Our active projects and collaborations include: The MFC-MFI Foundation Upcycling Partnership, research and art projects with The Aftermath Learning Lab, partnership on the LEAPS Textile Waste Conference, co-creation of the Textile Waste Facts educational resource, and other environmental education initiatives.
This image shows how the MFC-MFI Foundation upcycling partnership works via a diagram. In the first panel, used clothes sent from the United States, Canada, and Europe are recovered from markets in Ghana to prevent their disposal. In the second panel, Matilda Lartey deconstructs and tie-dyes them. In the third panel, she finishes upcycled shorts made from these materials. In the final panel, an upcycled MFC sweatshirt is for sale at a small business in Washington, U.S.
MFC creates denim and tie-dye products out of textile waste sent to Ghana from the Global North with a community-based organization in Ghana called The Matilda Flow Inclusion Foundation (The MFI Foundation). We have collaborated closely since 2016-2017 when our two organizations were founded.
The video below describes how the upcycling partnership works and its impact. We are also currently working on a 6-year partnership impact report, which we plan to release later in 2024.
This video shows Matilda Lartey, founder and director of The MFI Foundation, giving a tour of the MFI Foundation upcycling studio and explaining its impact. The video includes captions and a transcript is available on YouTube.
Reduce the environmental health impacts of textile pollution from the United States, Canada, and Europe in Ghana by upcycling waste to divert it from entering landfills, dumps, and the environment.
This image shows secondhand t-shirts diverted from Kantamanto Market by The MFI Foundation
In 2019, we conducted a project-wide assessment and estimated that The MFI Foundation upcycled 670 secondhand jeans, 380 secondhand t-shirts, and 285 secondhand jackets (repurposed as liners and zippers for clothes, bags, and accessories) sent to Ghana or about one-half ton of textile waste over 12 months.
Generate sustainable income for The MFI Foundation to grow and create inclusive work and job training for and with artisans who have been displaced by the global fast fashion industry and secondhand clothing trade.
This image shows The MFI Foundation artisan and trainee team in the foundation’s first year in 2017
In 2020, our upcycling partnership helped to fund positions for 12 artisans and artisans trainees at the MFI Foundation. This included positions for 2 artisans on-site at the MFI Foundation studio, 6 apprentices in long-term or 6 month training positions, and 4 artisans working-from-home on yarn-making, knitting, bead-making, and/or tag-making activities.
Order from the MFC Etsy Store where we sell upcycled clothes, bags and accessories made via the upcycling partnership, or donate to the upcycling partnership.
If you are connected to a small business or other vendor who might be interested in selling MFC’s upcycled products or if you work for or with a brand, designer, or manufacturer who might be interested in collaboration, please contact our team to discuss. We are actively seeking partners who are willing to invest in sustainably scaling the MFC-MFI Foundation upcycling partnership.
This image shows fabric scraps collected by The MFI Foundation from other artisans in the community, a secondary form of upcycling the studio engages in.
This image shows upcycled fabric beads made from the fabric scraps collected from the studio and community.
The Aftermath Learning Lab (ALL) is a research and art lab. The lab’s mission is to reduce global textile pollution and other types of technology-related pollution through research at the intersection of art, policy, education, environment, and health. The lab is led by an interdisciplinary team of researchers in the fields of developmental psychology, public health, social entrepreneurship, design thinking, and informal learning along with artists, designers, educators, and environmental activists. The lab was founded in 2019 as a collaboration between investigators at Boston College and community partners MFC and the MFI Foundation.
Go to the Aftermath Learning Lab website to learn more about its impact.
This image shows The Aftermath Sculpture created by artist Mark Cooper and developmental psychologist Dr. Julia DeVoy via The Aftermath Learning Lab.
This image shows the Aftermath Learning Lab 2022-2023 research assistants and MFC board member Cecelia Cheng working on a game-based learning prototype project.
The LEAPS Textile Waste Conference is a virtual conference held annually. LEAPS stands for “Leveraging Environmental, Art & Policy Stakeholders“ to advance awareness, collaboration and transformation around policy and structural solutions to textile waste and related environmental health challenges.
The LEAPS Textile Waste Conference 2024 is occurring virtually on April 25, 2024 hosted by the Aftermath Learning Lab in collaboration with MFC and other partners.
Go to the LEAPS 2024 Conference website to learn more and register to attend or present.
This image shows an announcement for the LEAPS 2024 Textile Waste Conference. It includes the logo for the conference and the text “A Virtual Event on Thursday, April 25 from 11:00 am to 5:00 pm EST”. It also includes logos for the co-sponsors: MFC, The Aftermath Learning Lab, the MFI Foundation, and the Boston College Schiller Institute for Integrated Science and Society.
The Textile Waste Facts Educational Resource is a free interactive module-based online course that offers an introduction to the issue of global textile pollution from an environmental justice lens. The course was created by the Aftermath Learning Lab in partnership with MFC and the MFI Foundation. The course takes approximately 30 to 45 minutes to complete. It includes 4 modules and a portal for actions you can take to reduce your own impact and to advance structural change. Go to the Textile Waste Facts website to start learning.
This image shows the logo for the Textile Waste Facts resource.
This video explores the problem of global textile pollution and was made by students at Olin College through a collaboration of the Dirt to Shirt course with MFC and The MFI Foundation in 2018.
MFC regularly contributes to and partners on formal and informal learning educational initiatives related to environmental health education. We are also working to re-launch the MFC Patreon Community and appreciate those who have remained while we undertake this reimagining.
