Meet The Maker, Natalie Tarle (Q&A)
Get to know our Creative Upcycling Lead, Natalie Tarle. Since joining the team in 2024, she's been making waves with everything she touches at Unwanted FC.
"Fashion has the potential to be so freeing and joyful, when we allow ourselves to become part of the process through making, upcycling, or styling."
Q. Tell us, what's your personal connection to upcycling?
A. My first brush with upcycling came years ago when I would take designer dust bags, thrifted pants and printed shopping bags and make them into hats. It’s always fun and surprising to see what you end up with.
Q. When re-imagining a football kit, what key considerations guide your design process?
A. I like to look at what uniqueness the garment has to offer. Are there cool seams, piping, or contrast fabrics? What about the prints, sponsors, logos, details printed on the back neck usually reserved for the wearers eyes only? I choose the features I find most impactful or interesting and go from there.
Q. Tell us the inspiration behind the recent Womens Asian Cup collection.
A. We were lucky enough to create some pieces for Ellie Carpenter during the 2025 Euro’s, where we played with shirring, splicing and texture through knit.
This latest range felt like an extension of those items. They feel like they would exist in the same wardrobe, or would be shared amongst a group of similarly minded friends. It was an exploration of texture, shape, and fit.
Q. In a world full of clutter, what motivates you to continue upcycling and reworking garments with your own hands?
A. I love the tactile nature of this work. So much of what we do is behind a screen. Football, and sewing might be similar in that way - you have to focus on what’s going on in front of you.
Fashion has the potential to be so freeing and joyful, when we allow ourselves to become part of the process through making, upcycling, or styling.
Q. How would you describe your design style in 3 words?
A. Playful, functional, androgynous.
Q. Are there certain materials or kits you love working with?
A. Anything loud! I like a lot of colour and variation. Patterns, logos, woven labels, contrast stitching and texture all make the piece more exciting to work with.
Q. What’s one detail customers might overlook, but you actually spend a lot of time on?
A. Placement. I spend a lot of time deciding what goes where. Anyone who has experience sewing will tell you most of the time is spent in the preparation, the sewing itself is the most straightforward part of a project.
Q. Outside of football, where do you draw inspiration from?
A. I love all expressions of art. Nature is a big one. Film, theatre, music and drag. I am always inspired by a good story with a lot of razzle dazzle.
Q. Why do you think people are becoming more drawn to reworked and one-of-one pieces?
A. I hope it is because we are falling back in love with slow crafts. Pottery, crochet, knitting, quilting, are all labours of love that carry a personal story. They make us feel connected to the things we own.
Q. Coffee or tea in the studio?
A. Coffee in the morning, tea after 2!
If you aren't already, you can follow Natalie's account @sentimentalitems on instagram - where she often posts sneak peeks and behind the scenes content.