A sustainable fashion co-op has launched a fundraiser which will enable it to take its sewing workshops on the road. Stitched Up, which runs clothes making, mending and upcycling workshops from its base in Chorlton, south Manchester, plans to commission a custom-built bike trailer, made with upcycled materials.
The worker co-operative takes workshops out to organisations such as schools and community centres around Greater Manchester, but difficulties with transportation have limited the number of workshops they can attend.
Director of Stitched Up, Bryony Moore, said: “Not having cars means it’s difficult to transport heavy and delicate sewing equipment. We all love cycling so this bike trailer is a logical solution for us.
“It will become our main form of transport, getting us to and from the upcycling workshops we run for schools, museums, community centres and other organisations around Greater Manchester.
“It’s important to us that all aspects of our work fit with our ethos. Zero-carbon transportation has been an aspiration of ours for ages and we’re excited to be taking the first step towards this goal.”
The trailer will be made from reclaimed materials by local upcycler Alfred Chow. Having drawn up the blueprints with Alfred, the co-op has set up a fundraiser via Spacehive.com, a site aiming to to support civic endeavours. The trailer will cost £1,640; £1,250 for the custom design and build, £140 for two sturdy locks and £250 for a secondhand folding bike so the ‘Stitched Up-Mobile’ can ride the Metrolink.
Director Emily Wade said: “As well as travelling to our clients, we have millions of ideas bubbling away for new and unique workshops that we’d like to take out onto the streets of Greater Manchester, from mobile mending services on the high street to style surgeries in your local park. The trailer will feature a fold-out workshop space and rain canopy, so we can take our workshops literally anywhere.”
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