Posted by Alfiya Yermukasheva
15 October 2025As part of the Future Fibres Network+, here at the University of Exeter we’re working with Manchester Metropolitan University and Finisterre through the PCT Cross-Network initiative to better understand how repair and reuse practices can inform the transition toward more circular and sustainable business models in the fashion and textile sector.
The first workshop took place last week in Falmouth. This was a chance for the research team to observe one of the pilot repair workshops. This was hosted by Cornwall Repair Specialist Emily Postle. Participants gathered around baskets of colourful yarn to learn traditional darning techniques — some attending their first-ever repair session, others keen to refresh forgotten skills.
One participant had brought a pair of socks with a large hole in the heel. When asked why he joined, he said:
“My girlfriend is usually the one who would do this, so I thought I’d give it a go. I’m always fixing things like surfboards, so why not clothes?”
Moments like this reveal the deeper role of repair — not just as a technical skill, but as a mindful, creative act that reconnects people to the things they wear. Through the Cross-Network collaboration, insights from workshops like this are helping us build a shared evidence base for circular innovation — connecting local experiences of repair to national strategies for change across the fashion and textile system.
To see what locations and times available, go to Finisterre’s Eventbrite page here.
Pictures from the Falmouth Workshop in October
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