Froctober - Resetting Fashion

This October, join us for Froctober - Resetting Fashion! This month will encompass a variety of events including film screenings, artwork, speakers, workshops and more. Resetting our clothing choices can be fun and easy if you allow yourself time to think about your options and choose wisely to reduce your impact on the environment.

Improving your fashion habits is not just good for the planet—it's a fun and rewarding way to refresh your style! Australians are known for their love of fashion, but with 56 new items being added to wardrobes each year, we’re also contributing to a growing environmental problem. Fast fashion trends have led to a decrease in how long we keep our clothes, with a staggering 200,000 tonnes of clothing ending up in landfills each year. The good news? Small changes can make a big impact!

Check out this short video from ABC about Australia's growing Fashion problem:

Fast fashion might dominate the scene, but slowing down and making thoughtful choices can be just as stylish — and a lot more sustainable. Did you know that washing your clothes less frequently not only saves water and energy but also keeps your garments looking fresh longer? Opting for quality over quantity, choosing timeless pieces, and supporting brands that care about the environment are all easy ways to do your part. Plus, second-hand shopping or upcycling old favourites can be a creative and fun way to stand out.

And this October, we’re making it even easier to reset your fashion habits with Froctober! Join us for a whole month dedicated to rethinking your wardrobe and embracing more sustainable choices. From discovering new ways to style your existing clothes to exploring eco-friendly brands, Froctober is all about making fashion fun again—while also reducing your impact on the planet. Together, we can keep clothing out of landfills and build a better future for fashion.

So, let’s make a difference, one outfit at a time. Who says saving the planet can’t be stylish?

Join us for the official opening of Froctober (5/10), and watch Fashion Reimagined - 3 screenings in October

Froctober will have its official opening on Saturday 5th of October at the Civic Centre in the Bong Bong Room. We are joined by Nadiah Christensen who is a local fashion designer who has recently designed and created her first piece of zero-waste knitwear. Zero-waste knitwear is a new way of creating knitwear called wholegarment using a machine which looks like a large printer and creates a piece of clothing with no seams. This way of creating clothing ensures there is very little to no waste included in the production process. Zero-waste knitwear ties in really-well with the film - Fashion Reimagined which looks into the transparency of fashion supply chains, and follows the story of Amy Powner who is really passionate about creating of a new line of clothing that is sustainable and transparent. Amy Powney is the British fashion designer of Mother of Pearl who creates the collection 'No Frills' in Fashion Reimagined and tries to be as sustainable as possible through every step of sourcing and manufacturing of the materials. Click on the link below to book the opening event and the screenings in October, for Froctober.

Head here for more information on Fashion Reimagined and to book 

Come and see our Froctober gallery display

For the whole of October we will have numerous pieces of art on display as well as storyboards which depict the journey a piece of clothing takes to get to the consumer. These include:

• Zero-waste knitwear concept clothing - created using wholegarment technology
• The journey of jeans, our everyday staple, where do the materials come from, what are the impacts and how can you choose better as a consumer
• New technology in the fashion industry, how it used, and how it will shape the future of fashion
• Local textile and mixed media artists -Local creators and artists; Nerida Little, Sarah Norton, Chris McGuigan and Linda Burgess
• The plastic dress Craig Reucassel wore for War on Waste - telling the story of plastic use in clothing
• Op Shop donated outfits proudly on display, shopping local and second hand is one of the easiest ways to reduce your fashion footprint

No need to book, gallery display will be completely set up in the atrium from Thursday 3rd October - Thursday 31st October. Civic Centre is open Mon-Fri 8:30am - 4:30pm, groups welcome. 

FREE Sew and Upcycle sessions with Creative Space @ Vinnies - 2 sessions available in October

Each session you will have access to sewing machines and knowledgeable volunteers who can help guide your creativity. Creative Space is a safe space for each and everyone one of you to be yourself allowing your creativity to shine. You can create something new with the materials we have or bring your own materials or something to be repaired.

Head to the events page to find out more and to book

Nina Gbor and Clothes Swap - 26 October

In addition, join us for the grand finale with Nina Gbor from the Australian Institute who joins us to help guide our fashion choices with a restyle session. Did you know that you can restyle the same basics for multiple occasions? Nina will provide some excellent ideas and alternatives on how to restyle an outfit and how you can make the most of your current wardrobe. Following the restyle session Nina will open the clothes swap for everyone to find a new item to love, the link below will take you to the closing of the event which is also the clothes swap. Please make sure you also sign up to drop off your clothes through the same link below.

A note on donated clothes for the clothes swap: There are 5 dates through October for you to drop off your items, you must book on the link below to ensure a staff member is there to meet you. Please ensure you drop no more than 10 items of women's clothing, bags and shoes. They need to be washed, undamaged and wearable. All remaining clothes, bags and shoes will be donated to a local organisation in need of womans clothing. 

Head here to book for the grand finale, drop your clothes and for the clothes swap

Check out this great recent news clip with Nina Gbor on our fashion fixation

Shop local, support our Op Shops

Did you know we have 11 not for profit Op Shops in our Shire? Choosing to shop second hand is one of the easiest ways to reduce your fashion footprint. We have invited our Shire wide Not for profit Op shops to take part in Froctober, you will see carefully crafted Op Shop outfits around the atrium as part of the gallery display. These outfits will also be part of the clothes swap on 26 October.

Op Shops Directory - Shop local and second hand to reduce your fashion footprint.

References: European Parliament. (2020). The impact of textile production and waste on the environment. (https://www.europarl.europa.eu). Clean Up Australia. (2024). Fast Fashion. (https://www.cleanup.org.au) Gbor, N., & Chollet, O. (2024). Textiles waste in Australia. (https://australiainstitute.org.au/report/textiles-waste-in-australia/). Bonanni, G., et al. (2024). Explainer: What is fast fashion and how can we combat its human rights and environmental impacts? Australian Human Rights Institute. (https://www.unsw.edu.au) Lawson, H. A. (2023). How fast fashion fuels climate change, plastic pollution, and violence. Greenpeace International.How fast fashion fuels climate change, plastic pollution, and violence - Greenpeace International. Fashion Revolution. (2024). What Fuels Fashion? (https://issuu.com/fashionrevolution)