Dharma Bums recently partnered with Thread Together to deliver new, good quality clothing to people in our community who are doing it tough. Last month our team dropped off and helped sort almost 25 boxes of Dharma Bums product at the Thread Together warehouse. That’s close to 2,600 beautiful pieces of reclaimed fashion gifted to the wider community and kilograms of unworn clothing saved from potential landfill!
Thread Together is an organisation built on the belief that we can restore dignity and hope for people who are going through a difficult time by providing the opportunity to choose a complete wardrobe of new clothes Thread Together is the only organisation in Australia whose main mission and focus is to source new and excess clothing from fashion retailers and redistribute items to those in our communities that need it most. In five years we have distributed over $8 million worth of new clothing to people in our community who are vulnerable and in need.
An increasing number of Australians do not have access to essential clothing. According to the Social Policy Research Centre report of 2016, 2.99 million people (13.3% of the population), are living below the poverty line. We believe that clothing performs a vital role in creating brighter futures for those who need it most. With the help of charity partners Thread Together continue to achieve their mission to clothe people in need – at no cost to them. Men, women and children that are finding themselves in a tough spot, are welcomed to choose a complete new set of clothes. This is facilitated through Wardrobe Initiatives and Clothing Hubs
There are more than 20 Australian fashion retailers donating excess stock to Thread Together. This has resulted in tonnes of new clothing being diverted from landfill to date. As well as helping Thread Together achieve their mission, it has cemented the organisation as an effective solution for the textile waste problem in Australia. Thread Together are currently supporting the people who are homeless, youth at risk, Indigenous communities, survivors of domestic violence, refugees or long term unemployed. People in need of comfortable clothing to enable them to feel safe and warm, or people seeking clothing for a new job. Thread Together helps ensure those in need receive a tailored service, which reflects the current stage of their personal journey.
Currently it costs Thread Together $5 to cloth each person they help - so the fastest way to make a difference is to donate so that the non-for profit organisation can reach as many people in need as possible. Want to get a little more hands on? Have you ever thought about becoming a volunteer? Thread Together works with volunteers from all over the world. From helping at events, to packing clothes in the warehouse to helping customers at one of our Clothing Hubs. You can check out their website for more information here.
