Oxfam

Oxfam is currently leading the way in charitable sustainable fashion initiatives.
Joining forces with Marks and Spencer to encourage consumers to donate their unwanted M&S clothing to Oxfam in return for vouchers off new Marks and Spencer purchases.

The above (bin bag) image was taken on a visit to the wastesaver plant in Huddersfield, West Yorkshire. The bags of clothes delivered here are just one of the many daily deliveries, all sorted by hand and then sent on to the relevant Oxfam outlet to be sold.

(Top photo of the Oxfam in Camden, London. Photo to the left - flyer advertisement for the Marks and Spencer and Oxfam Clothing Exchange).

Taken from the s/s 09 Ecologist magazine Oxfam has five areas highlighting 'eco' and ethical fashion design.
Loved for Longer

Fairtrade

Reinvented

Made with Love

Good Fashion Sense

How To Donate Your Unwanted Clothing

There are many ways to donate your unwanted clothes to charity. Donation bags can be collected from your local charity shop and are often delivered to your house. Large boxes are located in all communities and can usually be found near recycling bins for more popular recyclables such as plastic and paper. Where the clothes and shoes are to be donated please make sure they are in good condition.

Clothes that are stained, worn or damaged try making them into cloths or more domestic textile products or find your nearest textile recycler - this will often be called 'downcycling' - but doing the same job as the 'rag and bone men' of a previous time.

MA Fashion & the Environment

I have been offered a place to study on the MA Fashion and the Environment at London College of Fashion to start September 2009.

Essential Upcycling Companies

Junky Styling

12 Dray Walk

The Old Truman Brewery

91 Brick Lane

London

E1 6RF

Raeburn Design
Stocked at:

LIBERTY

Christopher Raeburn AW09 Menswear available exclusively at Liberty from September 2009

www.liberty.co.uk

BROWNS FOCUS

Christopher Raeburn AW09 Womenswear available at Browns Focus from September 2009

www.brownsfashion.com

From Somewhere

341 Portobello Road

London

W10

Goodone

Stocked at:

Laden Showrooms

103 Brick Lane,

London

E1 6SE

Unique Boutique

The Triangle Shopping Centre,

Exchange Square,

Manchester,

M4 3TR

Fabrications

7 Broadway market,

Hackney,

London,

E8 4PH

Bolshie

57 Bank Street,

Glasgow

G12 8NF

Bread n Honey

205 Whitecross Street,

London

EC1Y 8QP

Jeans UPcycle

As well as unwanted garments of good quality, garments that are slightly damaged or stained can also be used as source material for upcycling.

The areas of staining and damage can be cut or folded out to manuipulate the good quality fabric and transform the shape into a more desirable unique garment of higher value.

The example here: taking a pair of worn out mens jeans with a broken zip, ripped seam and worn down hem.

Transforming them into an unusual denim dress, making a feature of the stitching and pocket detail.

1 Garment - 5 Days - 5 Ways

Taking one trench coat and wearing it every day for 5 days.

Each evening I transformed the shape, neither adding nor taking away any fabric from the original garment.

This alteration and transformation journey aims to highlight the potential variety within one item of clothing and to encourage creativity to extend the life cycles of garments that are no longer desired.

Reduce
Reuse
Recycle

UPcycling: Make an impact
(but not on the environment)

Xhibit

University of the Arts London annual exhibition 'Xhibit' requested sustainable entries for the 2009 show. My garment, selected to be in the exhibition, is an upcycled dress made from 3 pairs of trousers that had been donated to Oxfam.

For more information about UAL and Xhibit click here