ECO-FRIENDLY youngsters at a secondary school in Newquay have proved they can look good wearing any old rubbish - literally.
Year 7 pupils at Newquay Tretherras Academy took part in a green project to adopt new school blazers made almost entirely of recycled plastic bottles.
Now the entire year group is sporting the trendy jackets, with others set to follow soon if they wish.
The bottles, which would otherwise have been destined for landfill sites, are cleaned and have their labels removed before being ground down into chips which are melted. The mixture is then refined and woven into a soft but hard-wearing type of polyester.
The students worked alongside the school forum to pitch the idea to the board of governors, who were bowled over by the plan.
They then voted on a choice of emblem, eventually opting for the traditional Tretherras emblem and school motto 'Proba tene' – 'hold fast to that which is good' – rather than the more modern 'NT' logo.
Pupils in Year 7 told the Cornish Guardian they were delighted with the finished product as they showed the blazers off on Wednesday.
Karriad Shawcross, of the Tretherras School Forum, said: "We are excited that the governors agreed to adopt the new blazer. All students were consulted about the new uniform and embraced the opportunity to support the school's work on sustainability and do their bit to help the planet at the same time. The blazers are really smart and very comfortable."
The eco-blazers are made from a "quality polyester twill fabric", made from old plastic bottles, and a yarn is added to give the fabric a matt finish and a "really smart appearance", a school spokesman said.
The school has always sought to promote green issues and encourage pupils to think about the environment.
Head teacher Sue Martin said: "Tretherras has always promoted looking after the environment and ensure that young people care about the environment in which they live.
"The student body is very excited about the new look this gives to Tretherras and believes it is a real statement about their readiness to learn."
The blazers are available from Stud Sports of Newquay, who are now located at 10, Chester Court, at a subsidised rate. A staged payment plan is helping to spread the cost, the school spokesman said.
* High street giant Debenhams hit the headlines in 2009 after producing a range of women's suits made from recycled plastic bottles.
