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The Salvation Army are celebrating second-hand fashion with an evening of up-cycling and re-purposing clothes in their community café.
Islanders are invited to the Salvation Army café on Tuesday 15 November to learn how to repurpose old jeans, make hair scrunchies from unwanted clothes, repair old clothes with embroidery and take advantage of shopping in the Salvation Army charity shop.
The idea behind the event is to highlight the impact that the fast fashion industry has on our planet, and to encourage people to think about their unwanted clothes and repurpose them into something new.
Pictured: Event attendees can repurpose or embroider old denim items.
The Salvation Army has 60 clothing bins across Jersey which divert more than 99% of unwanted textiles away from landfill.
Anything from clothes, shoes and bags to old bedding and towels can be placed in the bins.
Good quality items are sold to raise funds for the charity's local community work, while any unsellable clothing is repurposed and reused into products such as household insulation and cleaning materials.
Pictured: Emily Smith, the Salvation Army’s Community Centre Manager.
Emily Smith, community centre manager for the Salvation Army, said: "I made a conscious decision four years ago to stop buying new clothes to try and reduce my impact on the environment. I am now an avid charity shopper and love the idea of finding a real treasure at a bargain price in a charity shop. I want to show people that you can look good whilst shopping second-hand.
"The fast fashion industry has a huge impact on our planet from the water used to produce denim and cotton, the carbon emissions created to make our clothes, deforestation and textile waste. It’s really important people understand what effect buying new clothes has on our environment.
"I love this idea of repurposing something I no longer wear into something new, like taking an old t-shirt and making it into something like a hair scrunchie. I hope the evening will be fun, an opportunity to learn new skills and grab a bargain from our charity shop."
Pictured: There will be a chance to create jewellery pouches and scrunchies from unwanted clothes.
Saskia von Mahren, who teaches the Upcycling Fashion evening course at Highlands College, will be offering tutorials in repurposing clothes over the course of the evening.
Saskia said: "I was bought up by women making clothes for me but I was always too scared to try it myself. When I was older and started buying my own clothes I always struggled to find clothes that I liked or fitted me so I bought my first sewing machine and started to sew. Very quickly I was totally hooked. I realised I was able to do it just as my mother and grandmothers had done.
"I have always been passionate about style and our planet and I always shop secondhand as much as I can. Now I tailor and repurpose clothes that I own which makes me love them again and get more wear out of them.
"I currently teach an evening course at Highlands College which teaches people how to upcycle clothes. It is my mission to inspire and encourage others to take up this creative and practical hobby but remain stylish and have fun with it."
The up-cycling event is due to start at 18.30 on Tuesday 15 November in the Salvation Army café on Minden Street and finish at 21:00. The charity shop will also be open between 19:00 and 21:00.
All of the money raised on the evening will be used to help fund the charity’s community work in Jersey. Tea, coffee and a selection of non-alcoholic drinks and cake will be available to buy in the café.
Tickets to the event are free and available via Eventbrite.
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