UNIFORM recycling charity Mum's the Word has teamed up with Haslingden textile company, Clarke and Clarke who will now supply them with donations of fabric to help repair old uniforms and clothes.

The home fashion company, based in Knowsley Road, will donate off-cuts of fabric to Mum's The Word, a not-for-profit community recycling project that hopes to provide low-cost uniforms.

Lee Clarke, managing director at Clarke and Clarke, said: “We are delighted to be able to help the local charity Mum’s The Word by donating off-cut fabrics and samples for recycling.

“Being a family run business we all understand how hard it is to clothe growing children in today's economic climate, so being able to assist those less fortunate in some way is something we feel passionate about.

“I have a young family myself so I know directly how challenging it can be to manage a growing family. We hope our donations go some way to assisting this wonderful cause.”

Mum's the Word, based in Shadsworth, is the brain child of two best friends Rachel Rhodes and Caroline Fotios, who want to combat the high-cost of school uniforms and the amount of textiles that end up in landfill.

The pair began collecting unwanted textiles and old school uniforms in 2011 to be recycled among the community.

Rachel said: “We are both mums ourselves and we know how expensive it is to buy uniforms and how stressful it can be and we just think it doesn’t have to be that way.

“A school uniform for secondary school can cost up to £200 - how are families supposed to cope with that kind of expense?”

Two million tonnes of clothing and textile waste are discarded in the UK every year, ending up in landfill and Mum's The Word said that recycling needed to become a part of our everyday lives.

Caroline said: “We were shown a pair of school pumps, which are the cheapest type of footwear imaginable that were worn down to almost nothing.

“The soles were full of holes and the fabric was ripped. How long had a child been wearing those to school? There is enough unwanted clothing lying around to ensure that this never happens.”

Mum’s The Word are now also regularly called upon to provide clothing for babies and older people and say that because of this, they are especially grateful for the benefits that the partnership with Clarke and Clarke will provide.

Caroline said: “We are really pleased to be able to team up with Clarke and Clarke and their donations will go a long way.”

Mum's The Word is eager to hear from any other machinists that may be able to assist with mending clothing donations.