SATCoL: Reducing waste, renewing hope

Salvationist shares how SATCoL charity shops and donation centres are finding new ways to encourage upcycling.

With more than 250 high street charity shops and donation centres across the UK, the Salvation Army Trading Company Ltd (SATCoL) is a key part of The Salvation Army’s mission priority of caring for creation. In 2024, it helped prevent more than 453,000 tonnes of carbon emissions by helping people to buy second-hand instead of new.

This Great Big Green Week, SATCoL has been exploring innovative ways to invite people to think about how they can upcycle items and find new life in old belongings, reducing waste and making a positive impact on the planet.

Fashion for the future
Norwich

At SATCoL’s Norwich store, a unique upcycled denim fashion collection has launched. The exclusive six-piece collection, called ‘Re’, is made from worn-out denim sourced from SATCoL’s Kettering Processing Centre. The collection is designed by Emmeline Child, senior lecturer in fashion and textiles at the University of Northampton.

The project is funded by national funding agency UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) to test a model for circular fashion using denim. The project has repurposed roughly 30kg of denim.

Nicole Morarescu, SATCoL’s environment and sustainability coordinator, spoke to Emmeline:

How did you first connect with SATCoL?

I studied fashion and worked briefly in SATCoL’s high street industry, but I found it creatively limiting. My interest in sustainability led me to a project with SATCoL in the early 2000s, where I explored textile waste. That experience sparked a passion for working with end-of-life materials. I even launched a small fashion range sold through Topshop and boutiques. After the 2009 recession, I moved into academia and began embedding sustainability into education. I’m now doing a part-time PhD focused on scaling upcycling.

How did this latest collaboration with SATCoL come about?

I reconnected with SATCoL during a research project at the University of the Arts London that looked at the impact of Covid-19 on the charity retail sector. That’s when I met Bernie Thomas, SATCoL’s circular economy and sustainability manager, again. We started talking about doing something together, and when I saw a UKRI funding opportunity, everything aligned.

I started by visiting SATCoL’s processing facility in Kettering, and the sheer volume of donated textiles was overwhelming. Denim stood out — it’s durable, versatile and often looks better with age. The goal was to create a small, commercially viable collection that could be scaled up if successful.

Sally Salvage
Renfrew

Sally Salvage is an event run by the Renfrew Donation Centre, which gives away furniture for free. Established in 2023, it attracts hundreds of visitors who are keen to browse the collection of donated items.

Harry McCafferty, the donation centre’s manager, specialises in furniture reuse and recycling. He said: ‘Sally Salvage was an idea that we thought would support those in need in our community, while at the same time reducing our carbon footprint.’

The third Sally Salvage event was held last month, featuring furniture, household items and pictures. To date, more than 1,600 items have been rehomed that would have been destined for the tip! Find out more at facebook.com/renfrewDC.