Galway will become the sustainable fashion capital for one weekend to kick off Irish Design Week here in the West of Ireland.
ReStyle Ireland, the country’s first sustainable fashion expo, takes over the city on Saturday, November 7, from 11am – 5pm. Admission is free, but you can book tickets for specific limited capacity events.
The ‘Heritage by Design’ Fashion Show will be held in St Nicholas Collegiate Church Galway on Sunday, November 8 from 6:30pm to 9pm. Sliding scale as well as donation-based tickets are on sale now.
Spanning multiple venues throughout the city, ReStyle Galway will create a unique sustainable fashion trail featuring workshops, repair cafe?s, demonstrations, masterclasses, exhibitions, swapshop, talks, a fashion show and a marketplace showcasing some of Ireland’s most innovative sustainable fashion creators and changemakers.
The not for profit campaign is run by The Environmental Forum, funded by the Irish Environmental Network, MyWaste and the Design Crafts Council of Ireland, and delivered in partnership with LIVVS Studio Galway.
ReStyle Galway forms part of the wider ReStyle Ireland national event series, which is helping to build a nationwide movement to make sustainable fashion options free and accessible to everyone.
Unlike traditional fashion events, ReStyle Ireland is not only an expo but a growing national network of designers, makers, repair specialists, activists, educators and fashion enthusiasts united by a common goal: creating a future where sustainable fashion is accessible, affordable and celebrated across Ireland.
Taking place across key venues, including Electric Galway in collaboration with H91 Markets, LIVVS Studio, St Nicholas Church and the Galway COPE Charity Shop, ReStyle will run pop-up events like market stalls, repair cafes, workshops, swap shops, demonstrations and masterclasses and our sustainable fashion show.
The event aims to provide practical alternatives for people to destructive fast fashion brands while inspiring people to rethink their relationship with clothing in general. There is a special emphasis on repairing and DIY and wearing natural fibres.
The weekend culminates in the Heritage by Design Fashion Show on Sunday in partnership with Wabi Sabi Collection and LIVVS.
More than a fashion show, Heritage by Design is an evening where fashion meets heritage, creativity meets culture, and sustainability takes centre stage. Set within one of Galway’s most iconic landmarks, a church that has stood at the heart of the city since the 14th century, the show tells the story of Irish fashion: where it has come from, and where it is going.
The evening opens with a fireside chat with Laura Fitzachary of Seek the Historic and designer and IADT Fashion Lecturer Pamela Heaney, exploring the rich heritage of Irish fashion. From there, the runway takes over, moving from time-honoured craft and heritage cloth to bold, contemporary design. Guests will see upcycling designers, sustainable high fashion collections, pieces from some of Galway’s favourite vintage shops and work from Irish milliners and accessory makers, alongside live choir music from the Galway Bay Tones, The Jezabels and poetry, with more still to join the line-up.
This is a not for profit event, any money made from ticket sales that does not go into paying for costs of the night will be charitably donated towards establishing a chapter of Dress for Success in Galway, a global nonprofit organization that helps women achieve economic independence by providing professional attire, career coaching, and development tools.
The textile industry accounts for up to 10% of global greenhouse gas emissions – but you can be the change that turns the tide on overproduction. ReStyle wants people to rediscover that style is not about what you buy but how you do things, slower, with care, with meaning.
Look good, do good
Every designer on the runway works sustainably, championing circular fashion and showing how we can honour heritage, reimagine what already exists and shape a more conscious future for fashion. Dress code for the fashion show is black tie.
The events over the weekend will include:
• Sustainable styling workshops.
• DIY garment alteration.
• Drop-in Repair Cafe at H91 Markets Electric Galway.
• Upcycling and heritage craft demonstrations and workshops.
• Traditional skills like weaving, embroidery and knitting.
• Zero waste textile practices and clothing repair.
• Swap shop and sustainable clothing market.
• Masterclasses in selling secondhand and shopping sustainably.
• Fire Side Chats with the sustainable fashion experts and innovators.
• Heritage By Design Fashion Show.
ReStyle encourages people to bring clothes to be repaired, swapped or donated; money if you want to buy sustainable clothes; and an open mind, willing to learn, be inspired and have fun.
Organisers say the event offers a vision of what a more sustainable future could look like – one where clothing is repaired rather than discarded, where local makers thrive, and where communities come together to share skills and knowledge.
According to the European Environment Agency, textiles remain one of Europe’s most resource-intensive industries, contributing significantly to waste, carbon emissions and environmental degradation. ReStyle Ireland was created to help communities respond to these challenges through creativity, education and collective action.
ReStyle Ireland Coordinator Theo Dillon says: “Up to 10% of global emissions can be attributed to the fashion industry, that’s more than cars, more than aviation, more than wars. Conscious consumption starts with our clothes, then will spread into every other aspect of our lives. If we can ReStyle the way we dress, we can make a meaningful difference in saving the planet and look good doing it.”
Some 128 billion new items of clothing are made each year, most made of cheap plastic that won’t last the year. Over production is out of control and driving excessive consumption. ReStyle says we need to re-imagine our relationship with clothes by making and repairing them, thrifting second hand, borrowing and lending when we can.
The weekend is expected to attract visitors from across Ireland and welcomes everyone from families and students to fashion lovers, climate-conscious consumers and anyone curious about making more sustainable choices.
The majority of the events will be free to attend, ensuring that sustainable fashion knowledge and experiences are accessible to all and passed on to future generations.
ReStyle Ireland is owned and operated by The Environmental Forum, a registered charity and environmental NGO committed to empowering communities to take action on environmental issues.
For more information, find Restyle Ireland on Instagram.
