Fashion Design students breathe new life into used ski jackets
04 September 2025
Students in the second year of Falmouth’s Fashion Design BA have worked on an exciting circular design project to transform old ski jackets into new outerwear pieces.
Working with a donation of 100 ski jackets from NUCO Travel, the market leader for student snow sports, the students were challenged to make interpretations of their own unique jacket designs using the upcycled ski jacket materials.
The project was spearheaded by Fashion Design Senior Lecturer Geertje Dreijerink, Senior Pattern Cutting Technician Chihoko Jones and Tony McWilliam, an award-winning Brand Director for Forward Outdoor Apparel and visiting lecturer. As the designer behind the original NUCO ski jacket (pictured), Tony designed and manufactured hundreds of jackets for NUCO’s staff which were replaced earlier this year after around 7 years of use. The upcycling project was kick-started to prevent the old jackets from going to waste, posing a real industry challenge to the students.
The students’ responses to the brief ranged from highly technical pieces to more conceptual interpretations, with some choosing to entirely deconstruct the original garments to focus on technical and functional aspects. The project has culminated in a collection of 32 original outwear pieces utilising most of the old ski jacket material, with all unused offcuts going into the Fashion Design fabric store for future use.
I think some of the designs are strong enough to be put straight into production - Tony McWilliam
Tony visited Falmouth's Fashion & Textiles Institute this summer to view the students’ work. He told us: “Coming in and seeing the breadth of ideas from the students is so exciting, and it’s great to see the original design repurposed in such creative ways. They’ve refined a range of valuable technical skills during this project, such as seam sealing for waterproofing. I think some of the designs are strong enough to be put straight into production.”
He added: “We’re seeing more localised upcycling and repair companies popping up, and so those skills are becoming increasingly important. With new legislation coming in around garment production and sustainability, these skills are vital for students entering the industry.”
Fashion Design Course Leader Claire Barker-Phillips commented: “The students really enjoyed this project and learned so much from it. One of the reasons students come to study fashion at Falmouth is because sustainability and circularity are at the forefront of our teaching. From an upcycling-focused module during first year, through to projects like this, our students learn all about responsible construction processes and how to use circular design methods to create original garments.”
Senior Lecturer Geertje Dreijerink added: “This project was really beneficial for the second-year students; it helped some of them to really go out of their comfort zones and learn things about themselves as designers, which is vital going into their final year.”
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