Junk Kouture Competition
Watch our recent webinar exploring the free Junk Kouture programme. and how it can help schools embed sustainability, introduce textiles and give young people opportunities to develop their creativity, confidence and problem-solving skills. Founded in Ireland in 2010, Junk Kouture challenges students to design and create wearable pieces using 100% recycled materials.
The programme is open to students aged 12 to 19 in secondary education and is now available to young people around the world. Each design can be created by a team of up to three students, including the model, while schools can enter as many designs as they wish. There is no charge for participating.
Watch webinar (free for Association members)
Read Practice Magazine article
Turning waste into creative design
During the webinar, Brona Dowling from Junk Kouture introduced the programme and shared examples of designs created from discarded materials including fabric offcuts, plastics, denim, shells, pistachio shells, bicycle components, life jackets, running bibs and bedsheets. The programme encourages students to explore circular design, experiment with materials and express ideas through fashion and wearable art. It also provides a platform for young creatives whose abilities may not always be recognised through traditional academic or sporting activities.
Students begin by researching and developing ideas, collecting waste materials from their school or local community and experimenting with different construction and manipulation techniques. They then photograph and film their completed designs for submission to the judging panel. Selected students can progress to live events, including the London City Final and the Junk Kouture World Final.
Introducing textiles witho a limited budget
D&T teacher Saffron Pullen described how Junk Kouture helped her introduce textiles at an all-boys grammar school with a mixed sixth form. When she joined the school, there were no sewing machines, mannequins or established textiles provision. With no dedicated budget available, she introduced Junk Kouture as an extracurricular activity and invited sixth-form students to participate. Three students joined the first project, working after school with a sewing machine Saffron brought in herself. Their design reached the UK final before progressing to the World Final in Abu Dhabi.
One of the students subsequently decided to pursue fashion and is now studying at the London College of Fashion. In following years, further students progressed through the competition, including a team that attended the World Final in Monaco. The success of the programme helped demonstrate the value of textiles to the school’s leadership team. Saffron later secured grant funding for six sewing machines, and the department now has 12 machines available for students.
Embedding sustainable practice across the department
What began as an after-school competition has influenced the wider culture of the D&T department. Students and members of the school community have contributed unwanted materials, including umbrellas, clothing and approximately 1,800 milk bottle lids used in one design. Donated materials are organised and stored so they can be used across different projects. All Year 7 projects are now resourced using reclaimed materials wherever possible. Before purchasing anything new, staff and students consider whether an existing or donated material could be reused. This approach has reduced spending on consumable materials, allowing more of the department’s budget to be directed towards equipment and student experiences.
Saffron explained that embedding sustainability into existing teaching was more manageable than attempting to rewrite the curriculum. Small activities have included sketching from Junk Kouture designs, investigating how a single waste material can be manipulated, exploring fashion waste through cross-curricular learning and creating miniature garments from fallen leaves. The programme can also support Key Stage 3 projects, GCSE and A level teaching, EPQs, school productions, enrichment activities and independent student work.
Flexible resources for teachers
Junk Kouture provides lesson plans, schemes of work, worksheets, inspiration materials, curriculum integration guidance and examples of previous designs. Resources can be teacher-led or used independently by students. Activities are available in different lengths, making it possible to introduce the programme through a single lesson, a short sequence of activities or a complete project. Schools can also participate without running a formal club, with an educator acting as the main contact while students develop their designs independently.
Saffron encouraged teachers interested in embedding sustainability to begin with something manageable. Rather than attempting to transform an entire department at once, schools could start with one project, a small collection of donated materials or a short extracurricular activity. Over time, these steps can help reuse become an established part of departmental practice.
Building skills and opening pathways
Alongside creativity and technical knowledge, Junk Kouture is designed to develop confidence, resilience, collaboration, leadership and problem-solving. Students from Saffron’s school have used their experiences to support applications and progression into fashion, fashion marketing, performance and science. Others have gained opportunities to present their work, participate in fashion shows and attend events that would otherwise have been difficult for the school to access.
For Saffron, the programme provided the structure, resources and evidence needed to champion both sustainability and textiles within her school. The result has been more than a successful competition entry. It has helped establish a sustainable way of working across the department, created new learning opportunities and enabled students to see where their creativity could take them.