PERTH: Perth designers with studios full of material scraps and old sewing items have been asked to surrender the goods to assist a community project.
Industry group The Textile Clothing and Footwear Resource Centre of WA (TCFWA) is collecting the goods on behalf of Ormoc Philippines - which aims to aid Filipino men and women to generate their own income.
TCFWA volunteer project manager Carol Hanlon said the items most in demand were sewing machines and overlockers, scissors, finishing equipment such as irons and habadashery items such as trims, ribbons, zips, buttons and cotton.
Hanlon said donations must be made before August 31 after which the goods will be boxed and freighted.
A similar project was undertaken in 2007 where TCFWA was able to send a 40 foot container of donated goods to Ormoc which resulted in the establishment of 21 community sewing centres. In 2008 the group volunteered to visit the sewing centres and helped the groups stage their first fashion show displaying garments made from the centres.