Did you know that your leftovers can be turned into sequins? Have you ever taken part in a community dye bath? Or witnessed a ‘Living Wall’, made up of fungi, algae and plants that showcases the future of sustainable materials? If you’d headed to London’s Abney Park last weekend, you would’ve discovered all of the above. 

To mark Earth Day 2025, last Saturday (April 26), sustainability giant Pangaia teamed up with independent London lab CQ Studio, curating a day of workshops for members of the public to drop in and out of. Titled Breaking Ground, the workshops did exactly what they promised, shedding light on niche and natural sustainable practices, while participants learnt how to make their own lace and crochet, as well as how to use appliqué techniques as a way to repair garments. 

It was a day for honouring true craftsmanship, looking back on traditional and ancient methods, while looking ahead to the materials of the future. Here’s what went down. 

TURNING WASTE INTO WORTH 

CQ Studio is an award-winning regenerative design lab, providing cutting-edge biomaterial research. It utilises waste to create new materials – for example, using mushrooms to clean wastewater and create plastic-free bio-embellishments. With the materials CQ Studio develops, it creates bespoke designs and even regenerative artworks. 

“I have been following CQ Studio since I attended one of their workshops at Somerset House, which was really inspiring,” said one attendee. “I was looking for more events they were hosting and saw the Breaking Ground workshops.” Unlike the Somerset House session, last Saturday’s event took place amid the Gothic, unkempt shrubbery of Hackney’s Abney Park. “Being able to host in Abney Park, where our lab is based, was important to make the work we do behind the scenes more tangible and understandable,” explained founder CQ Studio Cassie Quinn. 

DISCOVER WITH A DRINK

Over the day, more than 75 people came to check out Breaking Ground. Dalston Soda provided drinks for the occasion, while three individual sessions – lace work, crochet and appliqué – took place at various intervals. “When I was designing the Breaking Ground event, I was thinking about sustainability through the lens of traditional skills,” said Quinn. “A lot of these skills are at risk of being lost forever and they’re not just beneficial to help us have more appreciation of how our clothes are made, but also in slowing down, putting down our phones, using our hands and connecting with each other.” 

GETTING CRAFTY WITH CROCHET

Kicking off the day, London-based knitwear designer Sinoia and creative freelancer Sean-Henry Fitzsimons taught attendees how to become experts in the ancient craft of crochet. They even made their own phone carriers. Sinoia blends traditional knitting techniques with experimental processes to develop garments (and has worked with the likes of JW Anderson). “I didn’t finish a bag today, but I did learn a skill that can be shared and used not only for creative means but for utility, because craft has multiple purposes and is not valued in the way that it should be,” said one attendee. 

HOLDING SPACE FOR LACE 

“I’ve always wanted to try lacemaking,” said one participant. “It’s a dying craft and is great to be at a free event that allows it to be accessible to more people.” Later in the day, Lace Club – a community based in northeast London – hosted a workshop all about traditional lace making. Lace Club meets fortnightly and runs regular evening workshops and archive trips. “The structure of our club is based on the longstanding tradition of communal lacemaking. It’s really an essential part of keeping the craft alive,” they explained. 

NEEDLE WERK 

The final session of the day was all about appliqué. Specifically, using embroidery as a tool for repair. Using shirts donated by Traid, attendees learnt how to upcycle their own wardrobes through needlework methods. 

“The whole day was buzzing and it was great to see a really broad range of ages – from nine years old right up to 60 years old,” said Quinn. “I believe having free accessible events helps to break down barriers of fashion and innovation. This marks the first of many more Breaking Ground events, empowering people through design and craft.” Watch this space.