Nelson Tasman Textile ResQ Collective

Tasman Bays Textile ResQ Collective formed in mid-2023 to cut the amount of textiles dumped in local landfills.

In New Zealand textile waste is a staggering 220 000 tonnes annually or about 45 kilos per person, a figure that has nearly doubled in the last ten years. Globally the fashion industry is responsible for about 10% of emissions. We know this has to change.

Our region has more than thirty opshops and other initiatives to distribute second-hand clothing. Buying and donating second-hand is a great start, but it may surprise you to know that a shockingly small proportion of the massive volume donated stays out landfill. Donated items get dumped because they are old and tired, need a wash, or need repairs. A repair may be as simple as missing buttons. Good quality fabric remnants, linens, and curtains are donated, but end up discarded because people lack the time to make something with them.

We are doing something about this. Following the incredibly successful example of Intercept Fabric Rescue in Whangarei (where only 2-3% of donations go to landfill), we have partnered with Nelson Tasman Hospice Opshops. We take items that are unsuitable for sale, and transform them into saleable ones. Hospice benefits from increased revenue and reduced disposal fees. We help them deliver on their slogan of “Sustainable Shopping.”

We also raise awareness of the problems arising from ‘fast fashion’.

All this is immensely positive, creative and fosters social connections. Like-minded people of different backgrounds, ages and skills learn from and  inspire each other, laugh and chat, while we rescue textiles.

We have come a long way in a short space of time. We have:

• A dedicated steering group.
• A solid group of active volunteers that work from home or come to our twice weekly workshops
• A larger group of interested members receiving email updates and quarterly newsletters
• A collection of repaired, upcycled and re-made items for sale in Opshop on Saxton and Nelson Hospice Shop
• Seed funding from NCC Waste Minimisation Fund
• Sufficient start-up facilities, materials, and equipment.
• Professional structures, written plans and reference to Intercept’s Business Manual
• Agreements with Nelson Environment Centre to umbrella us and with Nelson Tasman Hospice Opshops to work with us.
• Website textileresq.com
• Facebook

We would love you to join us. We have a myriad volunteer roles available: from the simple to the creative, from working with textiles to admin and marketing, from working at home to working with others, from the casual to the committed.

Email all enquiries to textileResQ@gmail.com