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A Herndon organization that helped divert thousands of pounds of textiles from disposal has received a bronze Governor’s Environmental Excellence Award.

Sewing Lab was one of three entities honored this spring. Led by Janine Inselmann, the organization has grown from a modest effort to teach sewing into a Filipino-led community initiative centered on creativity, education and sustainability.

The lab teaches residents to sew, repair and reuse clothing and household textiles, keeping those materials in circulation longer. Its classes also connect personal shopping and clothing decisions with landfill waste, water consumption and greenhouse gas emissions.

In 2025, Sewing Lab estimates that its classes and clothing swaps diverted 5,000 pounds of textiles from disposal. Participants reused or repurposed about 7,500 garments, while donated or surplus items supplied roughly 70% of class materials.

Donated fabric, clothing swaps and vintage treadle sewing machines all play a role in the program. Participants learn practical sewing skills while exploring how repairs and creative reuse can reduce waste.

The work supports Fairfax County’s broader effort to address textile waste, one of the nation’s fastest-growing waste streams. An estimated 95% of discarded textiles can be reused or recycled.

Fairfax County launched a textile-collection pilot at the West Ox Transfer Station in early 2025. After six blue collection dumpsters received more than 60,000 pounds of textiles, the county expanded collection to the I-95 Landfill Complex and other locations.

County collection bins accept reusable items for thrift and community partners. Materials that cannot be reused may become insulation, industrial wiping rags or other products. Stained or worn textiles and items with broken zippers are accepted as long as they are clean, dry, odorless and sealed in a plastic bag.

Sewing Lab is located at 489A Carlisle Drive in Herndon.