Sustainable Fashion Workshop | Alexion AstraZeneca 2025
Fashion and clothing sustainability in action.
In July 2025, I had the pleasure of delivering a tailored sustainable fashion workshop for Alexion AstraZeneca as part of their Big Convo event held at Darling Harbour.
Working closely with Alexion’s passionate and forward-thinking Sustainability Committee, I curated a bespoke session that aligned with their corporate sustainability goals while also engaging, educating, and inspiring their team. The brief was clear — deliver a session that not only informed but also encouraged meaningful action.
Fashion sustainability topics
My presentation covered key topics including:
- Why sustainable fashion matters
- Australia’s fast fashion habits and their environmental impact
- Simple garment care tips to extend the life of clothing
- How to keep clothes in circulation and out of landfill
- No-sew methods for altering and repurposing garments
- Basic and advanced upcycling techniques for all skill levels
- A mindset shift toward conscious clothing choices
From the outset, I assured the group that this wasn’t about restriction or guilt. I wasn’t the Fun Police! Instead, the session was designed to inspire attendees to look at their wardrobes with fresh eyes and a more sustainable lens.
A fun sustainability challenge for the attendees
Following a 20-minute presentation filled with real-life examples and practical takeaways, we moved into the interactive segment. With over 50 participants in attendance, we split into groups, and each team was given 4–5 pre-loved garments donated by attendees in advance and tagged with reasons the donor no longer wore them (e.g., too small, not their style, kids had grown out of it).
The challenge: Come up with ways to refashion, repurpose, or upcycle the items.
The results were inspiring. Many participants applied the techniques I’d discussed — and even came up with brilliant new ideas of their own. It was fantastic to see creative thinking and sustainable problem-solving in action.
Some standout ideas included:
- Turning a dated silk shirt into a silk pillowcase and sleep eye mask
- Altering a men’s bouclé jacket into a shorter, Chanel-style women’s piece
- Transforming a child’s shirt into a stylish dog jacket
- Repurposing worn girls’ stockings into a draught stopper for doors
Workshop conclusion
We wrapped up with an informal clothing swap, where many of the pre-loved garments found new homes – extending their life and reducing waste.
The workshop, in it’s entirety, ran for 60 minutes and concluded with participants walking away empowered, informed, and inspired to rethink their relationship with fast fashion and the clothes in their wardrobe.
More information
After 30 years running a successful website development and online marketing agency, I’ve made a purposeful career shift to pursue my lifelong passion for sustainability, with a focus on the increasing need for fashion sustainability education.
My fashion sustainability workshops have been carefully curated to empower individuals and organisations to embrace practical, creative ways to reduce their environmental impact. Through thought-provoking discussion, engaging conversation, and fun, hands-on activities, participants are inspired to make more conscious choices — both in the workplace and in everyday life.
If you have any questions about my sustainability workshops, don’t hesitate to get in touch.
Bex Mitchell
0418 118 401
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“Thanks Bex. I am sure your session will compel us to make thoughtful, informed choices when shopping and how we treat our clothes.” – Adeline Lim, Alexion Pharmaceuticals Australasia
