What do you do when you have school uniforms that are now too small, or you no longer need them, but you don’t want to simply throw them away? For BIS HCMC parents, Bibi, Margot, and Ying, this dilemma sparked an inspiring solution—the Parent Uniform Upcycling Team.
Founded in 2015, this initiative was born from a shared vision: to reduce waste and give preloved uniforms a meaningful second life. As parents of multiple children at BIS HCMC, Bibi, Margot, and Ying passed uniforms down to younger siblings, but soon found themselves with an excess of garments and no sustainable way to repurpose them. Rather than letting perfectly good fabric go to waste, they started to transform old uniforms into stylish, functional, and eco-friendly products.
Their first project—a collection of upcycled items sold at the PTG Spring Fair and the Christmas BISzaar—was a hit, and the movement quickly gained momentum. "We started with nothing but enthusiasm and a vision, figuring things out as we went along," Ying recalled. "There was a lot of trial and error in those early days, but over time, we found our rhythm. Bibi’s incredible eye for design brought our ideas to life, while Margot and I focused on refining operations, turning our passion project into a well-organised, sustainable initiative."
Sustainability in Action
Today, the Upcycling Team has grown into a passionate collective of parents and students dedicated to sustainability and creativity. The parent team, now including Wendy, Mimi, Aditi, Julia, Min, Petra, Ananya, Rashmi, Timea, Anchal, Gwyny, Claire, Shruti, Mami, Uma, Vivian, Amy, and Debbie, transforms donated uniforms into unique, high-quality products, preventing textiles from ending up in landfills. The PTG Upcycling Team is always looking for preloved uniforms to transform. With uniform donation boxes available on every BIS HCMC campus, it's easier than ever to contribute to this sustainable initiative.
Their work not only reduces waste but also fosters a culture of environmental responsibility within the school. "At first, the idea of upcycling school uniforms felt unfamiliar, even unconventional, for many parents," shared former team member Melanie Rowe. "But once they saw the incredible craftsmanship and creativity that went into each piece, their perspective shifted. What was once seen as ‘old’ or ‘unusable’ became something beautiful, meaningful, and worthy of celebration."
The initiative gained further traction when our Senior Secondary Receptionist at the time, Ms Katie Walsh took the lead in a Student Upcycling Club. Peer-to-peer engagement encouraged more students to get involved, resulting in a student team that now plays a key role in the project’s success. Our Student Uniform Upcycling Club is now a weekly Co-curricular Activity (CCA) open to all Students from Year 7 to Year 13 Recycle to be creative in upcycling school uniforms to make different products such as plushies or paperweights, which they often sell at school community events to support our community partners.
Designing for Impact
The parent team’s product range reflects a balance of practicality, creativity, and sustainability. What started with simple functional items and keepsakes has now evolved into a diverse collection, including drawstring bags, shoe bags, souvenirs, hair ties, Christmas decorations, laptop bags, and greeting cards—all crafted from repurposed school uniforms.
To ensure their efforts extend beyond BIS HCMC, the team collaborates with ethical suppliers who share their sustainability mindset and provide employment opportunities to local communities.
A Measurable Difference
During the 2024-2025 school year alone, the parent Upcycling Team collected 2,026 uniforms, upcycled 1,200 of them, and donated 87 swimsuits to Angel Orphanage in District 9.
Their handcrafted products have been featured at key school events, including the PTG Coffee Morning, Moon Festival, Family Fun Evening, Christmas BISzaar, Thuy’s Dream, Spring Fair, Teacher’s Day, Tết, and the Year 6 Gala.
Beyond waste reduction, the initiative has made a tangible financial impact. This year, the team has raised 30.3 million VND already through sales and production, donating 50 million VND to Typhoon Yagi relief efforts and 23.9 million VND to community partners.
By turning discarded uniforms into purposeful, high-quality products, the parent Upcycling Team isn’t just upcycling fabric—they’re upcycling mindsets. Every item sold funds school initiatives and charitable causes, reinforcing the spirit of sustainability and community at BIS HCMC.
Join the Movement
As the team continues to grow and evolve, they remain steadfast in their mission: to reduce waste, promote sustainability, and make a positive impact—one upcycled item at a time.
Would you like to get involved? The Parent Uniform Upcycling Team welcomes all who share a passion for creativity and sustainability. Whether you can design, sew or simply want to contribute, there’s a place for you in this inspiring initiative.
The Parent Upcycling Team is always looking for preloved uniforms to transform! With uniform donation boxes available on every BIS HCMC campus, it's easier than ever to contribute to this sustainable initiative. Be sure to visit their stall at the Spring Fair, where you can shop a range of beautifully upcycled products and support their mission of turning waste into wonder! Together, we can turn waste into wonder.
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