Eco Stitch Club (ESC) was born from a combined 60+ years of experience in the fashion industry by founders Gillian and Amanda.
Over their careers, they witnessed and learnt about the devastating impacts of producing over 82 million tons of clothing annually—impacts that ripple through communities, ecosystems, and economies worldwide.
This deep knowledge, coupled with an understanding of the transformative power of teaching skills to young people, inspired them to act.
Equipping future generations with the ability to upcycle, repair and create cool, new items from textiles headed for landfill, Amanda and Gillian aim to challenge unsustainable consumption patterns while fostering a generation that values self-sufficiency, important life-skills and environmental stewardship.
At ESC, we draw on influential ideas like Donella Meadows' systems thinking and the UN's Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to guide our mission.
Systems Thinking and Leverage Points
Meadows taught us that small changes in the right places can create profound systemic shifts. For ESC, one of these leverage points is consumer behaviour, specifically encouraging people to value responsible consumption and production (SDG 12). By teaching practical sewing and repair skills, we aim to break the cycle of overconsumption and reduce textile waste.
Education for Change
Education unlocks potential, empowers individuals, and lays the foundation for equitable, sustainable societies (SDG 4). ESC believes teaching sewing and creative upcycling is more than just learning a skill—it’s opening minds to the interconnectedness of our actions, resources, and their impacts on the planet.
Social Value Principles
We are committed to creating social value by fostering equality, improving well-being, and promoting environmental sustainability. By teaching practical skills that reduce reliance on fast fashion and celebrating the joy of remaking and repairing, we aim to shift perceptions about waste and value.
We believe the combination of education, practical action, and systems thinking can drive transformative change. Through workshops, online resources, and community engagement, ESC is working to:
Reduce textile waste by empowering people to reuse and repair.
Encourage sustainable consumer habits that align with the planet's limits.
Provide opportunities for creativity, confidence, empowerment and self-sufficiency.
Your contribution will help ESC:
Expand workshops to underserved communities.
Provide tools like sewing machines and materials for participants.
Create educational resources to inspire sustainable habits globally.
100% of donations go towards delivering the training programme.
Donation options:
£9 will fund a lesson for a pupil at a state school in a disadvantaged area
£50 will pay for a Club Leader to be trained to deliver the ESC programme.
£100 will provide a school with all the necessary materials to run an ESC programme for one term.
£119 will provide a sewing machine for a school.
Book a call with our team today.
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