Sustainable Fashion Week: Threads of resistance

This September, Sustainable Fashion Week invites communities across the UK to come together, rethink our relationship with clothes, and celebrate practical, positive alternatives to fast fashion.

26th September to 4th October

 Sustainable Fashion Week returns with the theme Threads of Resistance, encouraging people to challenge overconsumption, push back against fast fashion and make more conscious choices about what we buy, wear, repair and share.

We know that some of the most powerful climate action starts close to home: in our wardrobe, at local repair cafes, and in the conversations we have with neighbours. Sustainable Fashion Week is a brilliant opportunity to do just that, to learn new skills, connect with others and discover how much creativity already exists in our communities.

Across the UK, Sustainable Fashion Week is highlighting local hubs and community events, from clothes swaps and second-hand fashion to mending sessions, creative workshops, talks and exhibitions. It is all about making sustainable fashion feel accessible, enjoyable and possible for everyone.

Why it matters

The UK generates around one million tonnes of textile waste each year – that’s enough textile waste to make 47 standard t-shirts per person in the UK! The good news is that every repair, swap, reuse and thoughtful purchase helps to shift the story. Sustainable Fashion Week shines a light on those everyday actions and the people making them happen.

How to get involved

There are lots of simple ways to take part, whether you are completely new to sustainable fashion or already a keen mender, maker or charity-shop treasure hunter:

• Find a Sustainable Fashion Week event near you and invite a friend, neighbour or family member along.
• Join a clothes swap and give good-quality items a new home.
• Try a repair, mending or upcycling workshop and build confidence with practical skills.
• Choose second-hand, borrow, swap or restyle before buying new.
• Share what you learn with your community group, workplace, school or local network.

CAG members getting involved

We are especially pleased to highlight one of our CAG Somerset members, Everyone Needs Pockets, who are involved in Sustainable Fashion Week as a local hub. Based around clothing and textile reuse, their work brings people together to explore repair, reuse, responsible fashion and inclusive community action.

If you are looking for inspiration, local events or a welcoming place to start, follow Everyone Needs Pockets and take a look at the Sustainable Fashion Week programme. They are a great example of the CAG spirit in action: people sharing skills, reducing waste, supporting one another and making sustainable choices feel creative and fun.

Small actions, big community impact

Whether you mend one button, swap one item of clothing, learn a new skill or simply start a conversation about where our clothes come from, you are part of a bigger movement for change. This Sustainable Fashion Week, let’s celebrate the clothes we already have, support local people doing brilliant work and help build a more sustainable.