Written by: Meg Baresic

If you’ve never heard of a circular economy (Hello! Neither had I!) let me introduce you to the concept. A circular economy is a system in which ‘products and materials are kept in circulation through processes like maintenance, reuse, refurbishment, remanufacture, and composting’. 

The Nest plays an important role within the circular economy space, with their Textile Recovery Centre helping to recirculate all manner of sewing resources.

Each week, dedicated and craft-loving volunteers sort and repackage donated materials to sell through the The Nest Haberdashery, a beautiful space where volunteers curate the reclaimed resources and share their skills with customers. It is clearly the heart of the organisation.

Recently, I was lucky enough to witness circular economy principles in action when I was asked to write about QUT’s exciting Capsule Collective Pop-Up shop, a project for second-year Fashion Design students. For the students it’s an immersive experience where they not only need to design and make, but also market, communicate and display stock in a retail environment. In the last two years the design brief has required students to use 50% reclaimed materials and this year it has increased to 75%.

Supporting the Capsule Collective

The Nest was thrilled to sponsor the project and provided the students with $4,500 worth of resource vouchers to spend at The Nest Haberdashery.

The store’s collections were crafted with the intent of repurposing textiles, minimising waste, and showcasing the incredible value inherent in sustainable materials.

Attending the opening night of the store was undoubtedly an inspiring experience. To witness the craftsmanship of the students and to see first-hand their passion and excitement when describing their sustainable fashion pieces is a testament to The Nest’s partnership with QUT. So too is it a testament to the resourcefulness and ingenuity demonstrated by each of the students.

Inspiration behind the collections

After arriving at the event, one of the students, Orla, was kind enough to share her thoughts on the successes and challenges the project presented her with. “It really forced us to reshape our style and think about who we are.” When I asked whether she found the process of working with sustainable materials at all challenging, she was quick to respond. “Not at all! In fact, I think it can be easier to use sustainable materials when you have a clear vision.”

Another student, Sam, was inspired to challenge long-held beliefs about marriage, while Patrick’s love for Paris shone through in his chic and athletic collection. Ruby’s favourite colour, pink, informed her stand-out pieces, while Persephone has always appreciated the little things and sought to reflect this in her brand.

Student Nikita’s brand, ‘Gore Whore’, represented a subversion of Sigmund Freud’s beliefs about women. “Freud believed that women were one of two things – a perfect wife or a whore. I wanted to push back against this, and in particular push back against patriarchal ideas about women,” Nikita told me.

That fashion can be utilised to challenge deeply entrenched beliefs pertaining to the world at large is incredibly inspiring, particularly when it is done in tandem with the use of sustainable materials.

The importance of sustainability and collaboration was undoubtedly present in student Tisha’s pieces. “I called the brand Natalia Moon in honour of my nan and grandma. I still use my nan’s sewing machine, and my grandma taught me how to sew,” she told me with a smile.

Her pieces were gorgeous, and when I asked whether she will be revisiting The Nest, she was quick to nod her assent. “Oh yes, absolutely. I will definitely be going back.”

Advice for Emerging Designers wanting to work with reclaimed materials

Speaking at the event’s opening night, The Nest’s CEO, Roz, highlighted the importance of resourcefulness and determination when working with sustainable materials. She also spoke of the powerful and unafraid nature of the women who engage in craft. “When faced with new challenges, embrace your creativity to its fullest, seek out new skills, and take risks. If you venture into the unknown, you can always come back. Each time you come back, your growth will be reflected in your next collection,” she said.

Roz was also quick to highlight the joy that The Nest’s volunteers experienced when meeting with, and chatting to, the students. By helping them to shop for materials and being kind enough to share their skills, the volunteers were able to foster an incredibly supportive and welcoming environment. For anyone new to sustainable fashion, the volunteers at The Nest will become your new best friends (I promise).

Organisations like The Nest are playing an increasingly important role in advocating for, and helping to create, sustainable pieces of fashion. By partnering with QUT, The Nest was able to facilitate both an educational and inspirational experience for the students, and in turn highlight the power of collaboration and reclaimed materials.

Thanks to the likes of social media and the mass production of clothing worldwide, fast fashion has fast become a devalued and worrying commodity. The Nest’s maternal approach to fostering slow (and beautiful) fashion is helping to pave a new direction forward. Thank goodness for the ladies who work and volunteer at The Nest – we are so very lucky to have them!