Conference '25
February 28, 2025
Waste Design: The Past to the Present
Waste Design: The Past to Present, marked our third annual conference in the books! We kicked off the event with an inspiring panel featuring our talented student designers, who shared insights on the design process, upcycling tips, and their journeys in creating the unique pieces seen across campus.
Our keynote speaker, Professor Berta Pavlov, brought over 35 years of experience in the Toronto fashion industry and two decades of teaching at George Brown College. Specializing in pattern drafting and both flat paper and digital design, she has extensive expertise in line development, production-ready patterns, fittings, grading, and technical sketches.
Following the presentation, attendees engaged in hands-on activities such as collaging and bracelet-making. They also had the opportunity to browse a curated selection of student-run vendors, showcasing incredible craftsmanship in crochet, jewelry-making, and stitching. External student brands also joined us, featuring handmade and thrifted goods, further highlighting the creativity within our community.
Overall, the conference was an inspiring experience where students discovered how small, tangible steps can lead to a more sustainable approach to fashion, and opened our eyes to the evolution and history of sustainable style.
Blind Date with a Fit 3.0
Our third annual ‘Blind Date with a Fit’ event was a raving success! Our team sorted and grouped clothes from the clothing swap together to create stylish, unique outfits—all with their own twist. The outfits were wrapped and given vivid, creative descriptors. Our personal favourites included “Stevie Nicks if she were a substitute teacher” and “Date to the Comic Book Store.” For only $5-$15, students were able to scratch their shopping itch sustainably and affordably, and walked away with the outfit pairing of their dreams.
Back by popular demand, students were encouraged to bring their previously loved clothing to the ARC to swap for new recycled pieces. All clothing was used for the Blind Date with a Fit event later in the semester.
Clothing Swap
HOCO: Shoot & Sale
Through various sustainable practices such as upcycling, reworking, knitting, and crocheting, our talented designers created to-die-for pieces and sold them to Queen’s students to sport for this year's HOCO & FOCO festivities. To advertise the sale, our team set up a fun “Escape to HOCO” themed photoshoot, loosely inspired by iconic scenes from “The Breakfast Club," where models were given creative reigns to let loose and have fun in the classroom. A success to say the least, the sale kicked off with an impressive lineup of eager shoppers, and our pieces were sold out in a matter of minutes!
Tote Bags in the Park
September 27, 2024
This past semester, QFSF hosted Tote Bags in the Park—a fun, creative event where students got crafty designing chic and sustainable tote bags. With paint, canvas, and good vibes, participants soaked in the final days of summer at Victoria Park while creating unique pieces perfect for campus life!
Bags of Promise
We were lucky enough to collaborate with Bags of Promise at one of our conference booths, where we brought the cozy vibes with our Crochet & Patchwork session! Students of all skill levels joined in to craft colourful granny squares, turning yarn into love for a great cause. Everyone’s creations came together in a gorgeous blanket, which we proudly donated to a local shelter.
Annual Conference
March 22, 2024
Our annual Sustainable Fashion Conference celebrated eco-friendly fashion with engaging speakers and a diverse vendor showcase. Sponsored by the Sustainable Action Fund, the event featured Rachel, a traditional skill crafter, and Katrina, owner of Thrifty Girl, who shared their expertise in sustainable practices and love for fashion.
The vendor portion of the event, open to all Queen’s students, showcased an array of sustainable businesses, including Eyecon Vintage, Living Garments, Let's Get Knotty Crochet, Queen's Collective Closet, Folk & Forage, Tayloredstitches, Thrifty Girl, and Martha Pine/Harlowe Green. Thanks to the generous sponsorship of Reid's, we were also able to offer gift cards to attendees.
Green & Upcycled:
St. Patrick's Day:
Shoot & Sale
March 14, 2024
This year's St. Patrick’s Day celebration was more than just green—it was sustainable and creatively reimagined! Our QFSF initiative was designed to give our designers the freedom to upcycle, rework, and breathe new life into previously-loved pieces. By shopping our exclusive collection, students not only found unique outfits for the festivities but also contributed to a more sustainable future. Every purchase supported our annual conference, making this event a perfect blend of creativity, sustainability, and community impact.
All dressed up with the best place to go...
Queen's HOCO
October 21, 2024
This year’s homecoming events were all about tradition with a fresh, artistic flair. Our student-run photoshoot showcased handmade and reworked clothing pieces, all sustainably crafted by Queen’s students. The reworked clothing sale was a highlight, offering inspiration on how to revamp your own wardrobe. From shopping your closet to swapping with friends, we encouraged everyone to think sustainably and embrace their creative side. Thanks for making this year’s HOCO unforgettable!
Tote Bags in the Park
On a beautiful autumn Friday, we hosted a Tote Bag painting event, where students laid out picnic blankets and let their creativity flourish. It was a day of celebrating the fleeting fall weather, making new connections, and once again, making sustainability fashionable. We love spotting these unique and trendy bags all across campus!
Tote bags are reusable, reducing the need for single-use plastic bags and minimizing environmental waste over time.
QFSF Conference - Implications of Consumerism
- March 30th 2023 -
For our second annual conference we choose our theme to be the Implications of Consumerism. Our keynote speaker was Dr. Christiane Arndt, a Queen's professor with current research in Minimalist practices and literature.
After the presentation students were able to participate at our workshop centres and learn a new skill as instructed by our team members. Centres included: fabric painting, jewellery making, crocheting, patchwork, and vision board making.
We also had a number of student run brands selling their handmade and thrifted goods, and a station for Bags of Promise for students to donate items to for local homeless shelters.
Jewellery Making & Swap
- March 28th 2023 -
To celebrate our conference we held a jewelry-making workshop led by Sydney, owner of the student-run-brand 'Stars and Nostalgia'. In addition to the workshop, students were encouraged to bring their previously loved jewelry to swap!
St. Patrick's Day Sale
- March 15th 2023 -
Our club members worked to rework, design, upcycle, and crochet pieces for Queen's students to wear during St. Patrick's Day celebrations! All pieces are handmade, in an effort to provide students with more 'green' options to wear beyond March 17th celebrations.
QFSF x QBFA Vision Board Workshop
- March 9th 2023 -
In collaboration with Queen's Black Fashion Association, we hosted a vision board-making night! Students were able to cut up thrifted books and magazines to make some gorgeous collages.
Blind Date with a Fit 2.0
- February 6th 2023 -
Back by popular demand...students were able to bring their previously loved clothing to the ARC to swap for new recycled pieces. All clothing was used for the Blind Date with a Fit event.
Similar to the famous 'blind date with a book' events, Blind Date with a Fit will use clothes from our clothing drive and be placed into brown paper bags with descriptors to the pieces inside. Students will be able to purchase mystery clothing bundles for low costs between $1-10! All unused clothing will be donated to YGK Thrift.
Patchwork Workshop
- October 25th 2022 -
In collaboration with AMS Commission of Environmental Sustainability for Sustainability Month, we hosted a workshop to up-cycle old and unused clothing. We demonstrated to students how to use those old materials to make unique bags!
Homecoming Sale
- October 19th 2022 -
Members of our club up-cycled and hand made tricolour pieces to provide Queen's students with more sustainable options for homecoming!
Blind Date with a Fit
- October 3rd 2022 -
Similar to the famous 'blind date with a book' events, Blind Date with a Fit will use clothes from our clothing drive and be placed into brown paper bags with descriptors to the pieces inside. Students will be able to purchase mystery clothing bundles for low costs between $1-10! All unused clothing will be donated to YGK Thrift.
Clothing Drive Swap and Drop
- September 28th & 29th 2022 -
Students were able to bring their previously loved clothing to the ARC to swap for new recycled pieces. All clothing was used for the Blind Date with a Fit event.
DIY Tote Bag Painting
- March 29th 2022 -
Students got the chance to design, paint, and take home their own tote bags. There were so many creative designs, and it was so fun to see the bags be put to use around campus!
Queen's for Sustainable Fashion Conference
- March 24th 2022 -
Students were invited to explore a variety of student-run businesses, meet with like-minded people, and listen to three incredible speakers, who explored topics like entrepreneurship, sustainable fashion, and creativity.
