Seatbelts reimagined: Northampton students blend fashion and road safety

A new campaign, The Essential Collection, is challenging perceptions of seatbelts by turning them into fashion statements. The initiative is a collaboration between Scrap Car Comparison, road safety charity Brake, and fashion students from the University of Northampton.

Despite being a legal requirement, some young drivers and passengers still resist wearing seatbelts. In 2023, over a third of car occupant fatalities among 17–29-year-olds involved people who were not buckled up. The collection aims to reframe the seatbelt from “uncool” to essential.

Over a ten-week project, students created four designs using reclaimed seatbelts and buckles: a corset, a duffle bag, a cross-body bag, and a festival hood. Each piece integrates the safety strap as both material and message, blending sustainable design with social impact.

In a press release, Programme Leader Emmeline Child, shares that the collaboration demonstrates the educational value of working with unconventional materials: “It challenged students to adapt their design skills while showing how fashion can engage with real social issues.”

The designs are available on eBay until 8 September, with all proceeds going to Brake’s education and support programmes.

For educators, the project illustrates how fashion courses can incorporate sustainability, live briefs, and social responsibility into design practice.