Interviews

Who are Thread Together and what do they do?

Chris Gill July 09, 2020
Who are Thread Together?

There are many things we take for granted in our everyday lives. The meals we eat, the water we drink, the clean air we breathe.

Something else we take for granted is the clothing we wear. Sure, we agonise over what top to pair with what jeans and so on. But very rarely do we spare a thought for those who can’t afford to buy new clothes at all.

This is where Thread Together comes in. With a simple mission to deliver new, good quality clothing and shoes to people in our community who are ‘doing it tough’, Thread Together is an organisation we are proud to say we align and work with.

To explain a bit more about Thread Together’s past, present and future, we caught up with the charity’s founder, Andie Halas. But before that, we thought we’d give you a brief overview of who exactly Thread Together are.

Who are Thread Together?

Thread Together

Founded in 2012 by Andie Halas, a former shareholder of the swimwear brand Seafolly, Thread Together provides clothing donations to those who are truly in need. Using her vast experience within the fashion industry, Andie saw the potential for unsold clothing to make a huge difference in people’s lives.

Through collaborating with some of Australia’s largest clothing brands and social service agencies, Thread Together helps companies with too much give back to people that have too little.

When Thread Together first started, their focus was to provide grassroots support to charity initiatives by providing clothing for activities such as community market days. Fast forward to today and the organisation continues to support charities through their wardrobe initiatives and Clothing Hubs.

An interview with Andie Halas, Thread Together founder

Andie Halas

How did Thread Together originally come to be?

Seafolly experienced a small production issue with some blue and white towels. They were perfectly good, but the dye ran slightly, making them unsaleable. So, we looked at the options – we could dump them and claim the loss or find something better to do with them.

I decided on the latter and contacted the Asylum Seeker Centre which was around the corner from our offices. The towels were immediately and gratefully accepted. And when I dropped the towels in I realised that this small organisation was providing over 60 people with all their basic needs – food, shelter, clothing and companionship.

I noticed that a group of people were rummaging through a pile of old clothes that sat in broken cardboard boxes. My instinct was to go over and assist in some way. I introduced myself to a lady who explained that she needed to find some clothes for her daughter. The daughter was the same age as my youngest child but instead of being at school she was sitting alone and so still.

The mother seemed afraid and desperate to find some clothes. We spent 30 minutes looking, and although the clothes had been donated by well-meaning citizens, they smelled bad and there really wasn’t anything suitable. The whole process was so undignified – I was not a case worker nor a doctor, but I did have access to clothing.

That day at the Asylum Seeker Centre was a pretty extraordinary day in my life. I felt excited and energised about the possibilities. It was a simple concept – pick up unsold stock, sort through and organise it, and then donate clothing to people in need in a dignified manner.

Something about the idea felt so right, and Thread Together was created.

Thread Together

What has been your biggest highlight since launching the organisation?

Helping a quarter of a million people so far has meant that we have diverted some 750,000 items of clothes from potential landfill and are becoming the umbrella organisation for the fashion industry’s response to waste and social responsibility.

We can imagine the journey has had some pretty confronting moments for you. How has Thread Together changed you as a person?

I was driven for a purpose and found myself asking and doing things way outside my comfort zone. This simple idea that began small has taught me some big lessons.

Australia is the lucky country, but not for all.

You don’t have to look very hard to find large and disturbing pockets of vulnerable Australians. Recently I went out on night patrol with St Vincent De Paul in Canberra. It was cold – really cold – and we were flat-out all night feeding, clothing and conversing with so many people, and all this was taking place right next door to Parliament House.

But one of the nice surprises that happened that evening was that a chap who I thought was homeless came up and gave me $200 and said: “Vinnie’s was there for me when I had nothing and now I’ve got a job so please, help someone else.” We see so much news of people being horrible to each other but my work in this field has shown me that most people are good and kind.

Thread Together

Given your background in the fashion industry and the waste you would have undoubtedly seen throughout your career, does it surprise you that someone hadn't come up with the idea of Thread Together sooner?

In the early 2000s, the whole issue of sustainability was not nearly as prominent as it is today. There was some talk about plastic not being good for the environment, but no one spoke about the negative impact that the growing “fast fashion” era might have on our earth. To the contrary, fast fashion was seen as a great thing – it was democratic, now we could all afford to dress like famous celebrities.

It was only when Anthony (Andie's husband) and I travelled to factories in rural China that I began to comprehend the madness of fast fashion. The factories were huge, as were the machines, number of workers, and the roles of synthetic fabric strewn on the floor. It was overwhelming, and I knew that we were just gobbling up resources like there’s no tomorrow.

Now perhaps the response of a more noble person may have been to shut up shop and turn to organic food production, but that just wasn’t a realistic option for us. And anyway, how was I, someone so small and insignificant, really going to have any impact on this big issue?

Thread Together

Do you see the attitude towards waste in the fashion industry changing?

Yes, absolutely. We have over 40 fashion brands donating their end-of-line clothes to us. Fashion really wants to be part of the solution that Thread Together offers.

How can people get involved with Thread Together?

We do not charge the people that we help or the brands that donate their clothes to us. But we do need to pay the rent and meet our basic operational costs annually. It costs us $5 to clothe a person. You can donate on our website or commit to clothing a family of four every month by setting up a monthly payment.

Help us spread our message – the more people know about Thread Together, the more we can help. If you work in fashion or know someone who does, tell them how easy it is to donate to Thread Together. If you work for a corporate, let them know how they can support our work by booking a team building program. If you work in charity – let them know that with Thread Together they can order the type of clothes their clients need and at a time that suits them.

What advice would you give someone wanting to launch their own charity?

The best time to ask for something is when you are amid a commercial negotiation.

What are Thread Together's plans for the future?

We want to become the umbrella solution for the fashion world. Ensuring nothing manufactured goes straight to landfill and those clothes are instead going to people in our community doing it tough.

We would like to open a Clothing Hub in every major city nationally and have a mobile van attached to each hub.

You may also like

An Open Letter on Mother’s Day

Interviews

An Open Letter on Mother’s Day

A letter to the women who gave me life and the daughters I birthed into this world. All having an impact and shaping me into the woman I am right now; the mother, the daughter and the granddaughter. My daughters Millie bobby & Lakey Boh, words can't describe the way I feel about you both and the unconditional love that fills my heart knowing you are mine. One of my biggest dreams growing up was to be a mum; to fall in love, have a family and live a happy, healthy, well balanced life. I feel so blessed that my dream is now a reality. Falling pregnant with you both brought me so much joy and excitement.To experience life dancing inside my womb was magic and birthing you was one of the most amazing moments of my life. I thank my lucky stars you girls chose me to be your mum. I promise to be there for you and help guide you through life, but allow you to find your own path.  I will teach you and encourage you both to live life to its fullest, dream big, stand strong for your beliefs, show kindness and love. Love life, love hard and love yourself. As girls who will grow into women, you may come across challenges, you may have your heart broken, you may question yourself, you may find yourself lost. Just know that I am here and you are capable of anything. My girls, I want you to know that You are beautiful You are smart You are worthy You are kind You are loved You are like no other  You are you And that's truly all you need to be. My world lies with you. Forever your biggest cheerleader. I love you with every part of me. Love your mummy My mum,Thank you from the bottom of my heart for everything you've done and continue to do for me. Only now as a mum myself I truely understand. All the sleepless nights, the cooking to ensure we ate well, the cleaning and never ending laundry, personal taxi driver, unconditional love and the worrying that comes with the role. I feel so blessed to have you and our family. You worked so hard to give myself and my brother so much growing up and continue to give as I have my own family. I appreciate you, your giving nature and willingness to help when needed. From minding my girls, picking up groceries, cooking for us or giving a helping hand around the house. Now a Nonna to my girls, I thank you for your guidance. Millie adores you and enjoys her days with you. Nonna being one of her first words it was evident you had a big impression on her early on. Millie and Lakey are so lucky to have you and I'm so happy I get to watch your relationship with them.  You areMy inspiration. My mentor.My friend . I love you To my grandma and Ma to my daughters,We have always just clicked; our love for arts and crafts, our love for a good chat, our love for outdoors and the ocean and our love for family. I've always felt special being your first grandchild and Pa's princess. I have so many good memories growing up at your house, outside playing with Ben (dog) or swimming in the pool. It was my second home and I loved it. You inspire me in many ways, You yourself, a mum of 6, it blows my mind. What a super woman you are. And now a grandma to 15 and a Ma to 2, such a big achievement. You should be so proud. You are a woman of routine, rain hail or shine. In the early hours of the morning you swim in the rock pool with your community of friends and fellow locals. I love this so much and enjoy telling others what a routine to have. What a way to feel alive within the ocean. Pure bliss. I'm so proud of you this last year after the passing of your loving husband, my pa.  You are so loved by everyone around you and know I'm always here for you. I love you deeply  Mother Nature,It seemed fit to include you in this letter as I have so much to thank you for. I am so blessed to have grown up and currently still live in a beautiful area called the Sutherland Shire. It is such an amazing area to live, grow up and watch my girls grow up in. After becoming a mother for the very first time, I was introduced to a natural way of living. Choosing plants over chemicals, choosing to become aware of ingredients and do research into the products my family use. Choosing safer natural alternatives where possible. Choosing health, wellness and happiness. Choosing to share my journey and build my community. Choosing to make a difference. The last 2.5yrs I have empowered myself and given my daughters a better start to life knowing I'm reducing their toxic exposure. I am connecting with like minded people and small businesses. It has been an eye opener and I am forever grateful.  LoveLara Lara wears our Shaper Crop Bra and Classic Bikini. Shop now Follow Lara at @theessentialcoPhotos by @tashwhittyphotography  

An interview with Marlee Silva, Tiddas 4 Tiddas Founder

Interviews

An interview with Marlee Silva, Tiddas 4 Tiddas Founder

Marlee Silva, also known as the ultimate multi-tasker is the force behind Tiddas 4 Tiddas, a writer, a podcast host, and a published author. Marlee launched the Instagram platform Tiddas 4 Tiddas ('tidda' is an Aboriginal word for sister) in November of 2018 with her sister, Keely. 

International Women's Day | With Phoebe Ghorayeb

Interviews

International Women's Day | With Phoebe Ghorayeb

To mark International Women’s Day this year, we asked women who are part of our community, how the official IWD 2020 theme #ChooseToChallenge speaks to them. Meet Phoebe Ghorayeb, a mum, a wife, a model, a presenter and a blogger at [MODEL] Appetite.