The Australian arm of US-born thrifting retailer Savers has partnered up with Melbourne-based not-for-profit The Social Studio to launch a free alterations pop-up service.
The pop-up will take place at Savers’ Brunswick store north of Melbourne CBD, and will run on Tuesdays and Thursdays throughout September, offering customers on-the-spot tailoring at no extra cost.
The Social Studio is a social enterprise school, manufacturer and brand that establishes opportunities for refugee and new migrant communities, particularly through clothing manufacturing.
Stationed at the front of the Brunswick store, The Social Studio’s skilled team – including graduates, community makers and fashion industry professionals – will front the in-store pop-up, showing customers how small adjustments can upcycle pre-loved pieces.
To access the service, shoppers need to present their Savers receipt from any store.
“Secondhand is already the most sustainable choice – but this initiative takes it one step further,” Savers Australia managing director Michael Fisher said. “By giving shoppers the chance to tailor their thrifted finds, we’re helping people love their clothes for longer, celebrate creativity, and support an incredible community-driven organisation.
“This partnership is about celebrating fashion as a force for good – showing how simple changes can make a meaningful impact.”
Since its launch in 2009, The Social Studio has supported more than 820 young people through training, creative pathways and paid work.
The studio’s CEO Dewi Cooke said the collaboration with Savers Australia celebrates what both organisations stand for.
“For us, fashion has always been a tool for change,” Cooke said. “Partnering with Savers lets us showcase our makers’ skills and inspire more people to see the value in reimagining and reusing what they already have.
“Together, we’re proving sustainable fashion can be creative, inclusive and accessible to everyone.”
Savers operates over 13 stores across Australia, mostly large-format, with one thrift boutique on Oxford Street in Sydney.