MARQUETTE -- Fashion designer Lanni Lantto has been busy this holiday season, cutting and stitching goods fit for even some of the trickiest gift receivers.
The products she is making are new, but their materials have already seen a whole other life.
"Why use new when there's so many fabrics out there?" said Lantto.
Taking something that already exists and making something else is the nuts and bolts behind the redesign philosophy. Whether it is making mittens and gloves from old sweaters or just a modern update on vintage clothing, Lantto says her products are gifts that speak.
"You're making a statement to who you give it to that you care where it came from, not supporting big business stores," Lantto added.
And if you're looking outside of the closet for a gift, Lantto isn't alone. At least a dozen other designers at Marquette's Zero Degrees Artist Gallery have the same idea, like Leonard Fieber, who creates furniture out of the beaver wood he collects in the forest.
"It helps me to create things; I've got different objects to work with," said Leonard. "I work with the shape the beaver left."
At the gallery, you can also find more adult and children clothing, accessories, furniture and even wall decor with a twist.
For more information about any of the artists at Zero Degrees Artists Gallery, check out their website.
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