Future Fashion \ TRAID

 In Ethical Fashion, Journal, My Wardrobe, Social Change

Lyla Patel at TRAID Lyla Patel, Head of Education at TRAID

Back in April last year I was joined at Shoreditch House by Lyla Patel from the Textile Recycling for Aid and International Development charity TRAID.

For every garment TRAID collects for re-use and re-sale in the UK, TRAID make a positive impact on someone’s life, somewhere in the world. Lyla Patel runs TRAID’s Education Department, working directly with thousands of children, young people, teachers and customers every year. Lyla delivers a programme of lectures and participatory workshops for all ages, designed to unpick the issues around ethical fashion, clothes recycling, the environment and world poverty.

We did an interview where we talked all things clothing donation, it turns out it isn’t as simple as you think.. Do listen to the interview to find out why I would always recommend finding a TRAID bank for your clothing and textiles.

As well as talking we did a workshop where our guests got to work on something from their own wardrobe. I took the sleeves off this fantastic dress that I had picked up from a vintage store, and designer Ada Zanditon made me a special up-cycled collar. You can see the final results in this blog post.

And of course I asked Lyla to share three of her rules to dress by, they are:

1. Clear out your wardrobe and donate it all to TRAID.  Once you have got rid of the clothes you never wear, don’t really fit and don’t really like you’ll be able to assess and value of the good clothes you have.

2. Shop at TRAID. Refill your wardrobe, but with handpicked second hand fashion. Try out more than one store, they are all different and constantly changing. Keep your eyes peeled for the legendary TRAID sales!

3. Skill yourself. Come to one of TRAID’s Sew Good workshops and mend, remake or upcycle a garment with us. Improving your skills will insure your clothes last longer, get a new lease of life and allow you to buy more great second hand stuff! If you like, you can join the mailing list: sewgood@traid.org.uk

Here is the video from our interview, you can listen to the full 24 min podcast and the rest in the series on the Future Fashion page.

 + Listen to the podcast at my Future Fashion page

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Tara Starlet