Second Hand, Second Life is this popular because it combines a number of desires: a positive vibe, fantastically creative fashion, shopping and doing a good deed.

About nine years ago, the employees of the poverty-fighting non-profit organisation Spullenhulp began thinking how they could revive their slightly boring image. They were working at the sorting centre in Sint-Pieters-Leeuw, where all of the textiles donated to the 900 containers across Belgium are collected and distributed to those who need them or to one of the 17 Spullenhulp stores.

Imagine all of those gifts, all of those second-hand clothes and household textiles, and it's not hard to understand how the staff thought of re-fashioning them to make people buy them all over again.

This year is the eighth time designers from all over the country have been asked to create one-of-a-kind pieces from the things they find at the Spullenhulp depot. "We always try to have a balance between big names who will attract a lot of attention and young, upcoming talent - and between the northern and southern part of Belgium," explains Fréderique Demeuse of Spullenhulp.

The concept is simple: hold a catwalk show and then auction the pieces afterwards. Second Hand, Second Life not only offers the public a look at what can be done with last year's (or last decade's) clothes, it's a successful fundraiser and a golden opportunity for the media. They look to Second Hand, Second Life to discover new names, and they are never disappointed. Last year also saw the introduction of product designers as participants in the event. Spullenhulp collaborates with the organisation behind Design September to select and work with a group of designers each year. As a result, media attention rose even higher.

And that is one of the main goals of the event, according to Demeuse: "The show allows us not only to raise the necessary funds to strengthen our organisation, but it also raises awareness around themes like the social economy and the environment. We get to speak about the ways in which we try to help the people who benefit from Spullenhulp, and we try to convince new donors."

But the event also appeals to those who already support Spullenhulp: "We invite everyone who works for or with us - from trainees and volunteers to residents - to come to the show and celebrate our solidarity," says Demeuse.

Perhaps most importantly, events like Second Hand, Second Life also propose attractive alternatives to mass consumption by showing how used goods can be just as exciting as whatever big, new thing is in fashion right now. "We do hope to attract many more people to our shops to explore the world of second hand," says Demeuse. "Typically, the day after the show our stores are completely overwhelmed."

Though the organisation hopes it will inspire people all year through. Flemish designer Anna Heylen, one of the participants this year, needs no more convincing: "I've been going to Spullenhulp since I was 14 years old - it's where I found my first Chanels - so I have a very emotional connection to it. Secretly, I dreamed of one day finding my own designs in their racks. Every time I go there, it's a new world that opens up, or rather a unique library of the world. I find it fascinating to see what people donate."

Heylen has been a strong advocate of recycling or "upcycling" for a long time: "I think it is very important to re-use old stuff. I've been using recuperation furs in my collections for years: I cut patterns from the furs to create new unique pieces."

Second-hand materials also inspire Conni Kaminski, also on the catwalk this year. Her style is best described as an elegant, feminine take on deconstruction, and she finds her participation in Second Hand Second Life "a wonderful opportunity to experiment, modify, improve and mix materials to create a new life for discarded clothing. It is a way to allow everyone access to a new, wondrous universe of fashion."

Second Hand, Second Life
15 October, 19.00
Tour & Taxis Havenlaan 86C, Brussels
www.spullenhulp.be