Stitch Kitchen manager Fiona Jenkin was hosting special "mend and make awesome" workshops over the weekend encouraging people to bring in their old clothes and turn them into something new.
"I founded Stitch Kitchen nine years ago out of interest in giving people more agency in fashion.
"Lots of people are dependent on fast fashion and throwing things away when they start to wear out - so the idea of altering clothes and adjusting them means you can add your own creativity to them."
People could come into the store with anything they wanted to mend.
"That could be sorting out something you found at the bottom of your cupboard which you never got around to fixing or even darning your socks. We will teach people the skills they need to make those alterations."
The idea of reviving old fashions really appealed to Ms Jenkin from a sustainability perspective.
"It’s really easy, and very flexible.
"You do what you need to do. You start simple and get more ambitious as you get more confident.
"All you need is a needle and thread. It’s such a great life skill in being able to do something practical that can save money and is good for the environment."
There was also a strong mental health component, she said.
"It engages your whole mind, so it’s a real escape from the rest of life, but you also get to take the items with you."
Ms Jenkin, who plans to host workshops throughout Dunedin, said people became "really excited by their new-found skills".
"It’s really hard for an adult to learn a new skill, because we don't usually give ourselves permission to start off badly.
"So to see the improvement is really heartening."
Being able to embrace second-hand fashion and moving away from fast, ultra-cheap clothing was vital for her, Ms Jenkin said.
"If we can embrace second-hand shopping and mending, we can be part of a global community making the world a better place, all the while just focusing on what you can do at a personal level."
