Clothes for Chairs

Clothes for Chairs is a one-day design workshop led by Future Archive exploring how post-consumer clothing can be transformed into functional seating for reclaimed chair frames.

Held at Abbotsford Convent, participants will learn hands-on making skills including basic machine sewing, hand stitching, knotting, weaving and upholstery techniques. Working with discarded chair frames in their found, unusable state, attendees will experiment with turning post-consumer garments into new seat covers and structural textile elements.

The workshop focuses on rapid prototyping and material exploration rather than polished outcomes. Through guided making and collaborative problem-solving, participants will develop practical skills in textile reuse and explore strategies for transforming clothing waste into functional objects.

Workshop outcomes will be photographed and documented, and participants will receive a small publication capturing both workshop and exhibition results. Following the workshop, prototypes will be exhibited alongside resolved works developed in response to the project by Melbourne/Naarm-based designers and artists working across fashion, textiles and material research.

The workshop is ticketed. The exhibition is free and open to the public.