Stroud organisations’ ‘Revolutionary’ solution to textile waste

Five respected organisations in Stroud are joining forces for a day-to-night event that aims to give fast fashion the boot while helping communities in the district to access affordable clothing.

Stroud Valleys Project (SVP), Trinity Rooms Community Hub, The Door, Transition Stroud and Creative Sustainability are taking over the Trinity Rooms on Field Road for Rewear Revolution, an event for Sustainable Fashion Week, on Saturday 27 September.

Bella Odigie, Kat Child, Josie Cowgill, Kerri Tyler and Helen Elliot-Boult are inviting people to join the Rewear Revolution!

There are two parts to the day: from 11am to 3pm, there’s a FREE clothes swap; stalls from The Door Shop, In Stitches and more; and drop-in workshops where experts demonstrate how to mend or upcycle clothes to last longer. Then, in the evening from 6pm, there’s a ‘trashion show’ of upcycled creations from the Transition Stroud Textiles Group; a curated collection of secondhand clothes available by donation; a panel of local fashionistas enjoying a chat about sustainable fashion; and tunes from DJ NYX of Big Sis DJs.

“We usually run community clothes swaps twice a year at Stroud Valleys Project,” explains SVP’s events coordinator Kerri Tyler. “They’re a lot of fun and a great way for people to give their wardrobe a boost sustainably and affordably… but they take an awful lot of time and resources!

Rewear Revolution

“This time round, we decided to go bigger and better and collaborate with some of the other brilliant organisations who work so hard for Stroud’s community, so we reach more people and swap more clothes, as well as raising funds so we can all continue to support the residents of our district.

“Rewear Revolution will include our hugely popular FREE clothes swap, but this time, there’s an additional ticketed evening event where we’ll be curating the ‘best bits’ of the swapped clothes, watching models strut their stuff in upcycled creations, hosting a panel of big names in local fashion to discuss their lives in sustainable fashion, and enjoying tunes from one of Stroud’s top DJs.

“We’re also offering a welcome drink to everyone who comes, thanks to Lansdown-based cocktail bar Holy Water and our award-winning supporter Stroud Brewery, and we’ve a licensed bar so people can savour a tipple while they’re browsing the clothes, watching the trashion show, or being inspired by our panel of guests.”

People are invited to bring their clean, good-quality clothes to SVP eco shop, next to Stroud Jobcentre, between Friday 19 and Friday 26 September in exchange for a token – “... but please count your clothes beforehand so we know how many items you can swap!” requests Kerri.

Then, on the day, Rewear Revolution will start at 11am and people can bring their token to swap for clothing items. The Door Shop will be selling items from their High Street shop; Nikki from the Fold will be running a patch-making workshop; Christina from In Stitches will be running demos of sewing machines; and Kat of Stroud Repair Café will be leading workshops along with other experts.

“This time, we’ll be combing through to select the ‘best’ items, which we’re then keeping aside for later,” explains Kerri. “People can still swap during our evening event, but we’ll be asking for donations too… so there’s one price if you’ve brought clothes to swap, and another if you haven’t brought anything to swap. Either way, you’ll be getting a bargain, as well as keeping clothes out of landfill and reducing the resources needed to make new clothes!”

Guests for the evening panel chat include Amelia Haywood of Lily & Me, which was voted Sustainable Brand of the Year by Boutique Magazine; Shalize Nicholas, formerly of Matia and Matilda and now involved in sustainability project Emergence Restock; and Alice Begg of print-proud Stroud fashion house Humphries and Begg.

The catwalk will be hopping with creativity for the ‘trashion show’, which will feature clothes and other textiles saved from landfill and given a quirky upcycled twist by Clare Sheridan and the Transition Stroud Textiles Group; models will include Stroud poet Jonny Fluffypunk. DJ NYX of DJ collective Big Sis will be spinning the tunes to keep the event buzzing.

There will also be a raffle of exciting prizes including a package of lifestyle supplements from Chalford-based healthcare company Invivo, wine from Brimscombe’s sustainable wine firm When in Rome, a £50 discount on a new sewing machine from In Stitches in Cainscross, and books mending from Quickthorn, a Stroud-based publisher focusing on craft and sustainability.

As Kerri puts it, “Whether you’re a Great British Sewing Bee fan who’d like to take the next step, a parent with a high turnover of costly children’s clothes, a sustainable style enthusiast, or just a fashionista who loves a bargain, you’re welcome: come and join the Rewear Revolution!”

Visit stroudvalleysproject.org/events to find out more about how to take part in Rewear Revolution and to buy a ticket for the evening.