By Callum Ludwig
Cire Services’ First Impressions Clothing Exchange (FICE) in Yarra Junction has been given a welcome boost to its efforts from Sustainability Victoria.
The grant from Round Two of the Circular Economy Communities Fund will help FICE deliver ‘Upcycling’ workshops to help salvage material and donations that would otherwise be unusable.
FICE coordinator Renee Cooke said she had her fingers crossed they would receive the grant because she knew they would be able to do something fantastic with it.
“The need has been there and the grant has allowed to us to employ a local workshop facilitator in Antonia for the whole year and people are enrolling to volunteer,” she said.
“It has connected community members to come together, make friendships, learn new skills and find some purpose, and it’s allowed us to purchase materials and equipment so that the participants haven’t had to outlay anything.”
Since the launch of the former FICE store in Mooroolbark in 2019 (now moved to Lilydale) and the Yarra Junction shop at the start of 2022, the program has helped to reuse and rehome fabric, materials and clothing items that otherwise would’ve gone to waste as well as giving a number of women the opportunity to boost their skills in a low-pressure environment through the Reconnect program.
Sustainability Victoria’s Program Lead for the Circular Economy Communities Fund Heather Willison said it makes a difference to see where the grants are going in person.
“We’re excited to see the course in action, photos can only show so much, so it’s just great. Textiles is a really difficult waste stream and that’s probably what made the project stand out,” she said.
“It’s the social benefits too, what we really like is the whole local action aspect which contributes to the circular economy, where waste is not seen as waste, it’s seen as a resource.”
FICE has been running the workshops all throughout the year, with each multi-week workshop focusing on particular themes such as soft toys and winter woollies and skills such as printing onto fabrics.
Sustainability Victoria’s Program Capability Lead for Community Solutions David Leonard said it’s keeping stuff out of landfill, but it’s about more than that too.
“This is a great example in a local context of behaviour change and it’s circular within your own community, it’s retraining the thought process because it’s easy to just throw something away unless you know what to do with it,” he said.
“These skills will remain in the community even after the project has ended, you’ve got all these people now trained up and connected and it’ll spread from there.”
In the next Upcycling workshop at FICE between August and September, attendees will cut their own yarn from old t-shirts and be making rag rugs, and wall tapestries with simple looms.
To find out more or book your place, go to: www.trybooking.com/events/landing/1009505?eid=1009505&.
