Cherwell Larder: Thursdays 11am, and Fridays at 4pm while supplies last at WISH, 4 The Parade, Kidlington. Ask to join our WhatsApp group for regular updates on additional distributions.
Carbon Cost of Fashion
Driving change through accessible impact measurement and educational campaigns.
Cherwell Collective’s Carbon Cost of Fashion campaign helps everyone understand the impact of producing textiles, and empowers behavioural change through interactive learning and engagement.
What's happening
For the third consecutive year, we’re hosting the Oxford Hub for Sustainable Fashion Week from 26 September – 4 October.
The programme will culminate in the Sustainable Fashion Show at Blenheim Palace on 29 September. This dazzling runway show features collections from over 10 designers with 70+ different looks.
Looks from our sustainable fashion shows
Fashionhouse, by Cherwell Collective
Fashionhouse, by Cherwell Collective is our new creative space empowering local sustainable creatives to develop their craft through providing free workspaces and resources. Fashionhouse also houses our interactive Carbon Cost of Fashion exhibit and community workshops. We hope it will inspire people to give up their carbon footprints, not their style or luxury.
Barrier-free workspace for sustainable creativesTrade free studio time for volunteeringCommunity workshopsCarbon Cost of Fashion ExhibitWorkshop for WISH's line for the Sustainable Fashion Show at Blenheim Palace
Apply to use a Fashionhouse WorkspaceThe exhibit
Our Carbon Cost of Fashion exhibit is now permanently displayed at Fashionhouse, by Cherwell Collective, our free creative workspace for local sustainable artists.
Schedule a visit to experience our one-of-a-kind interactive exhibition chronicling the impact of our fashion choices and how we can change. The Carbon Cost of Fashion exhibit asks common fashion questions to reveal the shocking impact of the industry. It also provides digestible solutions that visitors can apply to make changes.
The exhibit occasionally travels across the county for exhibitions. It’s been hosted by Blenheim Palace, Saint Anne’s College Oxford, Begbroke Science Park, the Oxford Museum of Natural History, St Mary’s Witney, Barford St Michael, and Oxford Brooke’s University.
We’d love to bring the exhibit to your workplace or event! Learn more by reading our brochure below.
Every single item you buy, including clothing items, has Carbon Cost embedded in it.
Consider a jumper or a pair of trousers:
Carbon Cost differs from carbon pricing, which are mechanisms that attempt to put a monetary price on greenhouse gas emissions.
We measure the Carbon Cost through the car mile equivalent, often shortened to “car miles”.
The car mile equivalent is how many miles you could drive an average, ordinary car before it would generate the same quantity of emissions as a given activity.
According to estimations by Cherwell Collective using our Carbon Cost calculator, an average UK outfit has a Carbon Cost of 70 car miles.
Our past campaigns
Broader movement building
We brought people together as a regional hub for the International Sustainable Fashion Week, where Cherwell Collective’s ambitious programme reached thousands of people, saved over a half-tonne of clothes and materials from landfill, and inspired many to rethink their wardrobes. Our activity culminated in a Sustainable Fashion Show at Blenheim Palace.
Identifying gaps and barriers
Participants in our Marmalade 2024 workshop came together to storyboard fashion pain-points which helped us better understand when and how people make fashion choices and where we could support changing those to more sustainable behaviours.
Linking local organisations
We connected with our wider partnership to empower climate action in others and increase opportunities to deepen engagement. Hundreds of people contributed to this campaign, from local up-and-coming designers working solo to community groups, like Iraqi Women Art and War (IWAW), or international heroes, like Oxfam.
We hosted a swap shop TAP Social Oxford in 2024 and 2025 that saved 222 kg of clothing from landfill, and our partners at SHARE Oxford hosted a clothing repair workshop.
We hosted a swap shop TAP Social Oxford in 2024 and 2025 that saved 222 kg of clothing from landfill, and our partners at SHARE Oxford hosted a clothing repair workshop.
Increasing climate literacy
We created an exhibition which launched during sustainable fashion week and travelled around Oxfordshire thereafter, reaching thousands of new people and expanding partnerships beyond our county in the UK and with American innovators.
We rolled out our sustainable fashion quiz providing needed information to inform our campaign and prompts users to think about the impact of shopping decisions and offers sustainable shopping solutions.
We rolled out our sustainable fashion quiz providing needed information to inform our campaign and prompts users to think about the impact of shopping decisions and offers sustainable shopping solutions.
How sustainable are your fashion choices?
Our sustainable fashion quiz helps people learn more about the impact of their choices. It also feeds back what support people need to help us decrease barriers to climate agency.
Take the quizRead more about the Carbon Cost of Fashion on our blog
Red carpets, ribbons, and gowns on display at Fashionhouse by Cherwell Collective
“Fashionhouse” by Cherwell Collective is a new creative space in Kidlington for collaboration and community connection
Dr. Emily Connally
8th July 2026
Announcing the Grand Opening of Fashionhouse by Cherwell Collective
Cherwell Collective invites the community to attend our new Fashionhouse offering opportunities to further the creative arts in Kidlington
Dr. Emily Connally
5th June 2026
Crochet Circle at WISH
At the start of this new month, WISH launched its monthly Crochet Circle, held on the second Monday of every month, bringing together new and returning members of the community.…
Molliemae Cox
15th May 2026
Sustainable Fashion Show at Blenheim Palace returns for a third year in 2026
The Sustainable Fashion Show at Blenheim Palace presented by Cherwell Collective takes place for the third year running on 29 September – tickets on sale now. This runway show celebrates…
Hailey Larson
1st April 2026
Carbon Cost of Fashion Exhibit at Magdalen College School
On 1st December, our travelling Carbon Cost of Fashion exhibit was showcased at the Magdalen College School ‘Slow Fashion’ event. The evening celebrated alternatives to fast fashion, such as borrowing,…
Molliemae Cox
10th December 2025
Applications Open for 2026 Sustainable Fashion Show
Apply to be a model, designer, or volunteer for the 2026 Sustainable Fashion Show at Blenheim Palace.
Hailey Larson
14th November 2025
We need your help!
In order to make the Carbon Cost of Fashion Week a resounding success in 2025, we need the support of volunteers to help us in the set up, running, and breakdown of the event. Click on the button below to learn more and share your information with us if you are interested in volunteering.
