The female residents of the settlement of Karmalka in Zainsky District create unique costumes from candy wrappers.

      The costumes were presented at the exhibition of the festival-competition "Cultural Code in Craft"

      In the amateur association "Khozyaushki," led by Natalya Spirchina, the women of Karmalka create their own clothes. The secret of their beauty is not in expensive materials, but in the heartfelt warmth the craftswomen put into every stitch. Imagine: women's, men's and children's costumes shimmering in all the colors of the rainbow, woven with memories of friendly gatherings.

      "Our costumes are unique in that you won't find them in any store, and the material is cheap and accessible," says Ilsiyar Khaliullina, director of the Karmalka House of Culture, showing a dress whose strict geometric pattern made of thousands of shimmering wrappers can be guessed, and then a skirt entirely woven from tea bags.

      But behind this incredible beauty lies a mission far deeper than mere aesthetics.

      "At the dump these tea bags do not decompose for many years, and we turn them into such clothing. So we fight not only for beauty, but also for the environment," explains Ilsiyar Khaliullina.

      Each costume is packaging rescued from long oblivion at the landfill, which has gained a new, bright life. And the magic always begins the same way — with tea.

      "We have tea parties in our club, and after that we begin to weave," says Ilsiyar Khaliullina. A mug of fragrant tea, a heart-to-heart conversation — and already in the skilled hands of the hostesses a new material for a future masterpiece is born.

      Life is bustling in the amateur association "Khozyaushki" under the leadership of Natalya Spirchina: here they sing, dance, weave costumes, and make trench candles for the military. And afterward — back to tea, and again the colorful wrappers light up in hands, ready to become part of a common beautiful cause.

      The appearance of the "Karmalka boutique" also has its own story, its own starting point: 2010. Back then the folklore ensemble "Ryabinyushka" was to perform on the big stage of the Energetik Palace of Culture, but there were no suitable costumes. A solution was found: they wove outfits from what was always at hand — from wrappers.

      "After the concert people came up to us to see what our costumes were made of, which shone so much on stage," recalls that star hour Ilsiyar Khaliullina.

      Now the fame of the incredible Karmalka costumes has spread far beyond the Zainsk area. Residents of other districts and cities often request masterpieces for their events and concerts.

      Thus, out of simple necessity and unbridled imagination, a miracle was born in an ordinary village club, becoming a vivid example of how art is born in the golden hands of craftswomen even from a simple candy wrapper.

      Irina Smirnova

      More news about the event:

      Residents of the settlement of Karmalka in the Zainsk district create unique costumes from candy wrappers

      The costumes were presented at the exhibition of the festival-competition "Cultural Code in Craft"

      In the amateur association "Khozyaushki," led by Natalya Spirchina, the women of Karmalka create their own clothes. 10:14 19.11.2025 Novosti Zainska - Zainsk

      Residents of the settlement of Karmalka in the Zainsk district create unique costumes from candy wrappers

      The costumes were presented at the exhibition of the festival-competition "Cultural Code in Craft"

      In the amateur association "Khozyaushki," led by Natalya Spirchina, the women of Karmalka create their own clothes. 09:42 19.11.2025 Zainsk-Inform - Zainsk