Universal Works kits out Birch Hotel staff in ‘Not a Uniform’ upcycling project

Contemporary British brand Universal Works has unveiled a new collaborative upcycling project entitled ‘Not a Uniform’ with Birch Hotel in Selsdon, South London, with staff kitted out in re-worked archive stock.

The project came about when Universal Works Co-Founders David Keyte and Stephanie Porritt stayed at Birch’s first outpost in Cheshunt. They liked it so much that when Birch approached them for an alternative take on staff uniforms at its new Selsdon location they were happy to get involved.

The brief from Birch’s Managing Director, Ayo Akinsete, was simple: “We want clothing for our team that the guests will want to wear”.

A curated selection of Universal Works archive pieces have been locally screen printed with Birch x Universal Works collaborative branding in five different colours.

A bold ‘B’ in the Birch typeface has been subtly placed on the front of the garments, while it has been enlarged on the back - underscored by a reference to the Universal Works partnership.

The project sits well within the Universal Works ‘Re-Works’ initiative, the umbrella term for the brand’s activity dedicated to prolonging the lifecycle of its products, which mirrors Birch’s own responsible approach in the renovation of Selsdon’s 19th century mansion.

Award-winning furniture designer, maker and environmentalist Sebastian Cox masterminded the restoring of the Selsdon 200-acre estate and designed bespoke furniture for the bedrooms, suites and communal spaces that utilised upcycled materials to minimise waste.

David Keyte said: “Creating ‘Not a Uniform’ with Birch has been an exciting opportunity for Universal Works to work with a company whose principles are very aligned with our own, in particular their passion for the rewilding of the Selsdon estate and effort to utilise upcycled materials in their renovations.

“We’ve worked closely with Birch to select and re-work the right products for their needs and in doing so we’ve turned something that could’ve been part of fashion’s waste issue into stylish working clothing for the team at this exciting new outpost.”

Ayo Akinsete added: “Birch is more than a hotel, it's an urban escape and an intervention from the daily grind. With this as our ethos, traditional staff uniforms would be totally out of step at Birch.

“We needed a contemporary play on the concept, working clothes that allowed us to celebrate the individuals of our team. Universal Works was the perfect partner for this, providing a common thread throughout the clothing whilst allowing our staff to pick different items based on their own styles and personalities."