Slow Fashion Festival in Johannesburg: 13 Reasons To Go

The Slow Fashion Festival running at 44 Stanley promises a day filled with practical ways to kickstart your sustainable fashion journey and make a positive impact. The event features a day of experiences, including learning different arts of mending, swapping preloved clothes, and watching the activist documentary film, Fashion Reimagined.

There will be vinyl DJ sets spinning courtesy of Blue Canvas Life, and attendees can head to nearby cafes for coffee and light meals. Here’s all you need to know about this new fashion event in Johannesburg.

1. Pre-loved clothes swapping at the Twyg Swap&Mend

Twyg is inviting Joburgers the chance to part with unused or rarely used clothes consciously with their Swap&Mend activation. The process is simple – take along up to 10 items of clothing, hats or accessories and exchange them for any of the items available on the rails. Note that your clothes and accessories must be clean, and in good condition. The idea is to keep clothes in circularity, rethink shopping culture, and decrease the impact of textile waste in our landfills.

The team are also on standby to teach some basic mending skills, so if you have any pieces in need of care, do take them along. See all the info here.

Cost: From R60pp, book via Quicket or pay at entrance

When: Saturday, 20 April, from 10am to 4pm
Where: Patch Nomad at 44 Stanley, 44 Stanley Ave, Braamfontein Werf, Johannesburg

2. Watch live upcycling by Collen Shoko from Patch & Stitch

Patch and Stitch is a small design studio in Daveyton, Joburg East that repairs and refurbishes clothing to prolong its lifespan. Founder Collen Shoko realised that many people cannot afford to buy new clothing regularly and struggle to find clothing that fits them well and feels good on a budget.

Collen is joining the Slow Fashion Festival to show guests how to extend the lifespan of clothing by upcycling a hoodie from start to finish. To find out more about Patch & Stitch, click here.

Cost: Free

When: Saturday, 20 April, from 12pm to 1pm
Where: Patch Nomad at 44 Stanley, 44 Stanley Ave, Braamfontein Werf, Johannesburg

3. Listen to an intimate talk on the history of repurposed objects by Dr Erica de Greef

Listen to Dr Erica de Greef, co-founder of the African Fashion Research Institute, as she takes us on a short visual journey of some repurposed objects found in South Africa’s local cultural museums, and seen in contemporary craft traditions.

AFRI was launched as an urgent need to remember, rethink, and rewrite fashion histories that speak to Afro-centric ways of wearing, knowing, making, and styling often absent in fashion books, exhibitions, and imaginations. The initiative hosts virtual and real exhibitions, podcasts, talks, workshops, papers, zines, performance interventions and more. Learn more about AFRI here.

Cost: Free

When: Saturday, 20 April, from 2:30pm to 3:30pm
Where: Patch Nomad at 44 Stanley, 44 Stanley Ave, Braamfontein Werf, Johannesburg

4. Watch the powerful documentary, Fashion Reimagined, at The Bioscope

The Bioscope is screening Fashion Reimagined, a documentary film by Becky Hutner. The film follows Amy Powney, a fashion designer and daughter of environmental activists, during her trajectory from outsider to industry leader as she sets out to create a collection that’s ethical and sustainable at every level.

Cost: Free

When: Saturday, 20 April, from 10am to 11am
Where: The Bioscope at 44 Stanley, 44 Stanley Ave, Braamfontein Werf, Johannesburg

5. Give your knitwear a new lease on life with this guided session

Artisanal knitter Hannelie Bekker is sharing some practical and design-forward tips on how to repair and mend your knitwear.

Cost: Free

When: Saturday, 20 April, from 1:30pm to 2:30pm
Where: Patch Nomad at 44 Stanley, 44 Stanley Ave, Braamfontein Werf, Johannesburg

6. Join for denim and leather repair at IFUKU concept store

IFUKU founder, Rodney Mudzengerere and Thando Made from Blue Canvas is planning a day dedicated to the art of denim care, maintenance, and customisation.⁠ All activities run at their concept store.

Cost: Free

When: Saturday, 20 April, from 1:30pm to 2:30pm
Where: IFUKU at 44 Stanley, 44 Stanley Ave, Braamfontein Werf, Johannesburg

7. Sustainable fashion label, Lunar, is launching their pre-loved collection

Loved Lunar is an innovative clothing trade-in initiative run by Lunar. Shoppers can bring their pre-owned Lunar looks and exchange them for vouchers towards new items. Lunar is known for timeless styles made with premium natural fabrics as a way to ensure longevity in your wardrobe. Get all the info on Loved Lunar here.

When: Saturday, 20 April, from 12pm to 1pm
Where: Lunar store at 44 Stanley, 44 Stanley Ave, Braamfontein Werf, Johannesburg

8. See how Reefer makes their zero waste shoes

Footwear label, Reefer, believes that sustainability is the key to the future of fashion. The team is giving Slow Fashion Festival attendees a rare glimpse into their production process. They use cork and hemp textiles in all sneaker and shoe designs, materials are not only eco-friendly, but they are also high-quality and comfortable.

When: Saturday, 20 April, from 10am to 4pm
Where: Reefer store at 44 Stanley, 44 Stanley Ave, Braamfontein Werf, Johannesburg

9. Trade in funky t-shirts at Limited Edish

When: Saturday, 20 April, from 10am to 4pm
Where: Limited Edish at 44 Stanley, 44 Stanley Ave, Braamfontein Werf, Johannesburg

10. Milliner Crystal Birch just opened a new retail space at 44 Stanley

When: Saturday, 20 April, from 10am to 4pm
Where: Crystal Birch store at 44 Stanley, 44 Stanley Ave, Braamfontein Werf, Johannesburg

11. Browse the latest from Guillotine

Guillotine is one of Johannesburg’s oldest ethical fashion stores that is built on a design philosophy that is intuitive and inspired by clothing’s intimate relationship with the female body.

The brand uses tailoring to create modern, three-dimensional lines and carefully chosen fabrics to underscore shape and form while prints and textures enhance the particular intention.

When: Saturday, 20 April, from 1pm to 3pm
Where: Guillotine store at 44 Stanley, 44 Stanley Ave, Braamfontein Werf, Johannesburg

12. Take your Rowdy handcrafted bags for a refurb

The collection totes, clutches, and other bags at Rowdy are all made with premium grade, free-range and full-grain aniline and nubuck leather cowhide sourced from our specialist tannery in Namibia. The store is doing free repairs on all Rowdy bags for the Slow Fashion Festival.

When: Saturday, 20 April, from 1pm to 3pm
Where: Rowdy store at 44 Stanley, 44 Stanley Ave, Braamfontein Werf, Johannesburg

13. Get your collars and cuffs repaired at Five8ths

The charm behind made-to-fit clothing is kept alive at five8ths, a small studio that slows down the retail experience to an era where quality, fit, and craftsmanship were valued by the general consumer, and not relegated to the luxury corner of the market. On Saturday, they will be offering cuff and collar repairs throughout the day.

When: Saturday, 20 April, from 10am to 4pm
Where: Five8ths store at 44 Stanley, 44 Stanley Ave, Braamfontein Werf, Johannesburg

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