Bradford upcyling project is reviving clothes

In the heart of Bradford’s historic former textile hub Manningham Mills, a weekly gathering of local ladies is quietly transforming lives – one stitch at a time.

The Sewcialise project brings local women together every Monday to upcycle clothes, but also to build confidence, connection, and community.

As the women breathe new life into old jackets and jeans they are also weaving bonds of friendship – caring for the planet and caring for each other at the same time.

“We sew and we socialise,” sums up Tanu Patel, one of the directors of the project.

“We have a fabric bank where we’ve collected fabrics that ordinarily would have gone to landfill, and women come together and make useful and interesting things out of these fabrics. And they form support networks and friendships.

“We are there to support them, but we are led by their creativity.”

Mrs Patel is no stranger to the importance of healing through social connection and creativity – both professionally and personally.

A former social worker, she has worked extensively with people living with multiple challenges, while she said she discovered a love for furniture renovation while recovering from Covid.

“Focusing on upcycling contributed immensely to my recovery,” she says.

That experience is now at the core of her work with the newly formed Yorkshire Women’s Forum social enterprise, which is developing several upcycling and restoration themed projects.

The Sewcialise sessions in particular have become a lifeline for many – among them Sophie Younus.

“I joined the group when I was going through quite an emotional time in my life and I was socially isolated,” she says.

“I learnt a lot and met a lot of people. It really helps me with my confidence.

“It grounds me, and I need that to build myself up again and just to get back out into the community.”

The project supports women from all backgrounds and walks of life. Some are empty-nesters, others are recovering from a variety of personal challenges.

Some are returning to dormant heritage and craft skills they haven’t used in decades, while others are picking up a needle for the first time.

And many are discovering a natural entrepreneurial flair.

The project is also bringing together the generations – with the youngest regular just 16, and the oldest 86.

Former seamstress Riffat Akram said: “Every time I come, I get to meet new people, which is amazing.

“You realise that there are so many people battling with so many things in life, and you try to get things into perspective.”

Aifat Mahmood said the sessions gave her a chance to “get on with things that I wouldn’t be able to get on with at home” and said watching others’ confidence bloom was “wonderful”.

Gulshan Munir, one of the creative powerhouses behind the project, says her new passion for upcyling has taken over her life – and inspiration often strikes unexpectedly.

“Anything that I see, even people wearing clothes, I’m thinking, ‘oh, that’s a nice bag,’ or the curtains on somebody’s windows, I’m thinking, ‘oh, that’s a nice kaftan’.”

Seeing the seeds of independence and enterprise being sown is particularly heartwarming for those leading the sessions.

“We have one young woman who’s actually now embroidering a denim jacket, which we said we’d help her sell on Etsy,” Mrs Patel says.

“We’re hoping that by the end of the year, we’ll set her up in a little business.”

“It’s also about helping many ladies reclaim their identity and purpose,” she adds.

“Many women get lost in being mums and daughters and carers.

“They don’t know what to do now. So when they come here and we ask them to teach us something, it makes them feel part of something again.

“They come here, tell us their stories and at the end of the day, they have something tangible to take home.

“And they can say ‘I’ve come here just for me, and this is my time’ and that is so important.”