Nottingham students turn sleeping bag and old curtains into fashion line

Sue Ryder, fashion, reusable fashion

Students have paired up with a Nottingham charity shop to turn unwanted items into fashionable new clothes – including a jacket made from a sleeping bag.

The fashion students from Nottingham Trent University are working with staff at the Sue Ryder charity shop on Goose Gate.

Some of the designs already made include a puffer jacket made from a 1970s sleeping bag, a cloak made from a pair of old curtains and a jacket fashioned from an inflatable mattress.

the results have been amazingly innovative

The students were tasked with the designs as part of their course, and will use the clothes in a fashion show held at the university.

Sue Ryder, fashion, reusable fashion

Picture: Some of the students’ designs based on the old items

Amy Coulson, shop manager said: “We spoke to the students about our values in our shop of reusing materials and clothes wherever possible. The students were really enthusiastic about this and just took the ideas of ‘Memory’ and upcycling went from there, and the results have been amazingly innovative.”

The Sue Ryder shop raises money to support people with life threatening illnesses.

Emma Prince, Senior Lecturer said: “This was a fantastic project for our students. It was quite a unique challenge for them to re-use existing materials and develop a fresh attitude to consumer waste.”

“The items they’ve come up with have been particularly innovative and I can’t wait for them to be celebrated at the fashion show on Friday.”