Tamworth's Sustainable Fashion Week

I was excited to be asked by our local borough council to host a stall in the town centre dedicated to Sustainable Fashion Week. As a member and local ambassador for the organisation from its beginnings in 2020, I have supported their community fringe events each year. My business has been recognised as a forerunner of grass roots sustainable fashion both in the UK and overseas for over twenty years and so every opportunity I get to showcase what I do in my hometown is a bonus.

Another plus was that I would be joined throughout the day by members of our Mending Circle who would bring along their clothing repairs to help demonstrate ways to extend the lifespan of garments.

We were given a large double gazebo and tables in the heart of the town centre, St Editha's Square and would have been set up next to the now famous, Spud Man - except he didn't show up! This meant of course reduced footfall that day apart from those people who had travelled to visit him but instead of a jacket potato received lessons in clothing repair.

The sun came out for us though and we were joined by several interested passers by, many of whom discussed their own mending and second-hand shopping habits. There's still a long way to go to convince the majority of shoppers to look at ways of repairing clothes before buying new. Or, to choose second-hand first, having a fashion conscience isn't everyone's priority. Cost is often used as an excuse; it's cheaper to buy new than 'have something repaired'. Time is then used as the second excuse, 'there's no time to do it myself'. By sitting out on the street and showing ways to fix a zip or a hem we could hopefully prove that neither is the case. Often, all that is needed is a needle and thread and you can mend in so many places at the same time as having a coffee with a friend, watching TV or sitting on a train.

It was also good to connect with other traders on the day including one of our favourites, Sarah of Gayton's Bakery who's jeans I repaired on the day. Eden delivered the mending and had a treat from the stall :-)

Thanks to Tamworth Borough Council for allowing us to celebrate Sustainable Fashion Week in our town centre and lets hope we were able to persuade more people to choose love not landfill.