HUTT CITY COUNCIL NEWS RELEASE

5 November 2014

Retired uniforms given new lease on life in upcycled children’s clothing range

Pre-loved business apparel is being used to create an innovative and environmentally responsible new range of children’s clothing in Lower Hutt.

Not-for-profit organisation Earthlink has embarked on a joint venture with Hutt City Council, Booker Spalding, New Zealand Post and Massey University to redefine environmental, social and economic responsibility.

The new collection of children’s clothing, designed entirely from obsolete uniforms, is set to launch on Tuesday 11 November at Earthlink’s new factory shop in Wingate, Lower Hutt.

Retired apparel that is traditionally destined for landfill, is sent to Earthlink for disassembly and complete redesign, and transformed into children’s garments bound for wardrobes across the region and the world.

The project first gained traction with a successful pilot in 2012, after it was discovered that fabric wastage nationwide was in excess of 12,000 tonne per year.

Chief Executive of Earthlink Shirley Cressy says “the initiative is an exciting way of dealing with fashion industry throwaways on a commercial scale”.

The Earthlink factory shop will be a permanent fixture at the Earthlink premises at 22 Eastern Hutt Road in Lower Hutt.

ENDS

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