Level 3 Fashion Textiles students from Wakefield College have teamed up with Community Foundation Wakefield District to create and help promote sustainable fashion across the district.

As part of this, the students have transformed clothes that have previously been donated to the charity’s shop or fabrics which would usually be sent to landfill to create new fashionable garments or accessories.

The items are now being displayed in the charity shop’s window in Wakefield, helping to encourage shoppers to buy second-hand items.

The garments will be sold as part of the charity’s Community Give Box, with the money raised going towards its Wakefield Fund which provides small grants to individuals, local communities and voluntary groups to help build better communities within the Wakefield District.

Student Ruby Lawton said about the project:

“I was excited to work with Community Foundation Wakefield District because I go to charity shops quite a lot and I’d seen people recycling yarn in different ways from charity shops."

"When we were asked to choose garments from The Give Box to make our pieces, I selected items that I could make into some sort of yarn to crochet with. I really enjoyed this project because it gave me the opportunity to practice new skills and recycle t-shirts and make them into something completely new.”

In addition to supporting the community, the project has helped to further develop the students’ skills in weaving, embroidery, crochet, knitting and fabric manipulation.

Lisa Milburn, Executive Director at Community Foundation Wakefield District, said:

“We try to promote sustainability in everything we do, so this collaborative project was perfect in terms of avoiding landfill, re-use, repurpose and giving something old a new lease of life. The students were brilliant, and several of them are now regular visitors to look at what they can upcycle and individualise from our range of clothes. The plan is to sell or auction the items the students have created to put funds back into the community.”

This is one of a number of projects the Art & Design department is working on in the Wakefield district, with further projects planned with Wakefield Museum looking at the history of Double Two - which will students design and make a shirt based on the theme of Wakefield.

The Level 3 Fashion Textiles programme is aimed at anyone who has a creative mind, wants to develop their design knowledge and skills, and has a real passion and desire to work in the creative industries.

Students are able to explore a wide range of techniques through the creation of textiles and fashion, with learners producing a self-initiated project and exhibition which showcases their creative work.