Recycled rags are all the rage
Businesses, charities, students, volunteers and community groups will all join together this month for a fun fashion event that aims to highlight the problem of disposable fashion.
Taking place at the Town Hall in Oxford on 19 January (1pm – 7pm), ReFashion is a free event where people can bring their old clothes, buy a refashioned garment or learn crafting and repairing skills. Catwalk shows featuring students and themed performances will take place throughout the day.
‘Swishing’ is clothes swapping. People bringing clothes to the swishing area will be given one token per item. They can then exchange their token for another item of clothing that has been brought in by someone else.
Jenny Carr from the environmental sustainability team at Oxford City Council is one of the organisers of the event. She says: “I had this idea to do a clothes swapping event in the town hall and when I discussed it with colleagues in recycling the idea just snowballed! Fashion is fun, and that’s exactly what we want ReFashion to be about. I’m a keen crafter and love sewing so the event appeals to me on many different levels. I hope others will get enthused to and bring their old clothes along to repair, embellish, swap or simply recycle.”
In Oxfordshire around 3% of household rubbish is textiles. This adds up to over 8,000 tonnes of clothes, shoes and fabrics discarded every year which costs local councils over £660,000 to collect and dispose of.
Chairman of the Oxfordshire Waste Partnership Cllr Lorraine Lindsay-Gale says: “We’re so used to recycling our cans, bottles and paper, but we forget that there are many more items that can be reused and recycled too. Clothes are a perfect example of something that can be reused. Damaged, ripped and tatty clothes can all be recycled into upholstery or rags, but if they’re in good condition then it’s even better to get them worn again; especially if a charity can benefit too.”
People bringing clothes to the event will have the option of swapping them for free, passing them to a charity or agent to sell, finding out how to repair or decorate them or even transforming a favourite garment into something totally different. Clothes that are past their best will be used in the crafting area, and all fabric at the end of the event will be recycled. Even if people turn up empty handed there will be opportunities to purchase clothes, take part in a crafting activity or watch one of the fashion shows.
Lorraine adds: “Many people may have had a new injection into their wardrobe over Christmas or from shopping in the sales. Because of this they might want to get rid of their old outfits. By giving our unwanted clothes a new lease of life or letting them be recycled into something totally different, we’re not only reducing the environmental impact of fashion, we’re saving money and ensuring we stay looking stylish!”
More details
Organisations represented at the event will be:
- Against Breast Cancer recycling bras.
- Air Ambulance explaining textile recycling and the work they do with old clothes.
- Cutteslowe Primary School taking part in the fashion show.
- Cultural Criminals selling bags and accessories made from lorry tarpaulin
- Darn It and Stitch demonstrating simple alterations (small alterations possible on the day) and selling haberdashery and providing ideas for enhancing clothes.
- The Groundwork Thames Valley Green Schools Team teaching people how to make rag rugs.
- Helen and Douglas House selling second-hand clothes and taking part in the fashion show.
- I’ve Seen Action selling bags and accessories made from men’s suits
- Lenie’s Revival selling designer/high end clothes on behalf of others for a small commission and offering alterations (small alterations possible on the day).
- Lisa Curtis with hand crafted items made from old fabric.
- Made By Louloubelle will be selling handcrafted items including bags
- The Nappy Shed selling second-hand reusable nappies.
- Oxford and Cherwell Valley College taking part in the Fashion Show
- The Oxford Tailor offering alteration services (small alterations possible on the day)
- Textile charity TRAID will be carrying out crafting demonstrations using fabric scraps, making items such as finger knit necklaces. The TRAIDremade fashion brand will also be on the catwalk.
- Sobell House selling second-hand clothes and taking part in the fashion show.
- Volunteers from Low Carbon Headington, Oxford Local Environment Champions and Oxford City Council to man the Swishing (clothes swapping) area which will feature adults' and children’s clothes.
- Canalside Environment Group will be providing refreshments and homemade cakes.
Recycling textiles
Textiles cannot be put in the blue recycling bins, but recycling banks are available across Oxford. This information will be handed out to people at the event.
