After months of preparation, hard work, and creative effort from students and teachers alike, the Where’s Your Thread At? fashion show took place last night at The Academy of St Nicholas in Speke – with hundreds in attendance to celebrate this inspiring student-led sustainable fashion project.
Using textiles donated by Roberts Recycling, and delivered in partnership with New Mersey Retail Park, the event showcased a bold vision of a future where creativity and sustainability come together to drive environmental change – while building pathways for young people in both the fashion and recycling industries.
The evening featured music and dance performances, spoken word poetry, and even student-led hospitality. With a catwalk built through the centre of the audience, each student model took to the runway to debut their own upcycled designs – created from pre-loved clothing donated by our team. Each outfit proved that there’s value in clothing far beyond its first life
Our Partnership with the Academy of St Nicholas
Roberts Recycling was honoured to support the Where’s Your Thread At? programme throughout its development, as part of our ongoing commitment to education, inclusion, and sustainability.
As a reuse-first business, we began by donating volumes of unwanted denim, leather, and everyday clothing items, helping pupils redesign and upcycle fashion in line with the show’s chosen themes: futurism, royalty through the ages, and punk.
Earlier this year, students from the Academy visited our Halebank HQ, where they got a behind-the-scenes look at textile recycling in action and hand-picked garments to work with for their creations.
We also helped coordinate additional textile workshops alongside craft experts, enabling students to build skills in cutting, sewing, and garment design. These sessions gave the young designers confidence to bring their ideas to life, culminating in a spectacular live event in front of peers, families, council members, and local supporters.
A Message from Paul Roberts, Director
“It’s been a real privilege for Roberts Recycling to support The Academy of St Nicholas students and staff team on the incredible Where’s Your Thread At? fashion show project.
From launching the programme in an assembly, to welcoming students behind the scenes at our HQ to select clothing, and bringing in local craft experts to run workshops at St Cleopas Primary (part of the Academy Trust), we’ve been blown away by the creativity, enthusiasm, and commitment on show.
As a local business, we’re passionate about supporting our community and creating opportunities for young people. We hope many see a future for themselves in sustainability, recycling, or the creative industries.
The fashion show was a true celebration, and it was brilliant to see such a rapport between the students and teachers. We could see how much it meant to you all. We’d like to congratulate Lyndsey, Caroline, Russell and the whole team for delivering such an inspiring programme. We already can’t wait for what’s next.”
A Model for the Future
Where’s Your Thread At? is a brilliant example of how schools can engage pupils with real-world challenges through creative, hands-on learning. The project combined environmental education, employability skills, and artistic expression – offering pupils a meaningful way to explore sustainability.
We’d like to thank Lyndsey, Caroline, Russell, and the entire staff team at The Academy of St Nicholas for their vision and drive in making this event such a success. And a huge congratulations to every student involved – we have no doubt that many of you will go on to shape the future of fashion, sustainability, and social action.
To learn more about our work with schools and community partners, or to request textile donations for your own creative projects, get in touch via projects@robertsrecycling.co.uk.
