I have to make tunics out of newspaper for costumes in a play.....?

Question

How would you go about making them?
They have to be:
- Large enough to be worn by adults: from petite to XXL
- Tatty looking but not to rubbish; we are portraying homeless people and the outfit shows how they really do have nothing to live on, but if they are are too rubbish it will just look makeshift
- STRONG! These costumes are being used by people with learning disabilities and/or physical disability...many of which will not listen to me if I tell them to be extra careful! We dont really move around a lot in the homeless scenes but we do move a bit.
-Easy to make. I'm probably going to end up making about 20 or more!

Just for a visual idea- heres the kind of shape I would want it to be:
http://www.foundationgarmentsinc.com/img/med/asymmetrical_tunic_front.jpg

Obviously not pink though ;P

Answer 1

This is a job for duct tape!
Seriously, you can make each costume to fit the person who'll wear it by laying strips of duct tape, overlapping slightly, onto the newspaper, then turn it over so the newspaper shows.
To fit the costumes, use more duct tape, on the inside, to hold the pieces together. Add extra duct tape as needed at stress points. If the costumes will be used more than once, it's easy to cut them open and retape them closed.
It's essentially the same idea as laminating, but cheaper, and less work.
Hey, what says "poor" better than clothing held together with duct tape?

Answer 2

I would laminate them and then just sew them on.. then I would glue more newspaper over that so it isn't shiny.