. She has taught mending and a variety of other textile manipulation techniques to communities across the city through her collaboration with the Chicago Fair Trade Museum, Chicago Public Libraries and Chicago Creative Reuse Exchange. You can learn more about Kristine's work with CCRx here .