Women connect over sustainable sewing project

A sewing workshop run by women is using surplus fabric to create new products and give money to charity.

Remnant Revolution, a social enterprise supporting women with paid sewing work, will be in Cirencester's Old Department Store for four weeks.

The project uses fabric left over from textile brands that would otherwise go to waste to create new designs which are sold to raise money for Stroud Women's Refuge.

Pinky Laing, founder of the project, said: "It's a dream because I get to spend time with women, hear about their lives and their stories. If we get this right and we grow this, there are so many women in the UK that don't even know their sewing skills can access paid and meaningful work."

The group use surplus fabric donated by interior designers, fabric houses and other brands.

"They often have a print weave that's wrong, or the colours are wrong or they made too much. There's just a real excess of fabric," Laing explained.

"It goes to landfill and it's burned - it's a massive problem."

Laing uses the fabric to create new designs and she pays other women to help with the sewing.

"My first group of women that I worked with were Afghani women who were amazing. I introduced them to electric machines and they were off. It was a very cultural and interesting experience," Laing said.

Dinka, one of the women Laing employs, is from Bulgaria and could not find work in the UK despite having two degrees and speaking five languages.

She said she loves working at Remnant Revolution.

"The best part is all the ladies, we know little tricks, hacks, tips, that I never knew," Dinka said.

"One of the ladies will show me a new way to make things so much easier. We help each other and learn from each other and I think it's the best thing we can do."

During the four-week pop-up in Cirencester, which started on 19 February, a pound from every sale will be donated to Women's Refuge.

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