University News Last updated 26 May
Birmingham City University (BCU) and Birmingham Hospice are working together to support the national Mend It May campaign to give clothing a second life and raise money for a local charity.
Students from BCU’s Fashion and Textiles courses worked with stock from Birmingham Hospice’s Reloved Brum charity superstore in Harborne, transforming discarded garments into unique, bespoke fashion pieces.
Mend it May, an initiative from Sustainable Fashion Week, encourages people to repair, reuse, and reimagine their clothing through sewing and textile techniques, helping to reduce waste and challenge the culture of fast fashion.
“Watching the garment gradually transform also changed my relationship with it," said Maria Penaloza, BA Textile Design student at BCU. “To the point that I even created a character to tell its story!
“Through experimentation, I began to appreciate its qualities and learned how materials interact across techniques.
“I am inspired to transform garments and share these techniques with others, encouraging people to value discarded items rather than letting them end up in landfill.”
The finished designs will be displayed in store before being showcased at the Reloved Brum Fashion Show on 5th June.
“We are thrilled to be involved in this exciting project,” said Ed Blackwell, Store Manager at Reloved Brum. “It’s clear to see Birmingham has some incredibly talented fashion creators!”
“Seeing donated garments transformed into completely unique pieces has been inspiring for both our team and customers.
“Projects like this show how charity retail can support sustainability, creativity and the local community all at the same time.”
Zoe Hillyard, Senior Textiles Lecturer at BCU said: "It has been so enjoyable seeing how customisation and repair skills have built a strong bond between each textile design student and their salvaged garment.
“Being introduced to heritage hand-stitching skills like gold work, sachiko and needle weaving, the project explored what can happen when you work directly on one garment for a month.
“The outcomes are joyful and unique celebrations of technical and creative experimentation!"