Thread Counts developed to address some of the big problems of the fashion industry that have developed over the last 20 years. A rise in technology and offshore manufacture have led to cheaper clothing and a culture of fast fashion and disposable textiles. As a result, 35,000 tonnes of textile waste is sent to land fill in the UK each year.

Thread Counts aims to engage businesses and fashion creatives across the region, supporting peer learning, research development, industry partnerships and local impact.

Supported by the University’s Learning Innovation for Tomorrow programme, and RCE Severn, ‘Thread Counts’ sustainable fashion and textiles forum is a collaborative development by RCE Severn, the University of Gloucestershire’s Fashion Design BA (Hons) course, Stroud International Textiles SIT and Atelier, Stroud. 

Through events and activities Thread Counts aims to connect people so they can share skills, develop business practices and create projects that will enable the fashion creatives of our region to drive wider change together.

Thread Counts has 4 key aims:

1. Business engagement – Supporting and collaborating with business to understand and apply sustainable and ethical principles to their commercial practice
2. Research development – driving a national and international agenda by recording reach and impact of sustainable and ethical design on the local community, collaborative partners and students.
3. Education and Learning – facilitating a platform for discussion and developing pedagogic frameworks for EfS in Fashion Design and Textiles.
4. Community impact – raising awareness of ethical textiles and sustainable fashion, promoting engagement, and creating a network for discussion, skill sharing and collaboration.