STUDENTS at Petworth Primary School are walking around in rubbish.
But the caretaker hasn’t quit – children are using recycled materials to create clothing. Pupils are this term working on a recycling project – an ‘eco-fashion’ art experience, which challenges them to design their own fashion accessories and clothing using their unwanted and recycled objects.
Teacher Sally Evans said the topic encouraged children to make use of materials at their ‘disposal’ and think outside the box.
“Children have brought in old clothes and are making fashion items out of them, over four weeks.
“Eco-artist Michelle Reader will come and visit them to discuss her own work using recycled materials, and it will all culminate with a fashion show in July.
“The Cotton Wool Store in Petworth has kindly offered to display their work once we have finished.”
Students have been exploring weaving skills, making badges and bracelets, and older children had a fashion student visit them and help them to explore the endless creative possibilities with their designing.
Thrifty pupils have been tasked with choosing the appropriate materials and joining techniques for fashion accessories, experimenting with texture, shape and size, and thinking about their projects on a global scale – considering what elements of the world they would like to save, and reflecting this in their fashion ideas.
For the end-of-term fashion show, they have to create music and a dance routine to perform.
Sally added: “Owner of The Cotton Wool Store, Charlotte Loukes, will visit to help us with stitching, weaving and threading.
“The idea is for children to explore why recycling is important and what aspects of the world they would like to save – flowers, water, animals, and so on.
“Pupils will then take part in our creative open evening which will combine music and fashion in a final presentation of their completed works.”