ALICAS, a charity that was co-founded by domestic abuse survivor Rachael Bews, has launched across the UK to “end the shame for people in clothing crisis”.
Women who are leaving situations of physical or sexual violence often have few or any belongings and rely on donations to help rebuild their lives. But offerings of clothes, though well-meaning, are often passed on “unwashed, in poor condition and in the bin bags they came in,” said Bews, which can serve to further erode women’s self-esteem.
“It was a lady named Ali who told me that a good coat and pair of shoes were key to rebuilding her life,” said Bews, who described it as a passing comment that changed her life forever.
“After seeing the poor quality of donations in refuges firsthand, I made it my mission to do better. It’s not thought or care that’s lacking in these cases: it’s the time and resources to do it differently.”
That’s where ALICAS, which stands for ‘Ali’s coats and shoes’, comes in. A pilot project distributed 100 clothing parcels via 14 referral agencies and helped to divert more than 2,000 garments from waste. These ‘capsule wardrobe’ parcels are tailored to each individual woman’s size, style and religious or cultural need, explained Bews. All items are donated or secondhand.
After seeing the poor quality of donations in refuges firsthand, I made it my mission to do better
Now, she is calling on major fashion brands to do their part in tackling rising clothing waste in landfills, by getting involved with the charity.
“Sending perfectly good clothes to landfills must stop, and ALICAS provides a more sustainable alternative while also delivering a much-needed service,” she said. “We are calling on fashion brands to help us give their surplus stock a new lease of life.”
