The businesses of Bayside have a beautiful way of rising from the ashes of something lost, and Gail from @recycledsewingstudio carries one of the most remarkable stories of resilience we’ve come across. From sewing her own school uniform as a teenager, to building a thriving clothing business, to losing everything when fast fashion swept through Australia — Gail didn’t just rebuild, she redirected her entire mission toward something far more powerful: teaching the next generation to create, repair, and reimagine, one stitch at a time.
How long have you been in business?
15 years
What inspired you to start?
I am a secondary school teacher and half way through (late 80’s) I decided to have a change and start a clothing business – called Squirts. I have 4 daughters and wanted to make them interesting, good quality clothes. It was a successful business for 15 years until fast fashion started to come into Australia and and clothing all of a sudden became incredibly cheap. Many businesses went broke around this time – including mine. I lost everything. So I went back to teaching, then started to realise the education system isn’t giving kids the skills to live more sustainably. So I started this business to sew and recycle old clothes. I converted my garage into a studio and started advertising. My mission is to upskill my students and shift the way we think about clothing—while still having fun. I want to help build a sustainability mindset that empowers people to see they do have the power to create change. If we move away from fast fashion, we can reshape the future – in just one generation.
I teach approximately 60 kids / week and offer school holiday programs.
What is your sewing story?
I was one of 6 children and from a young age I had an interest in clothes – I got this from my Mum. We didn’t have much money to buy clothes and Mum always busy so she taught me how to sew my own. I started working part time at 14 to pay for fabric – I even made my own school uniform!
How important is community to you?
It’s all about the daily connections—the conversations, the support, the shared space. And in my classes I love seeing my older students guide the younger ones. The bond we’ve built is something really special.
Let’s support local! If you love businesses like @recycledsewingstudio give them a follow, drop by, and spread the word!