Goodwill & CCAD Partner to Turn Thrift Finds Into Avant-Garde Fashion
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What Is the Goodwill × CCAD Collaboration?
For the first time, Goodwill Columbus invited 18 students from the Columbus College of Art & Design’s Introduction to Fashion Design class to source donated textiles and household items from local Goodwill stores and transform them into original garments over a four-week studio intensive.
How Does the Program Promote Sustainability?
By working exclusively with secondhand materials, students experienced every step of the circular fashion model—diverting items from landfills, minimizing the need for virgin fabrics, and showcasing creative reuse techniques such as patch-working, resin embellishment, and 3-D printing on reclaimed textiles.
Where Can You View the Upcycled Designs?
The finished looks are on display through May 5, 2025 at four Goodwill Columbus locations: Whitehall (52 Robinwood Ave.), Clintonville (5300 N. High St.), Reynoldsburg (2675 Brice Rd.), and Morse Rd. (5130 N. Hamilton Rd.). Stop by during regular store hours to see the garments up close.
Why Does This Matter to Thrift Shoppers?
The collaboration highlights just how versatile thrifted goods can be, proving that creative minds can elevate budget-friendly finds into high-fashion pieces. It also reinforces the environmental benefits of shopping secondhand—every purchase helps extend a product’s life cycle and supports Goodwill’s job-training mission.
How to Support Goodwill’s Sustainability Efforts
You can donate gently used items, shop for unique pieces, or volunteer at your nearest Goodwill. Proceeds fund job-placement programs and vocational training for individuals facing barriers to employment, amplifying the social impact of each thrifted purchase.
