NHB revives Singapore’s tailoring community

INTRODUCTION:
Cheap, trendy, and easily accessible. Fast fashion has fuelled a cycle of rapid consumption and disposal – generating over 137,000 tonnes of fashion waste in Singapore every year. It has also caused the decline of Singapore’s once-thriving tailoring industry – a heritage trade known for its craftsmanship, skills, and tradition.

INSIGHT:
Textile waste is driven by the youth’s appetite for the latest styles and widespread adoption of fast-manufacturing e-commerce fashion portals. It stands in stark contrast to the craftmanship, skills, and tradition found in Singapore’s tailoring community. To engage Singapore’s young fashion community and change their prevailing perceptions, we had to revolutionise how people experience fashion.

IDEA:
Introducing Recustom. Fashion that cannot be bought. It can only be made at your local tailor, with your pre-loved clothes. Collaborating with seven of Singapore’s biggest fashion and heritage wear designers, we co-created design blueprints with guidelines on how to combine old clothes to create new fashion. Then we leveraged influencers and social media to spread the word.

Anyone can download the design blueprints for free, and get them made with pre-loved clothes at participating tailor shops to create a one-of-a-kind outfit. A groundbreaking solution that extends the life of fast fashion and generates new income for the tailoring community.

RESULTS:
Within days, over 7,000 blueprint downloads led to the reuse of 21,000+ clothing items, generating over 10 million in earned media. Tailors experienced a 30% increase in footfall, potentially doubling their revenue.