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Street Art Meets Circular Fashion

What if the next big streetwear drop didn’t require making anything new?

On 5 March 2026, Traid, Alterist and Our Planet Needs You (OPNY) launch a limited-edition collection of upcycled T-shirts at Traid’s Shepherd’s Bush store, transforming donated second-hand garments into bold, street art–inspired pieces.

Each T-shirt is printed on a pre-loved blank collected through Traid’s nationwide reuse network. Designs by Alterist draw on characters from our educational storybook illustrated by street artist Kleemu.

Students from the OPNY school programme have also created their own design, putting youth voice front and centre.

Big Drop, Small Footprint

Guests at the launch choose a pre-loved T-shirt, select a print, and have the finished piece delivered to their door. No new garments. No new fabric. Just existing clothing reworked and recirculated.

After the event, one-off pieces will be available via Alterist.

According to WRAP’s Textiles 2030 report, upcycling can cut carbon emissions by up to 57% compared to producing new items. Each repurposed T-shirt can save more than 7.5kg of CO₂e.

In a culture obsessed with the new, this project asks a simple question: what if the future of fashion is what we already have?

The OPNY Ring Pull

A small object, once discarded. Now redefined.

As the emblem of Our Planet Needs You, the ring pull is a symbol of reuse. A reminder that value doesn’t disappear when something is used.

As part of our sustainable fashion activation next week, we'll be making them available as an optional add-on to any up-cycled T-shirts and preloved clothing purchased at Traid.

Every ring pull has lived a different life. Every garment it’s attached to will be pre-loved, reworked, and one of one. Just like the person wearing it.

Youth Culture as Climate Action

The drop forms part of OPNY’s wider education programme, which empowers young people to take nine measurable actions tackling pollution and climate change, from reducing waste to giving pre-loved clothing a second life. Rolling out across London this September, with plans to expand nationally, the initiative aims to reach the UK’s 10 million students — around 15% of the population.

By combining street art, second-hand fashion and data-backed environmental action, the collaboration reframes sustainability as culture, not compliance.

Together, Traid, Alterist and OPNY show how circular fashion can operate as a connected system — where reuse, design and youth momentum move together, without manufacturing anything new.