Creative upcycling and environmental sustainability of textile waste for wedding décor at Bawku Technical Institute Ghana

Creative upcycling and environmental sustainability of textile waste for wedding décor at Bawku Technical Institute Ghana | Research Square window.SnipcartSettings = { analytics: { enabled: false } }; (function() { var accessVector = localStorage.getItem('access_vector') || ''; window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; if (accessVector) { window.dataLayer.push({ user: { profile: { profileInfo: { snid: accessVector } } } }); } })(); (function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start':new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&l='+l:'';j.async=true;j.src='https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f);})(window,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-K279D39R'); Browse Preprints In Review Journals COVID-19 Preprints AJE Video Bytes Research Tools Research Promotion AJE Professional Editing AJE Rubriq About Preprint Platform In Review Editorial Policies Our Team Advisory Board Help Center Sign In Submit a Preprint Cite Share Download PDF Research Article Creative upcycling and environmental sustainability of textile waste for wedding décor at Bawku Technical Institute Ghana Sulemana Osman, Dickson Adom, Nyamawero Navei, Joe Adu-Agyem This is a preprint; it has not been peer reviewed by a journal. https://doi.org/ 10.21203/rs.3.rs-8608832/v1 This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License Status: Under Review Version 1 posted 13 You are reading this latest preprint version Abstract In this contemporary era where the global fashion industry’s waste threatens environmental stability, upcycling emerges as a critical response. The effective upcycling of fabric offcuts presents an ongoing challenge for textiles and fashion institutions in Ghana, revealing a research gap concerning the specific pedagogical strategies required. This gap undermines the potential of vocational education to generate actionable solutions to the pervasive textile waste problem, perpetuating a cycle of disposal over sustainable innovation. Addressing this gap, the study presents a creative upcycling intervention transforming fabric waste into wedding décor. Employing a studio-based artistic research methodology, the project engaged students and staff at Bawku Technical Institute. Participants transformed institutional fabric offcuts into high-value wedding décor through a hands-on process of collection, design ideation, and construction. Evaluations from students, tutors, and community users revealed transformative outcomes. Key findings include a profound perceptual shift among students, who reconceived waste as a valuable resource; the acquisition of practical sustainable design skills; and the décor’s successful cultural acceptance at a local wedding. The study concludes that creative upcycling is a potent pedagogical tool for embedding circular economy principles at BTI. It is recommended that the institute formally integrate this model into its curriculum, establish a ‘Material Innovation Hub’ for waste, and foster partnerships with local dressmakers to create a sustainable, enterprise-led cycle of material reuse within the Bawku community. Bawku Technical Institute (BTI) Circular Economy Textile offcuts Upcycling Wedding décor Full Text Additional Declarations No competing interests reported. Cite Share Download PDF Status: Under Review Version 1 posted Editorial decision: Revision requested 10 Mar, 2026 Reviews received at journal 02 Mar, 2026 Reviewers agreed at journal 24 Feb, 2026 Reviewers agreed at journal 23 Feb, 2026 Reviewers agreed at journal 22 Feb, 2026 Reviewers agreed at journal 20 Feb, 2026 Reviews received at journal 20 Feb, 2026 Reviewers agreed at journal 20 Feb, 2026 Reviewers agreed at journal 10 Feb, 2026 Reviewers invited by journal 07 Feb, 2026 Editor assigned by journal 02 Feb, 2026 Submission checks completed at journal 30 Jan, 2026 First submitted to journal 30 Jan, 2026 You are reading this latest preprint version Research Square lets you share your work early, gain feedback from the community, and start making changes to your manuscript prior to peer review in a journal. As a division of Research Square Company, we’re committed to making research communication faster, fairer, and more useful. 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Also discoverable on Platform About Our Team In Review Editorial Policies Advisory Board Help Center Resources Author Services Accessibility API Access RSS feed Manage Cookie Preferences © Research Square 2026 | ISSN 2693-5015 (online) Privacy Policy Terms of Service Do Not Sell My Personal Information {"props":{"pageProps":{"initialData":{"identity":"rs-8608832","acceptedTermsAndConditions":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"archivedVersions":[],"articleType":"Research Article","associatedPublications":[],"authors":[{"id":589070360,"identity":"aa4f1c98-947d-4bd4-8a7c-330f5f0239ac","order_by":0,"name":"Sulemana Osman","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Sulemana","middleName":"","lastName":"Osman","suffix":""},{"id":589070361,"identity":"b32774ad-3dd9-4a86-9a9c-7d7b4a4324c8","order_by":1,"name":"Dickson Adom","email":"data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAZAAAAAyAQMAAABI0h/eAAAABlBMVEX///8AAABVwtN+AAAACXBIWXMAAA7EAAAOxAGVKw4bAAABCklEQVRIie3PsUrDQBzH8X84OJdrXRPE+goJAelQ2lfJEXDKLB0PCuniAzgoeYVAB3FL+eN1OXSNtINQyKSQMeLSC1To0LN1E7kv3PFbPsMfwGb7iyGQ7YoA6mK7mX7+McS5bQk9RIodQtgxpLsg66AZr+B0Gj/NBmrFs0w4bx8pDB8MxEMaxkxV4KrqapmUFc8lkOA+hfhR7Cc+MoJOigBlcrlMauQ5BXrW0cQvzGT+qclFS/qaZCmcfB0iUUcTvyVQIhcSKNFkaCLtLSFTyAJ9y+uNwjCXfOLdPbuRiXRfcO01Y+z1FrEsG4nn2QTn9fv1YGQi37Gd7Qj9uVz8LPY0+rWw2Wy2/9oGh3NlKwCpEA0AAAAASUVORK5CYII=","orcid":"","institution":"Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology","correspondingAuthor":true,"prefix":"","firstName":"Dickson","middleName":"","lastName":"Adom","suffix":""},{"id":589070364,"identity":"3200fead-3b4d-4e67-a9a3-289150e06909","order_by":2,"name":"Nyamawero Navei","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"University of Education","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Nyamawero","middleName":"","lastName":"Navei","suffix":""},{"id":589070367,"identity":"4d6c35c2-7a63-4c68-8cf2-30e4e89a59b2","order_by":3,"name":"Joe Adu-Agyem","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Joe","middleName":"","lastName":"Adu-Agyem","suffix":""}],"badges":[],"createdAt":"2026-01-15 09:08:46","currentVersionCode":1,"declarations":"","doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-8608832/v1","doiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8608832/v1","draftVersion":[],"editorialEvents":[],"editorialNote":"","failedWorkflow":false,"files":[{"id":102747783,"identity":"71a7e690-3603-45fe-842b-9628b9b69e2e","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2026-02-16 09:05:23","extension":"pdf","order_by":1,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"manuscript-pdf","size":2171134,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"DiscoverEnvironmentManuscriptwithauthordetails.pdf","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-8608832/v1_covered_e7edb788-b3dd-45fb-80ff-7f50edb5e404.pdf"}],"financialInterests":"No competing interests reported.","formattedTitle":"Creative upcycling and environmental sustainability of textile waste for wedding décor at Bawku Technical Institute Ghana","fulltext":[],"fulltextSource":"","fullText":"","funders":[],"hasAdminPriorityOnWorkflow":false,"hasManuscriptDocX":false,"hasOptedInToPreprint":true,"hasPassedJournalQc":"","hasAnyPriority":false,"hideJournal":false,"highlight":"","institution":"","isAcceptedByJournal":true,"isAuthorSuppliedPdf":true,"isDeskRejected":"","isHiddenFromSearch":false,"isInQc":false,"isInWorkflow":false,"isPdf":true,"isPdfUpToDate":true,"isWithdrawnOrRetracted":false,"journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"discover-environment","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"externalIdentity":"","sideBox":"Learn more about [Discover Environment](https://www.springer.com/44274/)","snPcode":"44274","submissionUrl":"https://submission.nature.com/new-submission/44274/3","title":"Discover Environment","twitterHandle":"","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":true,"editorialSystem":"stoa","reportingPortfolio":"Discover Series","inReviewEnabled":true,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":true},"keywords":"Bawku Technical Institute (BTI), Circular Economy, Textile offcuts, Upcycling, Wedding décor","lastPublishedDoi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-8608832/v1","lastPublishedDoiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8608832/v1","license":{"name":"CC BY 4.0","url":"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/"},"manuscriptAbstract":"\u003cp\u003eIn this contemporary era where the global fashion industry\u0026rsquo;s waste threatens environmental stability, upcycling emerges as a critical response. The effective upcycling of fabric offcuts presents an ongoing challenge for textiles and fashion institutions in Ghana, revealing a research gap concerning the specific pedagogical strategies required. This gap undermines the potential of vocational education to generate actionable solutions to the pervasive textile waste problem, perpetuating a cycle of disposal over sustainable innovation. Addressing this gap, the study presents a creative upcycling intervention transforming fabric waste into wedding d\u0026eacute;cor. Employing a studio-based artistic research methodology, the project engaged students and staff at Bawku Technical Institute. Participants transformed institutional fabric offcuts into high-value wedding d\u0026eacute;cor through a hands-on process of collection, design ideation, and construction. Evaluations from students, tutors, and community users revealed transformative outcomes. Key findings include a profound perceptual shift among students, who reconceived waste as a valuable resource; the acquisition of practical sustainable design skills; and the d\u0026eacute;cor\u0026rsquo;s successful cultural acceptance at a local wedding. The study concludes that creative upcycling is a potent pedagogical tool for embedding circular economy principles at BTI. 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