From boat to coat as ARU students rework old sails
Fashion Design students unveil jackets produced through Clean Sailors partnership
Students at Anglia Ruskin University’s Cambridge School of Art have unveiled a new collection of garments created entirely from reclaimed sailing materials.
Building on the success of last year’s pilot, the 2026 programme, delivered in partnership with Clean Sailors and its ‘ReSail’ initiative, has focused on rethinking waste and material use within the fashion industry.
Working with end-of-life sailcloth sourced through the ReSail platform, the BA (Hons) Fashion Design students were challenged to respond to the unique properties of this highly durable and unconventional textile as part of the course’s sustainable design and innovation module.
The material’s weight, stiffness, weathering and existing construction required a material-led design approach, pushing students to adapt their processes and embrace these constraints.
Each student created printed patchwork outerwear incorporating the original sail features such as stitching and hardware, which is used to connect the sails with a boat’s rigging.
The jacket designs used minimal-waste pattern cutting and demonstrate how technical waste materials can be transformed into contemporary, wearable pieces while retaining elements of their original identity.
“Projects like this encourage students to think beyond aesthetics and engage much more deeply with the materials they are using.
“Sailcloth presents real constraints – it’s structured and it carries a history. This forces students to adapt, experiment and problem-solve in ways they might not otherwise encounter. It’s been exciting to see how this challenge has pushed them to develop more thoughtful, responsible and innovative approaches to design.”
Sarah Graham, Lecturer in Fashion Design at Anglia Ruskin UniversityThe successful collaboration between ARU and Clean Sailors demonstrates how education and industry partnerships can support sustainability and material innovation within design education. By engaging directly with real-world waste streams, students gain practical insight into designing within environmental constraints – an increasingly critical skill for the next generation of designers.
“The level of creativity this year has been exceptional, but what’s equally important is the mindset behind the work. These students are learning to see value where others might see waste and to design with intention from the outset.
“Seeing end-of-life sails transformed into pieces that are both functional and expressive really demonstrates the potential of circular design when it’s embedded in design education.”
Holly Manvell, Founder of Clean Sailors