Recycled Runway
What is Recycled Runway?
Recycled Runway is an fundraising event that has been held annually in Mount Gambier since 2013. It is run by the Anglican Church with the support of local businesses and community members to:
- promote the concept of reuse, reduce, recycle
- divert old, stained, damaged and unwanted clothing from landfill
- encourage people to look at clothing from op shops from a new perspective, with fabrics and notions (zips, buttons, embellishments etc) to be used as the building blocks for new outfits, accessories and other unique items
- raise money to support AC care in providing foster care programs and assistance for people experiencing homelessness and poverty in the Mount Gambier area
How does it work?
Entrants pay a small amount to register and collect a curated bag of clothing, fabric and ‘challenge items’ from the Belltower Op Shop in Mount Gambier. The bags contains a selection of unsold clothing and often includes items that have logos, stains or tears and would otherwise go to landfill. Bags usually incorporate at least one challenge item, such as damaged shoes, ties, scarves, or broken jewellery.
Imaginations are then set free, with clothing being repurposed into new outfits. A maximum of $25 can be spent on additional items such as additional pieces of op-shop clothing, embellishments, threads and clothes dye and limited use can also be made of items and scraps people have at home (within reason – additional items cannot make up more than 20% of the final outfit).
In 2018, themes were introduced for each runway event, with entrants encouraged to make clothes that fit those themes.
Clothes are submitted for judging at the beginning of August, with judges assessing items on the basis of:
- how many items from the bag have been utilised
- how those items have been incorporated into the design
- the quality of work
- techniques used
- originality and innovation
A big event is held with outfits being modelled on a runway, one category at a time. As the clothes are being modelled, the audience get to see the contents of the original bag of clothing and hear about the inspirations, challenges, thoughts and construction process. During the night, unmodelled entries are displayed and other fundraising activities are run. Winners are announced for each category, with audience members voting for the winner of the unmodelled category and for the “people’s choice” award.
Categories include:
- High School
- Novice
- Open
- Experienced
- Unmodelled
Event themes since I started participating:
2017 – no theme
2018 – Italia (challenge item was a tie) – won most creative (which bumped me into the ‘experienced’ category for the following years)
2019 – After Dark / What I wear to accept my Oscar / The role I played (challenge item was linen)
2020 – Art Deco / Inspired by Agatha Christie (challenge item was a pair of shoes) – honourable mention
2021 – African Safari (challenge item was beading and broken jewellery) – won people’s choice
2022 – Enchanted Forest (challenge items were scarves and doily) – won the experienced category