In a world drowning in fast-fashion waste, a grassroots movement in Worthing, U.K., is proving that creativity can be a powerful solution.
Activists Kathy Kohl and Sally Lemsford of Climate Resilience Centre Worthing (CREW) have launched the RE-loved Worthing Style Challenge, an upcycling initiative turning discarded textiles into fashion statements, Sussex World reported.
Now on display at Colonnade House, the exhibition showcases reimagined clothing, including designs from "The Great British Sewing Bee" contestant Catherine Woolley.
The challenge called on Worthing's most inventive upcyclers of 2024, inviting them to revive garments through repair, embellishment, printing, dyeing, and restructuring. Kohl and Lemsford spearheaded "Stitch it, Don't Ditch it" sewing sessions, offering a collaborative space where participants learned new skills and shared ideas. Supported by a Creative Commissions grant, the project has culminated in a three-day exhibition.
"The exhibition is to highlight the problems and give solutions," Kohl said.
Beyond clothing, the exhibit features all kinds of transformed textiles, from tea towels repurposed into bags to worn-out clothes turned into cushions. Woolley, known for her BBC One appearance in May 2023, reworked pillowcases into a colorful pair of trousers.
Other participants also found creative ways to extend the life of their wardrobes. Gina Deen refreshed an outdated coat by shortening it and reversing it to highlight its striking coral lining; Lemsford reshaped too-tight trousers into a skirt and salvaged her father's moth-eaten jumper by layering and hand-stitching it with red wool.
The "Stitch it, Don't Ditch it" sessions will continue throughout 2025, offering a space where people can bring in old garments and work with donated materials. "When the cafe closes … we take over, and we are there with boxes full of buttons and threads, and a sewing machine, and people can bring in whatever they want to work on. We are not experts, but it is about ideas," Kohl added.
Kohl and Lemsford stress that with the environmental cost of fast fashion rising and textile recycling systems struggling, hands-on solutions like upcycling are more important than ever.
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Set strict regulations 🚫 Since launching the sessions at CREW in September 2023, they've built partnerships with local charity shops and community groups to help people of all skill levels refresh and repurpose clothing.
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CREW's sustainability efforts extend beyond fashion. They're expanding their work into community education, including energy advice sessions at Ann Street Social Shop & Tea Room.
By fusing sustainability with creativity, CREW is positioning Worthing as a U.K. hub for tackling fashion waste — proving that local action can have a global impact.
For those inspired to take action, upcycling is an easy way to start reducing fashion waste. Try repairing or altering old clothes instead of discarding them, swapping outfits with friends, or supporting secondhand and sustainable fashion brands.
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