Brighton student transforms abandoned festival tents into sustainable fashion collection

Every summer, an estimated 250,000 tents are abandoned at UK music festivals, generating around 900 tonnes of waste. While many end up in landfill, Product Design BSc(Hons) student Tilly Lawless saw an opportunity to give the material a second life. Her graduate project, Bâche, recovers tent fabric left behind at major festivals and concerts, and reworks them into limited-edition clothing, demonstrating how design can help tackle environmental challenges while encouraging consumers to think differently about the products they buy. 

“I love festivals. There's so much culture, creativity and community around them,” Tilly said. “But it’s really disappointing to see how much waste is left behind afterwards, with entire fields covered in abandoned tents and equipment. Where many people saw rubbish destined for landfill, I saw a material with potential. Bâche is about changing how we value materials that are usually discarded and proving that sustainability and desirability can coexist. 

“Rather than treating festival waste as an endpoint, I want to reposition it as a valuable resource. Design has an important role to play in tackling environmental challenges and helping people see waste differently.” 

James Tooze, Course Leader for Product Design at the University of Brighton, said: “Tilly's project is a fantastic example of the kind of innovative and socially conscious design thinking we encourage at Brighton. She has taken a highly visible environmental problem and transformed it into a creative, practical and commercially viable response that challenges assumptions about waste, value, and consumption. It is exactly the kind of forward-thinking work that the future of the design industry needs." 

Tilly's work is part of several student projects on show at the University of Brighton's Architecture and Design Graduate Show – the latest instalment of the university's annual Summer Shows programme. From Friday 12 June to Sunday 14 June 2026, the university’s Moulsecoomb campus will be transformed into creative arenas showcasing the works of students. 

The exhibition, which is free and open to all, will highlight innovative work from students across Architecture, Interior Architecture, Product Design, Sustainable Design, Design Engineering and related courses, highlighting creative responses to some of society's biggest challenges, from climate change and sustainable materials to community-led design and social innovation. 

James continued: “The work on display at this year's show demonstrates the creativity, ambition, and social awareness of our students. Throughout their studies, they have been challenged to think critically about the role design can play in addressing some of society's biggest challenges, from sustainability and resource use to health, wellbeing, and community engagement. 

"What makes me particularly proud is seeing students develop ideas that move beyond the classroom and have genuine potential to create positive change in the world. They leave Brighton not only with strong technical and creative skills, but with the confidence and curiosity to question existing systems, influence industry and help shape a more sustainable future through design.” 

This year introduces an exciting addition to the Summer Shows experience; a temporary pavilion located in the south quad of the Cockcroft Building. Designed to connect the exhibition venues, the pavilion offers a dynamic meeting point for visitors, encouraging movement, interaction, and dialogue between disciplines. 

Here is the full schedule for the remainder of the 2026 Summer Show:  

Architecture and Design Graduate Show 

Where: Mithras House & Heavy Engineering Building, Moulsecoomb campus  
Private View: Thursday 11 June, 5 – 9pm  
Public exhibition: Friday 12 June – Sunday 14 June  
Opening times: Weekdays 10am – 5pm | Weekends 12 – 5pm 

Art, Media and Design MA Show 

Where: Grand Parade, City campus  
Private view: Friday 3 July, 6 – 10pm  
Public exhibition: Saturday 4 July – Saturday 11 July  
Opening times: Weekdays 10am – 5pm | Weekends 12 – 4pm