Bradford upcycling hub at Barnardo's in Forster Square

Barnardo’s officially launched the sustainability project at the children’s charity’s superstore in the Forster Square Retail Park this week.

The Re-Fashion Hub will focus on the upcycling and reuse of donated clothes and textiles that are damaged, too worn, or deemed unsuitable for sale.

The Re-Fashion Hub (Image: Telegraph & Argus)

India Reed checks donated stock not suitable to go out onto the shopfloor (Image: Telegraph & Argus)

These items would normally be sent to recycling merchants.

But a team of volunteers at the new hub will now be able to give the donations a new lease of life - either as the same product with repairs or redesigned into totally different items - thanks to the donation of six sewing machines by Singer.

Volunteers discuss the ideas for the items (Image: Telegraph & Argus)

A volunteer sewing (Image: Telegraph & Argus)

One example of turning clothes into other products is creating handbags from jeans, and even if clothes are “too damaged” the new hub will help stop the materials being sent away.

A spokesperson for Barnardo’s said: “Anything too damaged can be used in a different way – shredded for a dog bed, or stuff like that.”

The hub has also had a commercial washing machine donated, provided by Miele, to aid its efforts.

It means the hub has been created on a zero budget to date.

Sonja Green (left), Head of Sustainability at Barnardo’s, and Abigail Birtles, the Sustainability Manager behind the project (Image: Telegraph & Argus)

Sonja Green, head of sustainability at Barnardo’s, said: “Whilst a large proportion of the pre-loved clothing that has kindly been donated to Barnardo’s is re-sold across our 600 retail stores, some of the items we receive are unfortunately in an unsuitable condition.

“The launch of our first Re-Fashion Hub is an exciting initiative for the charity.

“Not only will it allow us to make good use of so many more items donated to us and support us in our sustainability aims by significantly reducing the amount of textiles we send for recycling, but this project will also generate more revenue for Barnardo’s, allowing us to support even more children and families that need our help.”

Sewing machines donated by Singer are being used to upcycle, repair, and reuse donated items (Image: Telegraph & Argus)

The hub will take in unsaleable items donated to Barnardo’s shops across the region.

Each year, the charity receives around 6,000 tonnes of donated clothes and textiles that are damaged or unsuitable for sale.

Barnardo’s hopes to introduce further Re-Fashion Hubs across the UK following the pilot initiative in Bradford.

The hub is also looking to run small community sewing groups and lessons in the near future.

Materials to use as part of the process (Image: Telegraph & Argus)

Barnardo's first Re-Fashion Hub launched in Bradford on Monday (Image: Telegraph & Argus)

Meanwhile, the charity’s retail sustainability team, which ais managing the Re-Fashion Hub, has also linked with the Bradford School of Art Fashion Department at Bradford College.

From September, fashion students will be creating items and ranges from unusable donations in the workshop as part of their courses, which will then be sold in the charity’s stores.

Anyone interested in volunteering at the Bradford Re-Fashion Hub can find out more by visiting the Barnardo’s website, or emailing: abigail.birtles@barnardos.org.uk.