With the next exhibition, SURF!, using orange checkerboard print, there was no way the black and red banners from the Pirates exhibition could be reused for this. Josh Ellicott, a student from Bodmin College and 2024 DofE 'Innovator of the Year', has been working with the museum team to find a sustainable solution, and to give the exhibition banners a new lease of life. The result? A collection of striking bespoke jackets!

Year 13 student Josh has his own company, Moorepace, and prides himself on his ability to rework fabrics to create exciting new textile pieces, including bags made from an old Boardmasters tent, and a waterproof jacket made from scrap materials.

For this project, the outer shell of each jacket is made from the Pirates canvas, while the inside is quilt-lined by hand, using recycled polyester. One of the completed jackets displays the name 'Mary Read' on the front, with details of her pirate career, birth and death on the shoulder, and an illustration on the back.

Richard Doughty, Museum Director, said: “One of our core strategic objectives is to become an environmentally sustainable organisation. We proactively seek to inspire conversations about the importance of clean oceans, rivers and lakes for wildlife. When delivering creative and cultural activities, we want to do all we can to avoid damaging the environment. Therefore, we reuse or repurpose everything we possibly can. Tough materials like banners can often be very difficult to reuse, so I’m delighted Josh has taken on the challenge!”

Josh added: “I’m always up for a challenge and I hadn’t tackled canvas of this kind before, but the images of pirates and the designs were great. I had the vision, I just had to make it happen.”

Already, Josh has sold two of the jackets, with a third set to be shipped to Canada, and two more being created for two customers in Spain. Josh said: “I have enough banner material to make another three or four in addition to a very special piece for my final exam. I’ve saved all the best bits for that!

“I’ve really enjoyed working with these banners – it’s something I’d look to do again if I spot a good design. I’ve started to venture into trousers as well, so watch this space!”

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