Giving military surplus a makeover
Design students in Winchester are transforming military surplus clothing into sustainable fashion in a first-of-its-kind project.
Winchester School of Art has joined forces with Ministry of Defence surplus recovery and reuse specialists Ramco and the charity Help for Heroes on the pioneering initiative.
The second year Fashion Design students visited Ramco’s headquarters in Skegness to learn about where surplus items come from and to select items to upcycle. They have transformed these textiles into fashion pieces – from trousers and jackets to dresses, shirts and bags.
Selected students are now refining their designs before they will be produced on a large scale to distribute with the support of – and to raise money for – Help for Heroes.
Student Julia Horsley said: “When I first heard about this project, I was really excited because I love upcycling and sustainability is one of the main things I think about. In designing, there’s the issue of textile production being massive and wasteful.”
Fellow student Dylan Zhao added: “It’s really important to honour the memory of the military personnel, past and present, who wore these military garments.”
Sharon Williams, Principal Teaching Fellow at Winchester School of Art, is leading the students’ involvement in the project, called Operation Upcycle .
She said: “Operation Upcycle gives our students a rare opportunity to work with authentic materials and a real social purpose and giving them creative and commercial insight. This project is about making a difference, not forgetting the fashion element, but bringing in the story behind the textiles, plus sustainability and social impact.”
Every year, thousands of military uniforms are retired due to damage, design updates, or end of service live. Many can’t be resold and end up in waste streams, contributing to the 711,000 tonnes of post-consumer textiles discarded each year in the UK.
Neil Sanderson, Managing Director at Ramco, said: “Operation Upcycle was created to prove that surplus materials can create new value commercially, environmentally and socially.
“Collaborating with Help for Heroes on the partnership is a major step forward. Their experience, reach and deep understanding of the Armed Forces community will help us ensure this initiative delivers genuine, lasting impact for veterans, while also scaling the programme nationally.”
Help for Heroes will introduce the students to veterans who will share their stories and explain what the uniforms meant to them.
James Needham, Help for Heroes’ chief executive, said: “For many veterans, the uniform represents pride, identity and belonging, and when service ends, that can be difficult to replace.
"This initiative honours that history while transforming surplus military textiles into pieces that carry real story and meaning. It brings veterans and students together to champion sustainability and ensure the experience of the Armed Forces community is seen and heard by new audiences.”