It’s Remembrance Sunday, so it seems like the perfect time to share a special Fine Cell Work collaboration with you.

We are honoured to be working alongside The Royal Hospital Chelsea, home to the Chelsea Pensioners, the renowned veterans of the British Army, to repurpose their iconic scarlet coats into a range of hand-crafted products for their new home and lifestyle collection. 

Designed, constructed and handstitched by apprentices on our post-release Open The Gate programme, as well as stitchers in our prison workshop, the collection features a range of luxurious soft furnishings, decor items and accessories.

The project began with the dismantling of one scarlet coat in our Battersea workshop, working out how best to use the fabric, as well as which assets from the coats – the silver buttons, gold ribbon trims and chevron ranks – could be used for the collection.

As the project progressed, we were thrilled to be joined by some Chelsea Pensioners at our Battersea workshop, who worked alongside apprentices and volunteers to carefully unpick the seams of the scarlet coats.

Fully maximising the materials available, the designs are sustainable, joyful and bold. A stylish shoulder bag comes complete with an original pocket from the scarlet coats, while chevron ranks and the Hospital’s golden crest are featured on a cushion. Repurposed buttons can be found on hanging decorations and pouches, amongst other items.  

The project continues to be inspiring for everyone involved, creating a real buzz in the workshop. Our stitchers have really enjoyed the whole process, and have felt, as have we all, very grateful to be working alongside The Royal Hospital Chelsea on such a unique collaboration, as one stitcher says: 

“I felt privileged to honour the veterans’ dedicated service by repurposing their iconic uniforms into high quality products.”