The FHNC: A Case Study for the Handbook of Sustainable Fashion

The Fashion Heritage Network Cyprus (FHNC) was founded in July 2021. The FHNC consists of thirty-five volunteers across diverse departments, including fashion design, heritage research, event management, graphic design, and social media management. This group of young Cypriot fashion designers and creatives explores the beauty and uniqueness of Cypriot fashion heritage through zero-waste and sustainable fashion designs and art pieces. Aiming to combine ethics and aesthetics through contemporary and sustainable fashion, the FHNC seeks to stimulate, rediscover, and reinvent elements of Cypriot fashion heritage and communicate these creative shifts sustainably to a wider audience. The FHNC offers the public an opportunity to reflect on their current purchasing habits and rethink the way in which they treat their clothes. This is achieved through various activities, events, and online content. Correspondingly, the team creates educational videos on upcycling, Cyprus’ fashion heritage, and the role of sustainability in Cypriot cultural heritage. To engage with a broader audience, the network holds interactive workshops regularly. The topics of these workshops include upcycling, mending clothes, and creating natural dyes with sustainable materials from nature (Figs. 15.1 and 15.2).