Winchester fashion students upcycle charity donations into coats

Unwanted fabric donated to charity clothing banks has been transformed into a collection of coats.

Fashion design students from the University of Southampton’s Winchester School of Art repurposed about three tonnes of old curtains and blankets for the project.

The scheme, called The Future You, Future Fashion, saw the garments upcycled to promote sustainable fashion.

Sold in Salvation Army shops, the coats raised more than £5,000 for the charity.

The students had to submit their designs before knowing what materials they would receive.

Milly Toombes, a third-year student, described it as a “fun challenge” as she had never used curtains before.

“You really had to take a step back and forget it was already a finished product by looking at it like just another square piece of fabric,” she said.

“It’s really affirming for us as fashion students as we usually make our clothes, submit them and then that’s it.”

The Salvation Army has about 8,000 clothing banks across the UK, each able to hold up to 240kg (529lbs) of clothes, handbags and shoes.

In an effort to reduce the amount sent to landfill, all items donated are resold, reused or recycled, according to the organisation.

Sophia Malig, senior teaching fellow at Winchester School of Art, said it helped students “test their own limits”.

“These clothes that the students have made are amazing, they’re unique – and they’ve all worked so incredibly hard to make the project what is has become,” she added.

The public will be offered the opportunity to purchase the remaining upcycled coats in a pop-up shop.