At Clothes2order, we believe that sustainability isn’t just about the products we sell but it’s also about what we do with the resources we have left over. We are constantly looking for ways to ensure our embroidery process is as “circular” as possible.
That’s why we are so excited to highlight our recent collaboration with Free-For-All, a unique community shop and pantry located in the Quayside Shopping Centre. By connecting our production house with their creative mission, we’ve found a beautiful way to turn industrial waste into a community lifeline.
Why We Partnered with Free for All
We believe in collaborating with local “sustainability warriors” who share our vision for a world with less waste. When our team reached out to Venessa, one of the volunteers, we knew we had found a kindred spirit.
Venessa has spent 16 years building an organisation rooted in the idea that high-quality items should be accessible to everyone for free. From upcycling old shop fittings into beautiful benches to curating high-end vintage donations, their ethos of “necessity is the mother of invention” perfectly aligns with our own goals for a sustainable textile industry.
Embroidery Offcuts Turned Into Essential Care Packages
Every embroidery project produces small offcuts; scraps of fabric that are often too small for garments but too high-quality to simply discard. We wanted these scraps to have a second life rather than heading to a landfill.
Venessa saw an immediate need for these materials. Free for All shop recently launched a care package initiative, providing toiletries and essentials to those in need. Previously, they had to rely on plastic bags to distribute these items. By using our embroidery offcuts, they’ve made a radical change:
- Ditching Plastic: Our fabric scraps are being transformed into durable, reusable tote bags.
- Handmade Quality: Thelma, a master seamstress, hand-sews these offcuts into unique bags that exceed all expectations.
- Dignity in Giving: Instead of a disposable plastic bag, recipients receive their essentials in a beautiful, handmade piece of functional art.
A Circular Connection
For us at Clothes2order, this collaboration is about more than just clearing out a scrap bin. It’s about the circular nature of sustainability. We provide the raw material and Free For All provide the final result.
The result is a closed-loop system where our “waste” becomes a valuable resource for the Salford and Manchester community. It’s a practical way to show that when businesses and local organisers work together, we can create something much larger than the sum of our parts.
Supporting the Free-for-all Mission
Beyond the bags, Free-for-all shop and pantry is a masterclass in community care. They offer:
- Strictly Curated Clothing: High-quality fashion given away for free to ensure dignity for every shopper.
- The Pantry: Rescuing surplus food from large brands to tackle food poverty.
- Creative Workshops: Using art and craft to bring people together.
We are incredibly proud to play a small part in this 16-year legacy. By donating our embroidery offcuts, we aren’t just reducing our environmental footprint, we’re helping Free For All stitch together a stronger, more supportive community.
