A Creative Lens to Textile Waste: After x Collarts at Melbourne Design Week
Our founder, Yesha, had a chat with Meg - Program Leader of Fashion & Sustainability at Collarts - and two Collarts students, Lily and Jodie, who took part in the Melbourne Design Week exhibition. This collaboration between After and Collarts explored what happens when reclaimed textiles meet fresh creative energy, and the results were nothing short of inspiring.
Designing with Waste: Students Take the Lead
For the exhibition, Lily Muoot designed a fairy-inspired coat dress made from white denim jeans and a repurposed bed sheet with lace detailing. The textiles were hand-picked from After’s warehouse.
“The process was so refreshing,” Lily shared. “It really pushed me to think outside the box and try something different. I realised I could create a style that’s far from what I’d usually wear, and it gave me confidence in how creative I could be.”
Her biggest takeaway? “Opportunities like these show you what you’re capable of. I didn’t know I was this creative until I gave it a go.”
Meanwhile, Jodie crafted both a tapestry and a dress from reclaimed crochet dolls, vintage handkerchiefs, and lace curtains. For her, designing with waste wasn’t new - but the collaboration brought fresh affirmation.
“Using reclaimed materials challenges you to design around what’s available, rather than sourcing to fit a pre-made design. That makes the process more original,” she said. “Working with After showed me that this approach isn’t just viable, it’s valued. It confirmed that even in my small way, I can make art that also has a positive impact.”
Jodie also reflected on the personal growth that came with the project: “I learnt that my art can connect with people, not just myself. It gave me renewed confidence and made me braver to share my work.”
Why It Matters: The Educator’s Perspective
Behind the scenes, Meg was the driving force in making this collaboration possible. She saw it as a unique chance for her students to step out of the classroom and into the industry.
“At Collarts, we put sustainability at the core of our program,” Meg explained. “This project gave students the chance to put theory into practice by directly engaging with reclaimed textiles from After. It encouraged more creative problem-solving, and the surprise of working with unexpected materials led to really exciting outcomes.”
Meg was especially inspired by the students’ response: “I saw them genuinely excited when picking materials at After’s warehouse. And one student even extended their project into a wall-hanging piece alongside their garment - an incredible, unexpected outcome.”
The Power of Collaboration
The partnership between industry and education is something Meg sees as vital for shaping the future of sustainable fashion.
“Collaborations like this give students valuable real-world insight and help them build industry networks,” she said. “It’s also about embedding sustainability values into the next generation of designers so that together, we can challenge how people think about fashion and textiles.”
For After, it was a chance to witness how reclaimed textiles can spark creativity and show students - and the wider community - that waste can be a powerful resource.
Looking Forward
Both Lily and Jodie are excited to continue designing with reclaimed textiles, and Meg hopes more students and institutions will embrace these kinds of collaborations. As Jodie put it:
“Even in your own small way, you are making a difference. With more of us emerging designers choosing sustainable practices, we can incrementally change the fashion industry for the better.”
For us at After, this project was proof of the impact that can happen when education meets action - and when waste is reimagined as the start of something new.