WORKSHOPS TO HELP SUSTAINABLE CLOTHING DRIVE

With an estimated 336,000 tonnes of used clothes discarded each year by UK households, the ‘Love Your Clothes’ Habits for Life project, developed by environmental charity WRAP, is launching this month in textiles hub, Leeds.

The two-year project, funded by the Garfield Weston Foundation, aims to reduce the environmental impact of clothing across the UK and influence a more circular approach to clothing by helping the Leeds community learn skills including sewing, repairing, alteration and refashioning at a series of summer workshops.

With WRAP’s research showing that almost three-quarters (73%) of UK consumers have the confidence to sew on a button and a third (35%) say they can darn or patch a hole Habits for Life hopes the workshops – led by a local network of ‘Super Crafters’ – will help change consumer behaviour as to how they buy and use clothes.

The charity is calling on the people of Leeds who are either keen to get the most wear out of their clothes or learn new skills, to get involved in the campaign. Skilled seamstresses, tailors, or those with experience in garment repairs can enlist as a ‘Super Crafter’ to help run the workshops.

Stephanie Campbell, Habits for Life Behavioural Change Project Manager at WRAP, said: “With more than half (55%) of UK consumers now recognising that the impact of clothing on the environment is severe, compared with just 35% in 2017[3], we hope the Habits for Life project will help support the Leeds community to upskill on repairing, altering, re-fashioning or upcycling clothing. These are all key life skills and play an important role in making sure that clothing continues to be worn again, helping to save the planet and the people’s money in the long run!

“With Leeds’ rich textiles history, we knew that it was the perfect location to launch the project and we’re excited to see it thrive here in West Yorkshire. Love Your Clothes has plenty of workshops planned throughout the project for everyone to get involved with and we will be working closely with our network of ‘Super Crafters’ to welcome many members of the local community to join them at our workshops later this year”.

Habits for Life is looking for skilled seamstresses and tailors to get involved and help promote sustainable behaviours around clothing. To find out more about the project or review criteria to become a Super Crafter, contact: LoveYourClothes@wrap.org.uk.

For more information on the ‘Love Your Clothes’ Habits for Life project, please visit: www.loveyourclothes.org.uk/habits-for-life