Sonya is a true champion for sustainability and creativity. Her passion for enjoying clothing for self expression, sharing with the community and protecting the environment has led to the creation of Textile Rescue Manawatū, a project dedicated to reducing textile waste and giving discarded fabrics a second life.
Her journey began with a simple idea: upcycling. After visiting local op shops and discovering how difficult it was to access unsellable clothing destined for landfill, Sonya realised volunteering was a better option than dumpster diving. That decision set the stage for something much bigger.
The turning point came during an event in June. A leaky roof and an overflow of donations left more than 500 boxes of items needing new homes. Sonya stepped in, taking 130 boxes of clothing and redistributing them to charities like Te Whare Koha, Palmerston North Street Van, and Butterfly Compassion Community. For months, she sorted, stored, and found homes for surplus items, all while trying to avoid burdening charities with more waste by picking up their left over textiles
Seeing the scale of the problem, Sonya felt there was more she could do. She built partnerships that transformed her vision into action. A textile recycling Company, Textile Products, in Auckland now turns end-of-life textiles into new products. Alsco cleans rescued textiles using commercial machines, and Mainfreight transports large loads of materials to Auckland for free. “All I had to do was ask nicely, and people said yes!” Sonya says. “The businesses have been amazing.[ST1] .”
“I live in chaos at the moment — there are clothes everywhere!” she laughs. But for Sonya, this is more than a project; it’s a calling. “I wake up every day excited. I love textiles. Sorting through them is like treasure hunting — finding amazing pieces feels like striking gold!” For Sonya, textile rescue touches many values: helping people, protecting the planet, and celebrating the beauty of natural materials. It’s creative, expressive, and fun — a true example of how one person’s passion can make a huge difference.
Where Next?
The future is full of possibilities. The recent Textile Hui was a fantastic success, bringing passionate people together to share ideas and explore opportunities. It was a chance to “shake the tree for ideas,” build community connections, and identify common goals, like creating a dedicated textile repurposing facility and finding innovative ways to upcycle materials.
Sonya’s next big focus is partnering with schools to host clothing swap and recycling events. These events will encourage students to adopt a “less is more” approach to fashion, offer opportunities to upcycle or recycle clothing, and ensure leftover items are donated, reused, or repurposed. She’s also exploring community swaps in areas like Feilding, so people who can’t easily get to Palmerston North still have access to clothing.
Keep an eye out for the next Textile Hui in 2026. Although Sonya isn’t accepting public donations of textiles right now, she’s looking for volunteers and helpers to join the mission. She’s also searching for the perfect space to work from — so if you know of a suitable venue or want to help, get in touch.
Taking Matters Into Your Own Hands!
What you can do about your clothing:
- Rescue your clothes and reduce carbon impact: Buying second-hand, swapping clothes, or passing on hand-me-downs makes a huge difference. Saving just 1kg of clothing can prevent up to 10kg of carbon dioxide emissions (check stats). Small actions create big impact!
- No policy barriers means wide open space for action: With no central or local government policies in place, there’s plenty of room for community-driven solutions. While it’s not perfect, it means fewer obstacles and more opportunities to make change happen.
- Doing something is better than nothing: Start small, you’ll learn and improve along the way. Every step counts toward reducing waste and protecting the planet.
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