Waste Textiles Turned into Clothing and Accessories by Volunteer Women
In Gaziantep, 52 volunteer women at the recycling workshop of the Hürriyet Social Solidarity Center, operating under the Social Assistance and Solidarity Foundation of Şehitkamil District Governorship, are transforming waste textile products into clothing and accessories.
At the recycling workshop located in Kayaönü Neighborhood, women bring unused textile items from their homes to the center. Working together, they use sewing machines and materials to create accessories and garments from these waste textiles, which are then distributed to disadvantaged children in their community.
Through the products they create, the volunteers both develop their professional skills and raise environmental awareness. Master trainer Ayşe Polat told Anadolu Agency that the women in the workshop make use of leftover fabrics from their homes.
Explaining that they produce items such as scarves, beanies, pencil cases, bags, and hair accessories from waste materials, Polat said: “We collect unused jeans, sofa covers, knitted blankets, coats, curtains, and other waste fabrics from home and evaluate them one by one. We are all very happy when we meet the needs of children. It is a wonderful feeling to touch the lives of people in need. We become even more dedicated to our work. We spend about five hours a day in the workshop creating beautiful products.”
Encouraging women to participate in such workshops for self-development, Polat added:
“Housewives should not remain idle at home. They can come here and contribute to those in need. Touching a life is very important. I want everyone to experience this awareness.”
“A Child’s Smile Is Truly Rewarding”
One of the participants, Ayten Çakmak, said she joined the center to avoid staying idle at home and to help those in need.
Stating that they work together with the master trainer and other volunteers to create something meaningful from waste materials, Çakmak continued: “I have been attending the workshop for about five months. I bring unused items such as jeans, coats, and jackets from home and repurpose them here. We have made pencil cases, backpacks, school bags, beanies, vests, and scarves. We made many children happy. As they became happier, we felt even more motivated to do more. We worked with joy. A child’s smile is truly rewarding.”
