Crafting to save the environment

EXPRESSIONIST artist Leah Justyce woke up one morning and had a realisation.

“The world needs help with reducing landfill,” she thought, so she embraced upcycling, making new items out of pre-loved clothing, homewares and furniture.

Launching her own business, Ballarat Textile Recycling, Justyce developed her own signature patterns for making preloved jeans into one-of-a-kind handbags, as well as crocheting weighted blankets and crafting leather roses.

She created weighted teddy bears, stuffed with fabric scraps and old children’s clothes, and sewed shopping bags out of bed sheets and rolls of material.

Now, during the COVID climate, she’s encouraging other creative locals to try their hand at making similar pieces, and reuse textiles that would have otherwise gone to landfill.

With Justyce’s assistance, volunteers might like to have a go at some of her patterns, or bring ideas forward and craft their own original products.

“There are people with ideas that want to create but might not have the means to do it. If they really want to create something, but don’t have access to material, I can help,” she said.

“This is a project that the community can get involved with that’s positive for their mental health and can help them connect. They might have a sewing machine, I can give them items, and we can do COVID safe video workshops.

“When you craft something new from recycled materials, you’re saving the environment and creating a one-of-a-kind piece. That makes it even more special.”

Ballarat Textile Recycling is on the Planet Ark Recycling Near You register. Contact 0457 662 005 for more information.