
This year will be our fourth annual Restyling event! While we are doing things a little differently this year due to current events, we are still excited to keep this project going and encourage sustainable sewing practices!
Unless you are living in a blissfully unaffected area of the world (does that even exist?), you are already aware of the drastic effects that covid-19 is having on our global population. When Pilar & I got together to discuss whether hosting our annual Restyling Exchange was going to be possible, we decided it was in the best interest of our participants not to host an exchange this year. Largely due to the fact that the mail system is pretty unpredictable right now, but also due to the potential dangers of shipping personal items back and forth.
However! We couldn’t simply give it up and not spread the word of sustainability through upcyciling. So we decided to make 2020’s project all about Restyling at Home!

The Restyling Exchange is a global fashion swap connecting restylers all over the world to promote the value of refashioned clothing, deepen the online sewing & crafting community, and challenge your creativity.
HOW DID IT START?
A few years ago I came across a post on instagram of Pilar sharing a refashion that she was doing for a friend. Just then, something sparked in my brain. How cool would it be to make this a community-wide thing!? I left a comment on Pilar’s post not really thinking anything would come of it. To my amazement she sent me a direct message saying she loved the idea and how could we make it happen!
If you are at all into eco-conscious making Pilar is definitely a gal you need to follow. She is super involved in the eco fashion community (she even started working with THE Fashion Revolution last year!!) She also partners with Kate of Time to Sew on the #makeyourstash challenge encouraging sewists to use what they have instead of buying new fabric. It was total serendipity that we would come together to start this challenge – a match made in sewing heaven! Last year’s exchange was our biggest yet. It’s been such an honor to host this event with Pilar and see all the amazing creativeness of our participants!
Why during Fashion Revolution Week? We thought this week would be the perfect week to launch our project to coincide with Fashion Revolution week, which was created in response to the Rhana Plaza collapse in April of 2013 that killed 1138 people, mostly garment workers. Fashion Revolution is a movement that calls for greater transparency, sustainability and ethics in the fashion industry. You may have seen the posts and hashtags: #whomademyclothes. Its an amazing week that raises awareness of the damages of the fashion industry to our planet and it’s people. Refashioning your old clothing, or second hand clothing is a great way to contribute to the eco fashion movement. It not only reduces waste, but reduces the need to consume more new, unethically produced clothing. Click here to learn more about Fashion Revolution week, and how else you can get involved.

As previously mentioned, we will not actually be exchanging garments this year. However, we will be continuing the mission of the Restyling Exchange by Restyling at Home to promote the creative reuse of existing materials in our sewing practice!
You may not know this, but Restyling at Home has been a part of the Restyling Exchange every year for folks who don’t feel comfortable restyling for others! Check out the hashtag #restylingathome for some inspo!

It’s time to start digging through that pile/bin/bag of clothes you never wear, have been meaning to mend, or no longer fit. Perhaps you even have a bin (like me) of items you purchased from a thrift store with the express intention of refashioning but haven’t really gotten around to yet.
Choose a garment (or garments) and remake it into something new! The finished project can be a new garment, an accessory, something for yourself or something for someone else you are quarantined with (your kid, your spouse … your cat?) You have three weeks so the possibilities are endless! You can even make multiple restyles if you want.
At the end of the deadline, we will all share our makes using the hashtag #restylingathome2020 on instagram!

Here are the specifics:
WHO CAN JOIN:
Anyone can participate and all are welcome! Please note that we will only be able to give awards to those who have a public instagram account for the reveal weekend.
GARMENTS:
– Use any garment or garments in your home/stash that are no longer useful to you in their current stage.
– You are welcome to use fabric from your stash in addition to the garment(s) sent to you to be restyled, but we like to encourage you not to purchase anything new for this project.
– There are no limitations to how you restyle the garment. No reason to be nervous about what your partner will think this year since its all for you…go all out! You can cut, paint, dye, embellish… the possibilities are endless!
– There is plenty of time so feel free to do multiple restyling projects! the more the merrier!
– Dont forget to take a before picture!
- Check out previous year’s hashtags: #restylingexchange2017, #restylingexchange2018 and #restylingexchange2019 and our pinterest board for more inspiration!
DEADLINE:
– Reveal weekend is May 8th-10th. Be sure to have your projects finished, photographed, and ready to post by then so we can all join together to see each others makes at the same time!
SHARING:
– You can use the hashtag #restylingathome2020 throughout this time to keep us posted about your process. Maybe you want to post about the garments you’ve chosen for restyling, or maybe you want to share your creative process and how you are approaching the refashion. Before and after shots are also very effective, don’t forget to post yours!
– Unlike previous years where you don’t see your finished make till you get it back from your partner, this year you may be done before reveal weekend. But lets keep it a surprise! Wait to post the fully finished garment till its time!
– We will be having a dedicated weekend so that we can all share and see the restyled garments at once, so even if you’ve been posting about your make, don’t forget to join the community over the 8th, 9th, and 10th of May on instagram!
All of that sound good to you? We really hope you will join us!
No need to officially sign up this year, but we do have some graphics below you can share on instagram to announce your participation!

Lastly, to be sure you don’t miss the deadline, and to make sure you are notified of next years exchange sign up for our newsletter! Don’t worry, you will only hear from us in relation to current or future Restyling Exchanges.

Happy Restyling!

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