Innovation That Matters

Charity shop invites young designers to upcycle donated clothing

Nonprofit & Social Cause

We’ve written about companies who engage in upcycling to create scarves, bags, teddy bears, and more. Similarly, our latest spotting breathes new life into cast-off clothing, but adds a charitable twist. Launched by the Ted Noffs Foundation, Sydney-based One Noffs offers local aspiring fashion designers the opportunity to rework donated garments into one-of-a-kind designs, which are then sold to fund programs for disadvantaged kids. Participants receive a big bag of pre-loved clothing which they have three weeks to remanufacture, either at home or on One Noffs’ in-store sewing machine. A section of the foundation’s second-hand stores will be dedicated to these one-off designs. Each designer receives 20 percent of the sale price and their bio is added to the item’s swing tag. There’s nothing like one-of-a-kind designs to make consumers feel unique, but add stitch of upcycling, sew in a social cause element and the products become all the more desirable. (Related: T-shirts with a story, and a causeSalvation Army’s 50/50 project.) Spotted by: Gerard McLennan

Email: onenoffs@noffs.org.au

Website: www.noffs.org.au

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