We’re delighted to be part of this years Community Programme for Sustainable Fashion Week 2023, hosting 3 free community events in Mitcham.
Did you know the average lifetime of a piece of clothing is only 2 .2 years, and three in five items of clothing will be discarded within one year. British citizens alone discard a million tonnes of textiles every year! That’s why we're on a mission to bring our worn out and damaged clothes back into use.
Sustainable Fashion Week brings communities together to take creative action and change the fashion system. There are many ways in which the system needs to change - but Sustainable Fashion Week has developed calls to action in four stand-out areas.
RECONNECT
· Reconnect yourself with the process of how your clothing is made
· Become an activist take action for change
· Reconnect with your community to share skills and knowledge
· Take a stand and be represented. Sustainable fashion must include and be accessible to people from all communities.
· Reconnect with the impact of overconsumption and join this movement for change
REWEAR
· Invest in preloved clothing to avoid buying new
· Host clothing swaps and share clothing with your networks
· Explore local rental schemes to avoid buying new
· Feel pride in wearing outfits again and again (and again!)
REPURPOSE
· Repair clothing, keeping it in use for longer
· Create new clothing with preloved textiles
· Keep textiles waste out of landfill by finding new uses for it
REGENERATE
· Choose organics, regenerative or recycled fibres, if buying new
· Centre garment workers’ rights and wellbeing when you choose where to shop
· Wash and care for clothing in a way that reduces its environmental impact
· Reject fast fashion – holding brands to account and demanding an end to fashion’s exploitation of people and planet
Our Sustainable Fashion Week Events
Repair Café – Sustainable Fashion Week Special
Saturday 30th September 2023
Canons House, Mitcham
In this special Sustainable Fashion week edition of the Repair Café, alongside our usual tech, small electronics, clothing and furniture repairers, we're having a Sewing Machine clinic! If you have a sewing machine that isn't quite working as you would like, bring it along! Our volunteer sewing experts will help you to fix common issues like threading and tension settings, or recommend local sewing machine services for a more in depth repair to get you sewing again.
Creative Mending Workshop
Wednesday 4th October 2023
Preloved Studio, Canons House, Mitcham
Join us this Sustainable Fashion Week for our morning workshop on Creative Mending. Bring along an item of clothing in need of repair and explore the many creative ways to approach mending your clothes.
Basic Alterations Workshop
Wednesday 4th October 2023
Preloved Studio, Canons House, Mitcham
Join us this Sustainable Fashion Week for our afternoon workshop on Basic Alterations, including shortening trousers and dresses, basic sleeve alterations, and button replacements. Bring along an item of clothing in need of small adjustments and explore how to alter your clothes so you'll want to wear them again and again!