Meegan Czop of Rebuilding Exchage

Rebuilding Exchange / Crafted in Carhartt

Rebuilding Exchange / Crafted in Carhartt

Rebuilding Exchange / Crafted in Carhartt

Rebuilding Exchange / Crafted in Carhartt

Rebuilding Exchange / Crafted in Carhartt

Rebuilding Exchange / Crafted in Carhartt

Rebuilding Exchange / Crafted in Carhartt

Rebuilding Exchange / Crafted in Carhartt

Rebuilding Exchange / Crafted in Carhartt

Rebuilding Exchange / Crafted in Carhartt

Rebuilding Exchange / Crafted in Carhartt

Rebuilding Exchange / Crafted in Carhartt
Rebuilding Exchange / Crafted in Carhartt

Rebuilding Exchange / Crafted in Carhartt

Rebuilding Exchange / Crafted in Carhartt

I think there are a lot of women (myself included) who often feel as though they are without a voice; be it in the workplace, the construction site, on the range, in social media, or during everyday life. It can be infuriatingly overwhelming to stand against the dialogue that already dictates those venues and arenas: the ideas that men are better leaders, women can’t perform as well in tough, blue-collar jobs, or even that women are better suited to clerical tasks rather than being out on the field.

Women, let’s stick together and raise our voices simultaneously to create a new discussion. We are capable. We are strong. We can swing a hammer or wield a crowbar. We can be contractors and painters and cattle ranchers and mechanics and engineers. We can do whatever job we want. We can lead, and we can do it well. WE CAN.

That brings me to Meegan Czop and the folks at Rebuilding Exchange. Many women there fill roles that are typically considered a man’s job. Meegan spends time on the ground scavenging through demolition sites for materials that can be resold through the non-profit to the public for re-use. It’s a tough job and she’s often the only woman to step foot in the work zone.

I tagged along on a trip she made to a Chicago warehouse that was ruined by fire a few months ago. With a jump in her step, she explores areas that would make most people nervous. A job that requires an adventurous spirit requires a special person. Meegan is changing the dialogue of what women are capable of with the elbow grease she puts into every day, the hard work she does to preserve and better the community, and the way she defies stereotypes with confidence and competence.

Meegan is wearing: Carhartt Women’s Force Performance Verdon Polo & Series 1889 Slim-Fit Double Front Denim Dungaree

Leslie Vigeant of Material Rescue League

Trash into Art on Crafted in Carhartt
Trash into Art on Crafted in Carhartt
Trash into Art on Crafted in Carhartt
Trash into Art on Crafted in Carhartt
Trash into Art on Crafted in Carhartt
Trash into Art on Crafted in Carhartt
Trash into Art on Crafted in Carhartt

Trash into Art on Crafted in Carhartt

Visiting a city dump is an eye opening revelation to those who haven’t had an opportunity to see the path that waste follows once it’s left homes and businesses in the surrounding area. Endless piles of what most consider trash fill the gigantic rooms of the facility. Those heaps are destined to filtered, compacted, and shipped to the nearest landfill. The Portland dump has a different approach. They have programs that allow artists and others to sort through trash that has been safely filtered through the system so that they can recycle their finds. I saw plenty of things that could be reused and made new again as I made my way through the mountains of junk.
Just ask artist Leslie Vigeant. Her project the Material Rescue League incorporated her precious finds from the dump. Leslie collected non-recyclable items and rehabilitated them into boutique products. Take a look at the final photo posted above, with interesting colors and materials packaged and displayed with care, all in the name of art and making the world a better and cleaner place.
As the birthday of this nation rolls around, keep those in mind who go out of their way to preserve the beauty of America. Be motivated by strong women like Leslie, who aren’t daunted by piles of stinky trash. Find the beauty in everything and use a little elbow grease to help others see that beauty as well.

Take a look at Leslie’s work gear: Carhartt Women’s Minot Shirt, Clarkston Cami Tank, Relaxed-Fit Canvas Kane Dungaree, & Carhartt Women’s Quick Flex Glove

DIY: Men’s Pocket Tee Into A Dress

DIY Carhartt men's Tee
DIY Carhartt men's TeeDIY Carhartt men's TeeDIY Carhartt men's TeeDIY Carhartt men's TeeDIY Carhartt men's TeeDIY Carhartt men's TeeDIY Carhartt men's TeeDIY Carhartt men's Tee

We all have big T-shirts shoved into the back of our closets. With up-cycling being such a craze, I’m constantly searching for my next DIY project. Old T-shirts are a perfect beginning to a cheap, creative outlet. In the photos above, I laid out the steps of turning a Men’s Carhartt Pocket T-shirt into a women’s dress.

I wore my new hybrid dress with a hybrid Carhartt Sweat Jacket. It’s part sweatshirt, part jacket. The Sherpa Sweat Jacket is super comfy and still figure flattering. There’s an adjustable drawstring inside to enhance the natural waist. What more can you ask for? Comfortable and stylish? I’ll take it!

Cynthia of RX Made in Chicago

Rebuilding Exchange and Carhartt

Rebuilding Exchange and Carhartt

Rebuilding Exchange and Carhartt

Rebuilding Exchange and Carhartt

Rebuilding Exchange and Carhartt

Rebuilding Exchange and Carhartt

Rebuilding Exchange and Carhartt

Rebuilding Exchange and Carhartt

Rebuilding Exchange and Carhartt

Rebuilding Exchange and Carhartt

Rebuilding Exchange and Carhartt

Rebuilding Exchange and Carhartt

Rebuilding Exchange and Carhartt

Rebuilding Exchange and Carhartt

Remember Meegan from Rebuilding Exchange in last week’s post? She goes out to deconstruction sites and sources materials that can be repurposed. A lot of the goodies Meegan brings back to Rebuilding Exchange go to RX Made, where Cynthia and the crew upcycle the salvaged materials. They turn wood and other odds and ends that would have been thrown out into tables, mirrors, benches, etc. Each piece is so unique and filled with history.

Cynthia is a powerhouse in the workshop. Not only does she run the shop, she also teaches classes on how to operate machinery and build repurposed furniture. I was blown away by her vast skill set.

Gotta love girls with power tools! Find out more about RX Made here.

Meegan Czop of Rebuilding Exchange

Rebuilding Exchange and Carhartt

Rebuilding Exchange and Carhartt

Rebuilding Exchange and Carhartt

Rebuilding Exchange and Carhartt

Rebuilding Exchange and Carhartt

Rebuilding Exchange and Carhartt

Rebuilding Exchange and Carhartt

Rebuilding Exchange and Carhartt

Rebuilding Exchange and Carhartt

Rebuilding Exchange and Carhartt

Rebuilding Exchange and Carhartt

Rebuilding Exchange and Carhartt

Meegan is the Director of Business Development at Rebuilding Exchange in Chicago, which is a non-profit organization that finds, repurposes, and sells reclaimed materials. Most of the materials come from deconstruction sites. Rebuilding Exchange keeps would-be garbage out of landfills to sell for a fraction of what they would cost brand-new, lending a hand towards the emerging green economy.

Meegan has been with the company since day one. She often goes out into the field to hunt for materials and dreams up creative ways to reuse them. Her background in historic restoration made her a natural fit for her occupation. This restoration of a new nature allows materials to pass from one location to another, filled with stories of the past and possibilities for different uses in the future.

Yesterday, I tagged along as Meegan and her dog, Boomer, went out to a deconstruction site. The house had materials in it that were more than a century old. Demolition jackpot! We loaded some of the lumber into her trusty Silverado and headed back to Rebuilding Exchange to get it ready for resale. The warehouse is so huge, Meegan skateboards from task to task to save time. I’m a huge fan of the organization and all the people who devote so much of their time to making the world cleaner, more purposeful space.

Find out more about Rebuilding Exchange here.