reCOUTURE at AAFW: tackling textile waste with Thread Together.
Australian fashion: it’s vibrant, distinctive and inspired. Our customers love getting around the latest trends, and we love helping them do it!
But there’s another side to the industry that demands our attention. A massive one-third of brand new clothes end up in landfill, while many people – one in eight adults and one in six children – struggle to access essential clothing.
It’s a major problem and one we all need to work together to solve.
This year, we partnered with Thread Together and #WeWearAustralian designers to launch reCOUTURE. The project gives new life to excess men’s suits – transforming them into bespoke, head-turning pieces fit for the runway.
We were so chuffed at the response to the project and the attention it drew to the critical issue of clothing waste. Read on to find out how it all went down and how you can help invest in a sustainable fashion future.
Who is Thread Together?
Australian charity Thread Together is an ethical response to fashion excess. They salvage brand new garments from the clutches of landfill doom and give them a second chance to make someone feel good.
Founded in 2012 by the visionary Andie Halas, Thread Together saw the potential in donating brand new unsold clothing rather than tossing it. Their mission is simple but powerful: provide clothing to those in need and protect our environment from fashion waste.
Today, Thread Together clothes thousands of people across the country every week. To keep clothing in circulation, they’ve woven together a strong network of forward-thinking fashion brands, charities, social service agencies and volunteers – a network we’re super proud to be part of.
The decision to use men’s suits for reCOUTURE came from Thread Together, who pointed out that there’s more supply than demand for office wear post-pandemic.
About the reCOUTURE campaign.
Partnering with Thread Together, our aim was to launch an innovative, meaningful project that would help mend the gaping hole in the fashion industry – the one separating excess clothing from the people who need it most.
With this in mind, we approached a stellar group of Australian designers to be part of a fashion deadstock challenge for Australian Afterpay Fashion Week (AAFW) in May 2023.
The designers were tasked with creating show-stopping outfits using only the excess stock. The result? A breathtaking display of creativity and sustainability that served as the closing looks in the AAFW #WeWearAustralian x Afterpay runway show (which quickly sold out, btw).
We’re so proud of the way reCOUTURE has helped demonstrate what’s possible when we re-imagine and recycle excess clothing. You can browse the final creations over on @wewear_australian’s Insta account and even shop the runway right now.
Meet the talented reCOUTURE designers.
The reCOUTURE challenge brought together a cohort of prominent #WeWearAustralian designers who absolutely knocked it out of the park. Here’s a taster on each creator, and their reCOUTURE creations.
@afterpayaunz Fashion waste is a major problem, one we need to work together to solve. We teamed up with @Thread Together 👕 #WeWearAustralian and #JordanGogos at #AAFW ♬ original sound - Afterpay AuNZ
Mariam Seddiq
Mariam Seddiq is a Sydney-based couture and jewellery designer known for her sculptural art-like silhouettes. Her handmade creations have a tribal flair inspired by her background and culture.
Jordan Gogos
Jordan Gogos is based in Sydney on Gadigal land, where he transforms repurposed, recycled and dead stock textiles into captivating, functional art and sculpture. He’s particularly compelled by denim and its potential for significance through age and deconstruction.
Auteur
Auteur by Lucinda Taffs was born from its founder’s love of vintage, creativity and female strength. One way it embraces sustainability is by using responsible fabrics at the design stage.
Bianca Spender
Bianca Spender is all about poetic energy, precise structures and sustainable operations. Her clothes display a quiet refinement through their enticing details and sophisticated construction.
ESSE studios
ESSE studios by Charlotte Hicks was the result of its creator’s desire to tackle fashion industry waste. Its timeless ready-to-wear pieces have been considered for you – empowering you to invest in less.
PALMA MARTÎN
PALMA MARTÎN creates romantic, mindful pieces that inspire longevity and reflect its founder’s passion for old-world art. Its considered collections transcend ‘trendy’ and venture into feminine empowerment.
Ginger & Smart
Ginger & Smart is a fashion-lifestyle brand that marries captivating, luxurious design with sustainable materials of the highest quality. Its artistic, environmentally conscious pieces are made to be worn time and time again.
Nobody Denim
Nobody Denim has been making premium, confidence-boosting denim staples since 1999. This world-famous brand is a leading advocate of responsible business practice, as seen in its longstanding commitment to ethical manufacturing and design.
Re/lax Remade
Re/lax Remade believes in making a difference and having buckets of fun in the process. Its unique, 80-inspired hats are made in a colourful Sydney workroom from pre-loved, individually sourced towels.
Bec + Bridge
Bec + Bridge invests in the future by ensuring its practices are kind to the planet and all people. Its dedication to greater sustainability, accountability and transparency is behind every decision the brand makes.
Kimbralou
Kimbralou transforms salvaged textile waste into imaginative, customised collections that accentuate your personal ‘it’ factor. In 2022, its deeply authentic and accepting approach to design earned it the top prize in our inaugural Inclusive by Design Program.
Choose sustainable clothing with Afterpay.
At Afterpay, we believe in fostering connections – finding common threads of shared interests with brands and our customers to help create a better future for our environment and communities.
So what can you do? Some ways to support ethical fashion include:
- Rethinking your shopping habits and choosing quality, eco-friendly materials (Afterpay is available on lots of sustainable clothing brands!)
- Making your clothes last longer by using repair and alteration services
- Donating to Thread Together, which helps provide clothing to those in need.
- Volunteer your time at Thread Together - make a difference to the lives of people doing it tough.
In doing so, you’ll be reducing waste and leaving a lighter footprint on this precious planet we call home. Let’s make fashion more fabulous, sustainable and socially conscious, one stitch at a time!
