Green Connect

Sew ‘n’ sews

A sustainable sewing group was set up by Green Connect in the Illawarra with the aim of engaging with the local community in conversations and ideas about reducing single-use plastic. The activities included creating unique reusable party packs as an alternative to single-use party items, conducting repair workshops to empower the community with sewing skills, and promoting sustainable practices.

The items created by the sewing group sparked engaging conversations among staff, volunteers, and customers at Green Connect. Reusable items like upcycled produce bags, party bunting and more brought awareness to alternatives to single use plastic.

The project had a couple of challenges and issues. It became clear that the party pack rental system was not sustainable, therefore, a selection of curated themes of party packs for sale in their op-shop was offered instead. Organisers also tweaked the program into a drop-in mending session, which was a better fit for the interests and skill levels of attendees. This is a great insight on adapting things when necessary as well as using other ways to bring people together.

This project not only raised awareness on the bans, but also increased participants’ repair skills, increasing their ability to consume less and avoid sending other material types to landfill.