A Fitting Connection

Who we are

At A Fitting Connection, our mission is to reduce textile waste and create meaningful community impact through creative reuse, education, and inclusive employment opportunities. We believe textiles should be valued and repurposed, not discarded, and that everyone can play a role in building a circular economy.

Our core values are:

• Sustainability: we prioritise environmental responsibility through waste diversion and upcycling.
• Inclusion: we create supportive pathways for people with disabilities, youth, and at-risk individuals.
• Creativity: we empower people to learn, create, and find joy in making.
• Community: we foster connection, collaboration, and local engagement.

Key team members:

• Katrina Naish - Founder and Director: Katrina leads the organisation's strategic direction, partnerships, and program development, drawing on her extensive experience in textile reuse, education, and social enterprise.
• Jodie Stephens - Sewing Educator: With a background in teaching and design, Jodie leads our sewing programs and upcycling workshops, helping participants develop skills and confidence.
• Simone Kottmann - FeltLOOM Technician and workshop Facilitator, supporting participants in developing new skills while contributing to waste reduction.

We are also supported by a small but passionate team of volunteers, community partners, and collaborators who share our vision.

What we do

A Fitting Connection is a social enterprise creating real solutions to Australia's textile waste crisis while building skills, inclusion, and community.

We collect surplus fabric, textiles, and sewing supplies through The Fabric ReStore, diverting high-quality materials from landfill and making them accessible to makers, schools, and the wider community.

Through our Creative Community Space, we deliver sewing classes, mending workshops, and upcycling programs for people of all ages and abilities - teaching practical reuse skills that empower individuals, reduce waste, and promote wellbeing.

Our innovative ReFELT Program uses FeltLOOM technology to transform unwanted textiles into new felted fabrics. This work creates meaningful supported training, skill-building, and employment pathways for people living with disability and at-risk youth.

We also engage businesses, councils, schools, and organisations with tailored workshops, live mending activations, education sessions, and corporate sustainability programs that demonstrate practical circular solutions.

Our impact:

• Diverting thousands of kilograms of textiles and sewing materials from landfill.
• Creating inclusive, supported training and employment pathways.
• Equipping hundreds with lifelong sewing, mending, and upcycling skills.
• Raising community-wide awareness of the environmental cost of textile waste.
• Our work is creative, practical, and people-first - showing how local action can drive real change.
• Increased community awareness of sustainable practices and textile waste issues.