Project THREADS: Upcycling Fashion Waste with SG Eco Fund
Rather than sending old clothes away to the landfill, Mdm Roopa Sirisha, founder of Scrapplique Galore, is on a mission to demonstrate how old clothes can be upcycled into new forms to give them a new lease of life.
The Problem of Fast Fashion
The rapid production of clothes also leads to their rapid disposal. In 2022, a whopping 254,000 tonnes of textile waste was generated, yet only 2% of it was recycled.
One of the ways to counter the growing problem of textile waste accumulation is through upcycling, which keeps the textile material in circulation for a longer period of time by finding new uses for them. It minimises waste and skips out on the energy that would have otherwise been used to produce more products.
Roopa shared that the idea for Scrapplique Galore came from — of all places — YouTube. “When I was young, I always believed that we used organic materials [in our clothes]. So, when I came to watch these videos on Youtube about textile waste and fashion waste, I realised that we need to do something about reducing it.”
Despite initially not knowing how to sew, Roopa picked up basic sewing skills from YouTube, and the idea to upcycle used clothes into beautiful works of art came later. These artworks were then displayed as exhibitions at public libraries for all to see, or brought home to be hung up on walls; as a reminder of the beauty and potential of mere scraps.
“Art pieces are something that we can pass onto future generations,” Roopa shares.
SG Eco Fund: Weaving the Cause into the Community
Fashion waste is an issue that not many people are aware of, and understanding the value behind upcycling fashion waste can be unfamiliar to some.
“I got many people asking me curious questions like: ‘Why are you using old clothes when you can purchase new clothes?’, Roopa shares. “This is when I realised that I needed to educate people and share my message to the public”.
This realisation led to ‘Project THREADS’, short for ‘THe REdefining Art of Discarded Scraps’. With the support of the National Library Board, Roopa and her team of volunteers conducted a series of 4 upcycling workshops at Tampines Regional Library, which saw around 80 participants coming together to learn about upcycling and how they can create art pieces from textile scraps.
The art pieces created by participants were also displayed at a month-long exhibition held at an exhibition space in the Tampines Regional Library in April 2024.
But a single thread does not make a cloth. Roopa shares that as an individual wearing multiple hats, securing funding was the primary challenge for a startup like hers. “When the SG Eco Fund came into my journey, it helped to support aspects such as marketing materials and outreach for the project”. The support from the grant has helped her to raise awareness of Project THREADS and Roopa said there has been more interest from members of the public as a result, some of whom have joined her team of volunteers to help conduct workshops.
With the support of the SG Eco Fund, Roopa’s passion for sustainable fashion has inspired many to take steps towards sustainable fashion consumption and waste management, judging by the public’s ongoing interest in clothing donations, volunteer sign-ups, and workshop registrations.
For more information, check out: https://scrappliquegalore.com/pages/about-us
Inspired by Roopa’s story to come up with a green project of your own? The Main category of the SG Eco Fund (for funding requests above S$10,000) is currently open for its fifth grant call until 31st August 2024. Additionally, the Sprout category (for funding requests below $10,000) is open year-round and provides an opportunity for smaller projects to receive support.
Approved projects may be funded up to 80% of supportable costs, up to a maximum of S$1 million. The grant is open to Singaporeans and PRs aged 18 and above, and organisations registered in Singapore.
Visit https://www.mse.gov.sg/sgecofund/ for more information!
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