Beginning as a small community group armed with domestic sewing machines in 2016, Second Stitch is now a fully-fledged textile enterprise that employs recently settled women from asylum-seeker and refugee backgrounds at their studio in Coburg.

With the business now offering training certificates in clothing and textile production, the women employed at Second Stitch produce fabric storage baskets, totes, pencil cases, cushions and hats. In the last few days, they’ve added some pretty fab face masks to their offering! Each reusable face mask costs $18 and is made with 100% cotton, with a liner pocket should you choose to insert a filter.

Rohini Mahendraraja is one sewer who started with the program in 2016 and is now a permanent part-time employee in the sewing and alterations team! She says, ‘Home is this place. Second Stitch is part of my home. Sewing is my home.’ We couldn’t think of a better organisation to support during this second lockdown!

Second Stitch is part of the VICSEG New Futures, a local nonprofit organisation providing community support and training to recently settled people from asylum seeker and refugee backgrounds in Victoria.

Shop the Second Stitch range here.