We had a great Swish last Thursday, it was a lot of work, but also a lot of fun!

It was a really nice way to spend the evening, whilst supporting this events charity, Burton and District YMCA and most importantly finding new homes for all those unloved clothes!

Thank you to Becky Freeman for coming along and providing reflexology sessions, thank you to Becky Smith who did all the photography on the night and the photography for Joelle’s latest fashion shoot and of course thanks to everyone who came along!

Joelle Harris our sewing expert explains why we swish

We all love to have new clothes to wear, but what does it cost?  The cost to us in financial terms, to the environment and those people who work in the industry.

There are lots of things to consider from the production of textiles, like growing cotton and making polyester, and all the alternatives.  The labour that goes into making our clothes, we have all heard about sweat shops and child labour.  Then there is what we do with the clothes once we have finished with them.

Maybe that’s why we tend to hang on to what is in our wardrobes, we think, I paid good money for that, I shouldn’t just throw it away.  Fortunately there are events now, like our swishing event, where the things in your wardrobe that are still in good condition can be swapped guilt free for something you would actually wear.

For those things that you have actually worn out, don’t bin it! It will end up in landfill, along with about 80% of Britian’s textile waste.  The trouble with this is that, polyester isn’t going to decompose for rather a long time and natural fibres will decompose and create methane.  Both bad for the environment. Put them in the textile bank instead, or send to your favourite charity shop.  What isn’t good enough to be resold, will stand a much better chance of being recycled.  Lots of clothing can be recycled, such as cotton and wool.  Polyester is the ultimate recyclable fibre, just chop it up and melt it down.  In fact the ultimate recyclable item of clothing is the fleecy!  Which can be made from plastic bottles in the 1^st place.

We run various upcycling workshops here at the making house.

You can take a jacket made in a lovely fabric, but no longer in fashion and redesign it into a wearable jacket, or waistcoat.  Alternatively cut it up and make a great new bag.

Joelle will be running a fantastic upcyled bag workshop

on Saturday 17th November 10 -4 £60

You will learn how to create a lined bag using recycled fabrics. I Love the jacket style bag, maybe I’ll do that with the pink suit I claimed at the swish…or maybe I’ll just wear it! (Price includes a home cooked vegetarian lunch)

Joelle gives talks on upcycling and ethical fashion to ladies groups, which includes a demonstration of how she begins to upcycle a jacket. Visit our ‘talks’ page for more details.