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UpswingSA’s main mission is to provide opportunities for skills development and job creation while preserving the environment. Each project upholds a strict ethos of developing skills while maintaining the dignity of all living things in diverse ways for diverse people. UpswingSA hosts a variety of workshops and opportunities to earn a wage by making use of the surplus of textile waste. Some of our main projects include:
Our Main Mission...
UpswingSA operates a thrift store in Cape Town to help fund its community impact work and offer a sustainable alternative to fast fashion. The store supports the organization’s mission of reducing overconsumption, landfill overcrowding, and textile waste—aligning with the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals. All items sold are donated by community members looking to responsibly part with used clothing and goods.
Each donation is carefully sorted and processed by hand; usable items are cleaned and resold, while damaged goods are salvaged for upcycling. Profits, after covering operating costs, are reinvested into the organization’s daily initiatives. Over seven years, the thrift store has processed thousands of kilos of waste goods and created employment opportunities for more than 20 women through store operations and our Resellers Initiative.
UpswingSA offers craft workshops aimed at upskilling the local community by teaching participants how to repurpose scrap fabric and waste materials into sellable products. These workshops also create employment opportunities through basic alteration and tailoring services. Additionally, the Craft Corner initiative focuses on children and teens (ages 5–17), providing creative activities like sewing, decoupage, jewellery making, and upcycling. The program encourages self-expression while teaching sustainable practices and raising awareness about environmental responsibility and climate impact.
UpswingSA runs an internship program that provides youth with hands-on training in retail, marketing, and social media, helping them gain work experience and tackle youth unemployment in South Africa. Additionally, the Craft Your Future fellowship supports young creatives by teaching upcycling skills such as crafting and sewing, empowering them to generate income through the sale of handmade products.
UpswingSA has supported the local community through a range of outreach projects, including the donation of postnatal care packs to Mowbray Maternity Clinic, educational resources and toys to local schools, and food and supplies to old age homes and orphanages. Guided by our core value of upholding human dignity, we are committed to providing meaningful support through empowerment rather than dependency. As part of this approach, UpswingSA actively partners with and contributes to local initiatives that uplift vulnerable individuals by offering a hand up, not handouts.
Keep up with our community initiatives through our social media links.