From Ragbag to Remarkable: The Holywood Superstore Exhibition

The exhibition combines carefully selected secondhand finds with handmade pieces crafted from textiles reclaimed from the Oxfam rag pile. It runs from 24 February to 9 March, across Sustainable Fashion Week and Repair Week NI.

Our Holywood Superstore is currently hosting a very special exhibition in the window display. The exhibition combines carefully selected secondhand finds with handmade pieces crafted from textiles reclaimed from the Oxfam rag pile. It runs from 24 February to 9 March, across Sustainable Fashion Week and Repair Week NI.

Tools for Solidarity collects hand tools and sewing machines and sends them to organisations it partners with in Tanzania and Malawi. In collaboration with TfS and Belfast City Council, community groups across Belfast took part in a pilot project to challenge our thinking around textile waste.

Unsellable garments were reworked into new items, culminating in a fashion show in September of 2024. Textiles like old ties, ripped denim, duvet covers, tablecloths that were too damaged for Oxfam to sell, were remade into 24 outfits themed around the four seasons to showcase sustainable style. The fashion show featured models aged five to 75 years old to show that fashion is for all ages and all bodies.

Skirt made of clothes scraps with a sign reading "I am made from clothes scraps" — One of the skirt on display at the Holywood Superstore.

Examples of clothing from each season with their specific colour palettes are on display in the Oxfam Holywood Superstore. While these clothes aren't for sale, we hope they will inspire creative recycling of your own used textiles, and make you see waste in a new light.

3 outfit from the Spring Collection exhibition at the Holywood superstore. The exhibition combines carefully selected secondhand finds with handmade pieces crafted from textiles reclaimed from the Oxfam rag pile. — Spring collection

‘Spring’ features colours of lavender, bud green and pale yellow, with a patchwork coat made from lace doiles, pillowcases, old curtains and scraps. A child's outfit, complete with lace curtain fairy wings, was made from a duvet cover and a hand-printed linen dress was created from a re-dyed lace top and vintage linen sheets. Ladies from the Ardoyne Community Centre on Flax Street designed and printed the dress taking inspiration from the flax flower, and their own history of working in the linen trade.

‘Summer’ has a more festival feel using denim blues, hot reds and sunshine yellow, with patched denim from old jeans and fabric scraps, hand embroidered by ladies from the Knocknagoney Community and remade into a long skirt and kilt. Slogan t-shirts were made by cutting letters from unsellable charity t-shirts and remaking them into messages we can support - 'earth wins when you don't bin.'

2 outfit from the Summer Collection exhibition at the Holywood superstore. The exhibition combines carefully selected secondhand finds with handmade pieces crafted from textiles reclaimed from the Oxfam rag pile. — Summer Collection

2 outfit from the Autumn Collection exhibition at the Holywood superstore. The exhibition combines carefully selected secondhand finds with handmade pieces crafted from textiles reclaimed from the Oxfam rag pile. — Autumn Collection

‘Autumn’ is cosy, with hand knitted jumpers and jewel-toned patchwork created by the Girdwood Community Centre. Tweed scraps make a waistcoat and old ties, embellished with simple embroidery become an elegant skirt. A duvet cover becomes a blouse.

Finally, ‘Winter’ comes with the colors of a rainy Belfast day. Men’s suits reworked by TfS with a twist on business wear and evening sparkle. A waistcoat was made from the interfacing left over from the deconstruction of the men's ties used in the garments above.