Affordable new and vintage fabrics await!
The Resource Recovery Centre is a social enterprise founded by Katrina Naish, whose journey began when she was asked to clear fabric and sewing items from three estates within two months. Katrina was already running textile upcycling workshops, however, the fabric was far too good to use within these workshops. This experience sparked her passion for valuing and recovering textiles that are hiding in peoples’ cupboards.
While Katrina appreciates op shops, she recognises their limitations in providing a consistent supply of sewing materials due to space and donation variability. To fill this gap, Katrina envisioned a specialised second-hand store that make circular shopping easy and accessible. She brought this vision to life by creating a dedicated resource recovery centre for fabrics and sewing supplies, with plans to expand into craft supplies as the centre grows.
At the heart of the centre is a studio space where Katrina and her team teach essential skills:
- sewing and following patterns
- repairing clothing, and
- upcycling unwanted garments into new creations.
Her ultimate mission? To inspire a new generation to embrace sustainable sewing practices and to keep textiles out of landfill.
In support of this, the Resource Recovery Centre has a bank of sewing machines, an overlocker and a machine that prints direct onto fabric. Here Katrina runs classes on Wednesday afternoons but the Centre is open Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays 3-6pm or by appointment. There are also classes on making sustainable Christmas decorations, rag roping, inserting interfacing and much more. Watch the Sustainable Macleod (Group) Facebook page for what’s on.
Katrina offers sewing machine servicing too. Machines – like cars – need regular servicing. She can advise you how often your machine will need serving based on how often you use it. For $120 you can drop your machine off at the Recovery Centre and have it serviced by a sewing machine service professional. No more tension problems, skipped stitches or unusual noises!
Please keep Katrina in mind if you have spare fabric, yarns, braids, ribbons or old patterns, and particularly if you (someone you know) is dealing with a deceased estate. Having had to clear a deceased estate of a mountain of textiles, Katrina would have loved to have someone collect and recycle these for her.
Katrina is doing her bit recycling new textiles, but some of them vintage also. Our bit is to support her, otherwise enterprises such as hers eventually close. Please spread the word, share Facebook posts, donate whenever you can and make the Centre your first port of call when looking for fabric.
The Resource Recovery Centre is now situated in the Banyule Nillumbik Technical College at 61 Civic Drive, Greensborough. When you enter the carpark it is on the right at the top of the slope. Buzz the buzzer and someone will let you in and take you to the Recovery Centre. Katrina can be contacted on 0421122568 or emailed at info@afittingconnection.com.au. You can also visit her Facebook page: Creative Community Space.