Student holding a handmade tote made from upcycled denim

Sustainable Sewing & Upcycling


Learn sustainable sewing and creative upcycling in this inspiring short course in Sydney. Bring along your fabric scraps, old clothes, or unfinished sewing projects and transform them into beautiful, functional new items. This course guides you through practical sewing techniques, design strategies, and sustainable habits that empower you to give old textiles a new life.

Across four hands-on sessions, you'll deconstruct garments for usable fabric, apply zero-waste design principles, and produce unique upcycled creations like tote bags or decorative cushions. Taught by a fashion professional with a focus on sustainability, the course combines technical skill-building with creative freedom—perfect for those keen to reduce their fashion footprint.

Course Outline

  • Understanding upcycling, recycling, and downcycling of textiles
  • Deconstructing garments and salvaging fabric and trims
  • Designing and sewing upcycled projects using patchwork, appliqué, and slashing
  • Adopting zero-waste practices and sustainable sewing habits

Schedule & Pricing

  • Course Dates: 19 February – 12 March 2026
  • Time: Wednesdays, 9:30 am – 12:30 pm
  • Duration: 4 sessions
  • Cost: $309

Details
3 hours

You will learn

  • Apply creative sewing techniques like appliqué and patchwork
  • Deconstruct garments to repurpose fabrics and trims
  • Integrate zero-waste practices into sewing projects

You will get

  • Guided instruction from a sustainable fashion expert
  • Serious sewing inspiration and design insights
  • At least two completed upcycled textile projects

Appropriate for

Confident beginners with basic sewing skills interested in sustainable fashion and upcycling.


Preparation

What to bring

  • Old garments, fabric scraps, trims and interfacing
  • Sewing machine (optional – provided if needed)
  • Sewing tools like scissors, pins, thread and A3 paper

What to wear

Closed-toe shoes required for safety


Your Teacher
Sydney Community College

Sydney Community College

38 reviews

Sydney Community College is a registered charity with a voluntary Board of Directors

The College has a mission to offer innovative continuing adult education and training programmes that support individual efforts and facilitate sustainable social change.

We do this by:

  • Providing quality continuing adult education opportunities for people to build practical and theoretical skills and develop knowledge;
  • Leveraging from and developing community capacity and inclusivity;
  • Developing innovative affordable and accessible skills training programmes;
  • Partnering with like organisations to deliver learning opportunities for disadvantaged individuals and communities;
  • Partnering with all levels of government to deliver education policy objectives.

Terms

Cancellations & Refunds

If the organiser cancels the class:

You are entitled to a full refund.

If you can't attend the class:

You’re welcome to send someone in your place.

OR

  • A refund can be requested 10 days before class starts. An admin fee of AU$45.00 applies.

Terms & Conditions

At Sydney Community College, we know that plans can change unexpectedly. Whether it’s a shift in your schedule, a family emergency, or just a change of heart, we want to support you in the fairest way possible.  

At the same time, we’re a not-for-profit organisation that commits resources to running each class—so last-minute cancellations can significantly impact our ability to offer quality, affordable programs.

That’s why we’ve created a simple, transparent policy that balances your need for flexibility with our need to plan and deliver courses sustainably.  Our cancellation policy offers two clear options, depending on when you notify us:

Cancel More Than 10 Days Before the Course Starts – You can choose to receive a full refund, minus a $45 administration fee OR a non-refundable credit note valid for 12 months for the full value you paid for the course. This credit can be used towards any future course at the College. 

 Option 2: Cancel Within 10 Days of the Course Starting - You’ll receive a credit note valid for 12 months for 50% of the course fee you paid for the course. This credit can be used towards any future course at the College. 

Please note that both refund and credit options are only available before the course begins. Once the course has started—or if you decide to withdraw after it has commenced—no refunds or credits can be issued.  If you need to cancel your enrolment, just email us and we’ll take care of it based on the timelines above.

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