UMS Students Donate Clothes and Champion Reduce, Reuse, Reclamby

Students from the Communication Science program at Universitas Muhammadiyah Surakarta (UMS) held an environmental and social campaign titled Reduce, Reuse, Reclamby. The initiative combined environmental awareness with child empowerment through the management of wearable clothing using upcycling practices.

The Reclamby team successfully collected 20 kilograms of wearable clothing through donations received between 6–10 December 2025. The donated clothing, gathered from the public and students, was distributed to LKSA Nur Hidayah Orphanage Foundation in Surakarta, Central Java.

Children participated in a painting activity as part of the #ReDoYourMovement campaign at the Nur Hidayah Foundation Orphanage, 14 December 2025.

Muhammad Allefka Fasha, a representative of Reclamby, stated that the campaign emerged in response to the increasing volume of textile waste caused by overconsumption. “This is an initiative that invites the public to reinterpret or give a second life to their old clothes through reuse and upcycling practices,” said Muhammad Allefka Fasha on Saturday (27/12/2025).

Upcycling refers to transforming used items into products with higher economic value. For example, repurposing leftover fabric as raw material for making bags or pillowcases.

In addition to donating clothing, the Reclamby team also organized the #ReDoYourMovement campaign, which involved 25 orphanage children ranging from elementary to senior high school levels in painting on used clothing. The activity served as a form of creative expression while also extending the lifespan of the garments.

Reclamby also introduced the #RecraftedbyYou campaign, an activity focused on transforming leftover fabric into functional and aesthetic works. The movement trains creative thinking skills while demonstrating the potential of textile waste.

“We want to instill awareness that secondhand clothing has significant value when managed properly. Through #ReDoYourMovement, we worked with orphanage children to give new spirit to old clothes. Meanwhile, #RecraftedbyYou shows that leftover fabric can be turned into valuable items,” added Muhammad Allefka Fasha.

Participants in the Reduce, Reuse, Reclamby campaign were children ranging from elementary to senior high school levels.

As a continuation of the program, the remaining sorted wearable clothing was officially handed over through a collaboration with @joli_jolan at Ruang Solidaritas Joli Jolan, Surakarta, to be distributed to communities in greater need. The campaign is expected to inspire Surakarta’s younger generation to manage clothing more wisely while strengthening social solidarity.

According to one source from Ruang Solidaritas Joli Jolan, Reclamby is an upcycling clothing campaign that remains relatively uncommon in campus environments. Reclamby addresses an issue often considered trivial, yet one that carries undeniable urgency.

Beyond clothing distribution, the Reclamby campaign serves as a symbol of collective concern in creating a sustainable environment and a society that cares for and empowers one another.

Writer: Maysali Sudarwati

Editor: Fika Annisa’ Sholihah

Translator: Farizal Luqman Majid