Most artists have a favorite material they like to work with.For 28-year-old Kristen Alice, it happens to be garbage.The eco-friendly designer uses her incredible talent to transform garbage like empty drink bottles and candy wrappers into charming dresses that sell for thousands of dollars. Kristen says the idea came to her after she saw how much vaster she and her three college roommates generated on a daily basis.The Fine Arts student began to dream about transforming the deserted bags and packages into beautiful garments. Her first dress' made from plastic bags and rolled magazines was strange, fun and even charming.However, she only made it to test her creativity. The young designer did not consider starting a commercial venture until she spent a week working at Couture Fashion Week in New York City.There she observed the excitement generated by new and vintage looks and decided to see if her unusual idea would result in as much enthusiasm.She began by creating a line of 12 garbage-inspired dresses.They were a huge success. Today her company that has offices in Palm Beach, Florida and New York City, produces a wide variety of dresses ranging from cocktail dresses to ball gowns  .Kristen, of course, doesn't search garbage cans for her material anymore.Instead, she seeks it from companies that have produced more than they need and are planning to throw away the extras. However, if you think the garbage-inspired dresses come cheap, think again.The price for ready-made creations retails from $500 to $1,500.Though that may appear expensive, the designer says she has no shortage of customers.In fact she now even has garbage-inspired clothing for men that includes jackets, ties, trousers and even board shorts! While most of the clothes are strong enough to resist multiple wears, whether they can be cleaned is a little unclear: What made Kristen think of using trash as her favorite material?
Her poor living conditions at college. The education from her parents not to waste anything useful. Her roommates' advice of using garbage to replace ordinary material. Her consciousness of environmental protection and trained eyes.