Join us in this visible mending workshop with artist Asavari Deonath to explore the potential of regenerating what we wear by mending, to support our environment and reverse the devastating impacts of fast fashion on climate change.

Fashion is the 4th most polluting industry in the world, contributing more carbon than international flights and maritime shipping combined. For each year, the average Australian purchases 56 items of clothing, and collectively 200,000+ tonnes of clothing are sent to Australian landfills.

Bring along a pre-loved garment and learn to visibly mend it yourself. In contrast to most repairs which aim to minimise the signs of alteration, visible mending turns the damage into a feature, not just sustaining the life of the garment but adding creativity and value.

Asavari will guide you to generate workable ideas for the garment, identify the tools, techniques and steps and learn any necessary embroidery, sewing or altering techniques and skills for your project. Some materials will be provided but participants should bring whatever sewing materials they already have so they can complete the project without having to buy anything new.

In this workshop you will:

-Learn how to identify and address wear-and-tear and fit flaws in your clothes

-Make a customised acheivable plan to visibly mend one pre-loved garment

-Learn beginner-friendly hand-sewing and textile decoration techniques

-Practice the techniques needed to execute your garment design

-You may complete the mend in the workshop (depending on the scale of the design)

Artist Biography

Asavari Deonath is a multidisciplinary designer based in Canberra. She has been a creative since she was young, and a critic since she was a teenager. As a designer she brings these traits together to create thoughtful solutions to problems. She works across various mediums, including human-centred design, systems thinking, information design, furniture and textiles. After becoming the first graduate of the Australian National University’s Bachelor of Design in 2018, she has gone on to work for the Australian Public Service as a designer (2021-present) and maintains her crafting practice in her spare time.

Image Credit: Asavari Deonath | Cherry Blossom Coat, 2024 | Image courtesy of the artist