Tawa Youth Group Patches Up

The Tawa Anglicans youth group (the Tribe) has taken an innovative approach to the challenge of creating printed hoodies and t shirts. Rather than paying for screen-printed clothing, they have created a patch that can be sewn onto any pre-existing item.

Youth Pastor Alex Johnson said the idea came from the group grappling with both the environmental issue of purchasing new clothing items, but also the cost of a $60 hoodie when the youth were already needing to meet the costs of attending camp. The patches cost less than $15 each to make.

“A lot of them were already part of the School Strike for Climate Change. They were stoked that we had this idea that involved the upcycling of new clothes,” he says.

After a patch was printed with the youth group logo, the youth brought in their clothing and other items, including dungarees, shorts and bags as well as the usual t shirts and hoodies, to a Friday night youth group. Parents and other parishioners were invited to attend in order to help teach the youth how to sew the patches onto the items.

According to Alex, “a lot of the parishioners passed on their skills, including some people who have never thought of venturing into a Friday night youth group.”

The patches were prepared in time for the Easter Retreat which attracted interest from other youth groups in doing something similar, as well as involving the Tribe in the process.

“It did feel like everyone had a hand in preparing for camp. It took a bit of extra work but actually the finished product was really worth it” Alex says.