Arkansas EHC announces reducing fabric waste as new focus of statewide service project
June 5, 2026
By Rebekah Hall
University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture
Fast Facts
- Arkansas EHC is volunteer organization, program of Cooperative Extension Service
- EHC statewide project for next four years to focus on reducing fabric waste
- Clubs plan to teach sewing classes, emphasize repurposing and recycling textiles
(908 words)
Download photos from EHC state meeting
NORTH LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — For the next four years, members of the Arkansas Extension Homemakers Council will focus statewide efforts on reducing fabric waste, in part by teaching a new generation how to sew, mend and make their clothing last longer.
Arkansas Extension Homemakers Council, or EHC, is a program of the Cooperative Extension Service, the outreach arm of the University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture.
EHC members from throughout Arkansas gathered for the organization’s annual state meeting, held June 2-4 at the Wyndham Riverfront in North Little Rock. As part of the meeting’s opening ceremonies on June 2, EHC state officers announced the new four-year statewide service project, which was chosen by EHC members. The project will start July 1.
“We asked for your input so we could get ideas for what would better serve our group,” said Deb Teague, EHC president. “This new service project is not only cutting-edge, but it also goes back to the basics.
“Your creativity is the limit to what this project can do,” she said.
Laura Hendrix, extension professor of personal finance and EHC adviser for the Division of Agriculture, said EHC considers several important factors when selecting a statewide project. For the past three years, members have focused their efforts on mental health awareness.
“The project must fit with the mission of EHC and the mission of extension,” Hendrix said. “The project should be something that EHC members have the ability to make a difference through, and it should be something that will have a positive impact on Arkansans.”
Recycle, repurpose, repair
Keith Statham-Cleek, extension family and consumer sciences educator for the Division of Agriculture, led an educational session on “Breaking the Fast Fashion Cycle” following the project’s announcement.
“The room was packed, and we spent half the session on questions and answers,” Statham-Cleek said. “We talked about closing the loop on textile waste by recycling, repurposing and repairing items. It’s about teaching this younger generation to buy quality over quantity, taking care of their clothing by laundering it properly to make it last, and when it no longer fits or you can no longer repurpose it, finding other alternatives instead of donating.”
According to a 2022 report by the National Institute of Standards and Technology, part of the U.S. Department of Commerce, about 15 percent of used clothes and other textiles in the U.S. gets reused or recycled. The other 85 percent goes to a landfill or to be incinerated.
“Focusing on fabric waste is an incredible opportunity,” said Dot Hart, EHC president-elect.
Statham-Cleek said that as part of the “EHC Cares” project, many clubs plan to teach sewing and mending skills to their grandkids, members of the 4-H youth development organization, and fellow EHC club members. Some clubs also plan to collaborate with local volunteer and charitable organizations that offer “career closets,” where community members can access professional clothing necessary for job interviews at a low cost or free of charge.
Hendrix said EHC clubs can also get creative with lessons on upcycling to extend the life of garments and other textiles, such as making dresses from pillowcases, tote bags from recycled denim or quilts from fabric scraps.
“The economy has affected every household in the country,” Statham-Cleek said. “People adjust their budgets for things that aren’t necessary, and everyone has a pile somewhere in their house of clothes that need to be repaired — a button sewn on, or a hem adjusted. By teaching these skills, EHC can help families make what they already have stretch further.”
Hendrix said extension family and consumer sciences agents and EHC members have a “long history of promoting efficient resource management for households — especially when it comes to textiles.”
“This project combines smart money management and textile skills with something that helps the environment, both locally and globally,” Hendrix said.
Leading through serving
John D. Anderson, senior associate vice president for agriculture for the Division of Agriculture and director of the Cooperative Extension Service, commended EHC members for helping fulfill the extension mission to “strengthen agriculture, communities and families by connecting trusted research to the adoption of best practices.”
“What we do makes life better for the people of our state, and I think that’s especially true of what you do in EHC,” Anderson said. “You’re devoted to making your communities better through the volunteer work you do, through the investments you make in your community, and through the time you spend committed to the organization.”
EHC has more than 320 clubs and 3,000 members statewide, making it one of the largest volunteer organizations in Arkansas. In 2025, more than 5,000 EHC and other family and consumer sciences volunteers contributed nearly 338,000 hours of community service statewide. The organization’s three-pronged mission focuses on leadership development, community service and lifelong learning.
Anderson said EHC’s emphasis on leadership development is an investment in the future at the local, county and state levels.
“A leader is someone who influences other people to accomplish more than they could on their own,” Anderson said. “A leader is not raising themselves up — they’re helping other people realize their potential. I think this organization is a great model for that kind of leadership.
“You bring people in, you equip them, you give them opportunities, and you watch their influence and their impact grow,” he said.
Visit the Arkansas Extension Homemakers Council page to learn more about the organization or contact your local county extension office to learn about clubs in your area.
To learn about extension programs in Arkansas, contact your local Cooperative Extension Service agent or visit uaex.uada.edu. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram. To learn more about the Division of Agriculture, visit uada.edu. To learn more about ag and food research in Arkansas, visit the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station at aaes.uada.edu.
About the Division of Agriculture
The University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture’s mission is to strengthen agriculture, communities, and families by connecting trusted research to the adoption of best practices. Through the Agricultural Experiment Station and the Cooperative Extension Service, the Division of Agriculture conducts research and extension work within the nation’s historic land grant education system.
The Division of Agriculture is one of 22 entities within the University of Arkansas System. It has offices in all 75 counties in Arkansas and faculty on three campuses.
Pursuant to 7 CFR § 15.3, the University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture offers all its Extension and Research programs and services (including employment) without regard to race, color, sex, national origin, religion, age, disability, marital or veteran status, genetic information, sexual preference, pregnancy or any other legally protected status, and is an equal opportunity institution.
# # #
Media Contact:
Rebekah Hall
rkhall@uada.edu
501-671-2061