Re-creation and recreation: playful sustainable fashion textile projects with school children

The socio-environmental impacts created by the fashion industry have been well documented. At this time of increasing global climate anxiety and the rising costs of living, the need for pleasure, escape and joy from our daily lives is also keenly felt. This chapter considers how might we bring about change through play with young fashion users. The author reflects on a body of practice research and discusses a range of workshop approaches using discarded clothing. The three small, informal projects that were conducted with school children in London, UK, are considered in terms of how the current sustainability curriculum models might be extended through ‘recreation’ – play – and ‘re-creation’ - to make again (in this case items of discarded school uniform). ‘Re-creation’ is also considered in terms of how we as design researchers must be ready to change ourselves – our own direction of travel and the focus of our efforts - when working with urgent wicked and complex challenges.