Come and join us this summer for the return of this exciting, fashion-sustainability program run by artist Norwin Anne! Enjoy an inclusive community space where curious, like-minded people can swap and repair clothing while also learning more about “textile waste”.
From Here to Wear: Transforming Textiles [Summer 2025]
Monthly from June to August
Time: 12:00 – 4:00 pm
St. Matthew’s Clubhouse, 450 Broadview Avenue, Toronto
Cost: FREE
From Here to Wear aims to normalize a repair and reuse culture with our clothes, by teaching participants about the impacts of “textile waste” and offering various activities to inspire a slow fashion lifestyle. This season will feature a clothing swap outside and a structured workshop for registered participants inside.
The Summer 2025 edition of From Here to Wear will feature a series of unique textile workshops happening indoors (titled Transforming Textiles) with a clothing swap outdoors (Conscious Wardrobe).
~ Happening on Weekends throughout the Summer of 2025 — June 29, July 26, August 23, 2025!
Transforming Textiles Workshops, 12-4PM: Three different creative workshops taking place in the main room inside St. Matthew’s Clubhouse. Each workshop will focus on a specific aspect of fabric repair, meant to give people a deeper understanding of each method and technique to transform textiles. Sewing machines will be available. Registration is required for this component of the program.
Conscious Wardrobe Clothing Swap, 12-4PM: an outdoor clothing swap on the wrap-around patio of St. Matthew’s Clubhouse. There is a quality check at the door, and a max of 10 items allowed. Registration is not required for this component of the program. Drop-ins welcome.
Transforming Textiles Workshops
For each of the monthly textile workshops, please note that registration is required, as we are only able to accommodate a set number of folks into our Clubhouse space. Please also note that no sewing and crafting skills are required, as there can be a separate approach for each participant that can be adjusted based on their level of experience. Finally, some fabrics and materials will be provided, but participants are encouraged to bring their own clothing and / or other scrap textiles for the workshop(s).
SCHEDULE:
- ~Sunday June 29, 2025 | 12-4PM | “Thank You for Reusing This T-Shirt, Weaving and Crocheting ~ with Mary Dyja”
In this workshop, we will cut up old t-shirts into “yarn” and learn how to weave and crochet a small strapped pouch for phone or keys. No prior experience needed, open to beginners — this workshop is a great introduction to learn the art of weaving and crocheting.
*Fabrics and materials will be provided, but participants are encouraged to bring their own T-shirts and / or other scrap textiles for the workshop. REGISTER HERE - ~Saturday July 26, 2025 | 12-4PM | “UpCycling ~ with Minhee Sim”
In this workshop, we will turn jeans into a one-of-a-kind portable bag with adjustable shoulder straps for cycling or on the go! This process will include cutting jeans and basic straight-line sewing.
*Fabrics and materials can be provided, but participants are encouraged to bring their own jeans, denim scraps and / or textile scraps for this workshop. REGISTER HERE - ~Saturday August 23, 2025 | 12-4PM |”Beginner Indigo Shibori techniques + Natural inks/paints for screen printing ~ with Christie Wong”
In this workshop, we will be learning about the basics of shibori; a Japanese tie-dye technique– but with a twist! We will engage with our environment (Riverdale Park) and regular household items to come up with inspiration rooted in place and presence. To further natural dye techniques that can give your textiles renewed life, we will also play with natural dye screen printing designs.
*Some fabrics and materials will be provided, but participants are encouraged to bring their own discoloured / stained clothes for this workshop to give their garments new life and play with new natural dye techniques! REGISTER HERE
✦ Welcome to all bodies, identities and ages! ✦
Hate and discrimination in any form will not be tolerated!
This community initiative creates a circular closed loop system for clothing that people no longer want, while promoting a reuse and “waste not, want not” mentality. It’s a fun alternative to shopping and an engaging way to upgrade your wardrobe — a conscious practice on how to be more intentional with the clothes you wear.
Bring your own clothes that you want to mend, rework and / or take anything from the “mendables” section, they’re pieces that are slightly damaged and imperfect that are ready for their second life!
Conscious Wardrobe Clothing Swap Rules & Guidelines
Please wash and dry all clothes beforehand. You’re welcome to bring up to a maximum of 10 clothing items — but note that there’s a quality check to determine if your items will be for swapping (Is it still in good condition? Would you pay for it? Give it to a friend? If you answered yes to all, then it’ll be perfect for the swap!), repairing or *reusing.
*We accept and separately collect “textile waste,” which is anything unwearable and beyond repair, and it’ll be deconstructed to be repurposed for other uses or shredded. These must be in clean condition as well, we don’t want to handle anything unsanitary, so be respectful and considerate — please don’t treat this as a garbage dump!
The clothing swap will be a fair exchange, so if you bring 5 items, then you can take 5 items. During quality check if any items are unfit for the swap, it’ll be considered a “mendable” and will not be part of the exchange / count — these are placed separately by the Textile Library Lab and are up for grabs with no limit (great for those willing to repair, rework or want to reuse it for a project). Participants should be browsing through only a good selection of items, so this process makes the swapping experience more enjoyable when there’s no “junk”.
GENERAL RULES:
- *PWYC / sliding scale entry (pre-registration preferred)
- Clothes must be in clean and good condition; dirty items won’t be accepted
- You can bring up to 10 clothing items for the swap, which will be a fair exchange
- No non-textile accessories, socks and undergarments — excluding bras
- Items unfit for the swap based on the quality won’t count and are considered “mendable”
_What’s considered a “mendable”? Clothing with:
- holes or tears
- ripped seams
- stains or discolouration
- lots of pilling
- loose hems or fasteners
- /basically anything you wouldn’t pay for or want to wear, but it can be simply fixed or repurposed
The pieces that aren’t swapped at the end are thoroughly sorted; they’re either saved for the next event or responsibly distributed to local nonprofits / grassroots groups that work directly with people who are in most need within the community.
If you’re not interested in swapping and just want to donate clothing, please inquire for a list of places in the GTA that may accept your donations instead of giving them to for-profit organizations and / or consider these other options from this page.
About From Here to Wear
This initiative aims to raise more awareness on the problems surrounding the management of “textile waste” and to help prevent them from being disposed of improperly. Toronto doesn’t have a separate collection for it, like electronic and household hazardous waste, which are more commonly available. While there are private collection bins, more than half of all clothing donations from those along with thrift stores and textile recycling programs are actually exported — reference to Kantamanto Market in Ghana and the Atacama desert in Chile. So after learning about how most of our secondhand clothing ends up overseas where they turn into toxic waste sites (which not only threatens those communities but also contributes to worsening climate change), the goal is to help manage unwanted clothing / textiles in our local community and divert it from landfills.
To learn more, read the EEA blog post: Talking Textiles with Norwin Anne!
If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to email Norwin at wastecollective@pm.me!About the Facilitator
Website: Portfolio | WeAreSavingThe.Earth
Instagram: @norwin.anne
Norwin Anne is a Filipinx textile based artist / designer, (re)maker and eco-culture communicator. They studied Fashion Techniques and Design at George Brown College with a waste conscious approach and slow fashion mentality. Primarily working with secondhand materials, they started focusing on textile waste as a research study during school which evolved into learning more about the concept of waste in general to understand its environmental impacts and beyond. They want to continue developing their ideas and merge their knowledge of fashion with other subjects.
Guest Artists
Mary Dyja
Mary is a Toronto-based artist and maker working with crochet, nature, and movement. Her practice blends sustainability and creativity, often transforming discarded materials into wearable pieces. Mary loves sharing accessible, hands-on techniques that empower people to reconnect with craft, community, and self-expression.
Minhee Sim
Minhee Sim is a Korean-born fashion designer based in Toronto. A graduate of George Brown College’s Fashion Techniques and Design program, she has produced four collections under her brand Eight, i, 3 , with her latest showcased at Fashion Art Toronto. Minhee currently works as a designer at Joe Fresh and freelances in design, pattern-making, and tutoring. Her work reflects her commitment to thoughtful consumption, environmental consciousness, and holistic wellbeing.
Christie Wong
Christie is an east-end Toronto-based natural dyer, weaver, and creative co-producer for entrepreneurs, third space stewards, and coaches. Her work explores care, community, and ways to reframe internalized norms. She is also a bean-to-bar chocolatier, gardener, writer, and illustrator, and currently serves as Director of Marketing at Reset, infusing play and joy into the creative process.
