Upcycling - we want your fabrics
Fast Fashion has been the catalyst for a problem which has been brewing for a long time in the textile industry. Email us at the bottom of this page if you have unwanted items that you would like to donate to us.
Upcycling vs Recycling
It should be noted that upcycling is different from recycling.
Upcycling is reusing the same fabric and turning it into something else.
Recycling entails breaking down materials before they are reconstituted into something else. This is usually done in two ways; mechanically and chemically.
Mechanical recycling is when a fabric, such as cotton or wool, is shredded. Then the resulting fibre is woven into a new fabric.
Chemical recycling is when a fabric is treated with a chemical and then dissolved. The resulting fibre can then be mixed with other fibres to make a new fabric.
Recycling uses a lot of resources and – in the case of chemical recycling – utilizes harmful substances to create something new.
Upcycling isn’t as damaging to the environment and uses no other natural resources.
Just to confuse things, there is also downcycling which is to take old clothes and, instead of making them into something better, turn them into rags for cleaning.
Items we are looking for
We would be very grateful for you to gift any materials that can help us with our workshops. Please let a member of staff know what items you have to donate and they will advise you where we hold our recycling hub.
If you have any of the above items then please email
* with photos if possible