Edinburgh student designs swimwear range made from recycled plastic waste

A 21-year-old student has designed her own eco-friendly swimwear collection made from recycled plastic waste.

Cecelia earned enough money to launch Take2 after doing part-time care work

Let us know what you think and join the conversation at the bottom of this article

Cecelia Thornett, a University of Edinburgh student, took the plunge and set up her own business this year in a bid to tackle plastic waste and throw-away fashion.

After earning enough money from part-time care work Cecelia launched Take2 collection of reversible bikinis, swimsuits and board shorts made using fabric recycled from plastic waste found in the ocean.

During lockdown she finally had the time to realise her dream of creating a fashion brand and since launch it has rapidly taken off with a growing following on Instagram and TikTok.

Determined to make a stand against fast fashion Cecelia opted for materials made in the UK from regenerated nylon, the same material used by top designer Stella McCartney in her latest collection.

The eco-friendly fabric can be recycled and remoulded indefinitely and is made from recycled polyamide and elastane from waste such as fishing nets from the oceans and aquaculture, fabric scraps from mills and carpets destined for landfill.

The English Literature student said it was her love of fly fishing that first sparked an interest in climate change and plastic pollution.

"I learnt how to fly fish when I was about 14 on chalk steams - I caught a trout the first time I went and have been hooked ever since. It gave me an awareness of the importance of conservation.

“I have always loved drawing and designing clothes. It was only since I had so much free time during the first lockdown after my second year at university was cut short that finally I had enough time to create designs for my idea of a starting a reversible clothing brand.

“My garments are easy to care for and designed to last. Sustainable clothing definitely doesn’t have to be second hand or shabby. This is the power of the consumer, together we can force change in the fashion industry. I feel passionately about empowering people so they can be the change that is needed in the fight against plastic pollution and climate change.”

Cecelia is already working on her 2022 range and has teamed up with environmental charity One Tree Planted to plant a tree for every garment sold from her website.

A message from the Editor:

Thank you for reading this article. We're more reliant on your support than ever as the shift in consumer habits brought about by coronavirus impacts our advertisers. If you haven't already, please consider supporting our trusted, fact-checked journalism by taking out a digital subscription.