Thread Together

This Tuesday, a number of Year 10 and 12 students at Cranbrook were fortunate to have the opportunity to lend a hand at the Thread Together charity. This organisation was founded in 2012, based on the simple idea to donate rather than dispose of unsold clothing. Around one third of all new clothing ends up in landfill or is incinerated. On top of that, 3.5 million Australians sadly do not have access to essential clothing. Thread Together aims to solve both of these problems with one solution. With items donated, they help to clothe 2,500 people each week, a combination of those fleeing domestic violence, those in emergency accommodation, those fleeing bushfires, refugees, youth at risk, the unemployed and underemployed, and many, many more.

In the three hours the Cranbrook team assisted, we managed to sort and package over 15,000 items of clothing and shoes. This experience was startling, to see how much we take for granted and how much of what we produce goes to waste. We were inspired to be more mindful about our purchases, buying only what we truly need, and came away with a powerful lesson: everyone deserves the dignity of choosing what they wear.