The fashion industry is the second biggest environmental polluter on the planet. Every year, over 350,000 tonnes of clothing is sent to landfill in the UK just under 14 million tonnes in the US much of it owing to fast fashion. Furthermore, it’s estimated that many of us wear only 20 per cent of our wardrobe regularly, with the other 80 per cent languishing in our wardrobes unworn, or worse contributing to those ever-growing landfill figures.

We urgently need to find alternative, more sustainable approaches that allow us to have the stylish wardrobes we crave without hurting our planet. The techniques you learn in The Re:Fashion Wardrobe by Portia Lawrie is one of those alternatives.

Learn how to alter or create entirely new garments from pre-loved clothes or forgotten fabrics that are not only chic but don’t cost the earth. Beginning with advice on equipment, fabrics and how to source your clothes for refashioning, Portia Lawrie will then take you step-by-step through a collection of 11 garments that she’s reworked, showing you just how easy it is to refresh or drastically change any piece of clothing you come across.

Lawrie's breezy, can-do attitude is infectious. After all, how hard can it be to repurpose garments (owned or thrifted) to save the planet and pockets? For readers without sewing expertise, Lawrie advises at least getting familiar with the workings of a machine and its terminology. Her idea works: create 11 items of clothing―from boxy tunic shirt to duvet duster coat―that adhere to a color palette for mix-and-matchable potential. Upfront instructions couldn’t be more thorough and are well illustrated too: building the wardrobe, sourcing garments, and working with fabrics, haberdashery, and hardware. Directions for constructing each piece are thorough, filled with step-by-step photographs, tips and tricks (e.g., how to remove jean rivets), opportunities for creativity (like reverse the skirt design and put buttons on the back), and more. There’s even a bit of a photo runway, showing different combinations of garments. Best yet is Lawrie's information on techniques that go beyond pattern templates and her reminders that fitting (yes, self measuring) is critical to buttons and holes, necklines and belts. No excuses!

Learn how to alter or create entirely new garments from pre-loved clothes or forgotten fabrics. We're taken step-by-step through 11 garments, showing how to refresh or drastically change any item of clothing. With time, basic sewing techniques and creative vision, we can make a wardrobe entirely from recycled garments and textiles that's stylish, edgy and as aspirational as anything the high street offers.

This book is absolutely fantastic. Great ways to redesign old clothes without spending more money. Step-by-step instructions throughout with clear pictures to guide you through the process. I love how there is also a section for combining your makes and a great sewing technique section included. Will certainly be able to update my wardrobe without spending with this book.

I have lots of clothes in my wardrobe that I no longer wear so this book seemed the ideal choice to enable me to re fashion them. The book is definitely not for beginners. I think that you would definitely at least some sewing skills to get the best out of it. That being said, it does mean that the clothes you can make are wearable and stylish. It’s not just cutting the sleeves off a T-shirt. It also gives tips on how to identify fabric by doing a burn test. I’ve not seen this anywhere else. It also has chapters on pattern making and fitting. This gives you skills to let your imagination run free. I’m looking at the clothes in my wardrobe with fresh eyes and as well as being an environmentally friendly way of having new clothes it also is a way to save money.

Transform pre-loved clothes and forgotten fabrics into chic new garments. Let founder of The Refashioners movement and sewing designer Portia Lawrie show you how to create stylish fashion that doesn’t cost the planet.

Beginning with advice on how to source and ‘harvest’ existing clothes, Portia Lawrie then makes 11 inspirational garments – from tees and shirts to shorts and a coat – all clearly shown step by step. With her friendly style and tricks of the trade, discover just how easy it is to build a modern yet timeless capsule wardrobe that you can wear throughout the year, and for years to come.

A comprehensive techniques section with clear illustrations is included to equip you for all your future dressmaking projects – from measuring and fitting through to garment deconstruction and construction.