There is another CRO in Croydon and they are doing great things to help all of us here in Croydon to think about how our shopping habits can result in waste piling into landfill. The Croydon Reuse Organisation are showing how small everyday steps by Croydon residents can help halt climate change. The Croydon Reuse Organisation is now providing a new Textile Repair Cafe where everyone can learn new skills working with textiles that will help keep waste to a minimum.

The café’s new home in Croydon at the Whitgift Centre – opposite the Marks & Spencer’s entrance (Poplar Walk) – has been donated by Centrale & Whitgift for a trial period of six months, with Croydon Council providing administrative and day-to-day support, and workshops organised by Croydon ReUse volunteers.

The Textile Repair Cafe opened yesterday with a launch event attended by members of the community and Councillor Muhammad Ali, who’s brief at the Council includes sustainability. Croydon ReUse volunteer Lucia Briault said: “Around 350,000 tonnes of used clothing end up in landfill in the UK every year, at a time when most of us are no longer taught the skills we need to fix even the simplest of problems, like a button that’s come off. We aim to teach people to extend the life of their clothes and other textiles through repair or refashion’. She added ‘alongside the environmental impact, sewing is increasingly becoming recognised as an effective way to combat depression, encourage mindfulness and reduce stress’.

Councillor Ali said ‘this initiative will help reduce waste, ensure people can keep their clothes looking great for longer, reduce our carbon footprint and bring the community together in a friendly and creative place’.

If you would like to book in to one of (the other) CRO’s mending workshops, just click on the picture of the Textile Repair Cafe’s picture below to go to their booking site, Eventbrite.