Recycled and reclaimed fabrics suppliers

Recycled and reclaimed fabrics suppliers

As we explain on the first class of our sustainable fashion mentoring program, our work with the brands is based on the elaboration of production plans on the three pillars of sustainability: environmental, economic and social.

In our vision, brands can and should make a profit from the production and sale of their sustainable fashion collections. We do not want startups incubated by us to rely on public funds and support and external investment forever. However, of course, this profit cannot come from the pure and simple use of cheap raw material if it pollutes the environment. It cannot come from the inadequate pay and poor working conditions of its employees, neither. 

Today, sustainable fashion innovation faces a problem with the high cost of sustainable fashion. Not all consumers want to pay more to have a product that meets all conditions of environmental and social development. Therefore, brands must be creative in order to reduce their costs while at the same time preserving their ethical fashion production values.

Buying "dead stocks", that came from fabrics and fibers wasted by other brands.  Buying high-quality materials recycled from discarded clothing or plastic collected from the ocean. Those can be a great solution to solve this impasse.

According to QUEEN OF RAW, over $ 120 billion of excess fabric is wasted in warehouses and our homes.

By incorporating the use of these materials into their business plans, brands can save money while contributing to a circular and sustainable economy.

To help you find the tools for this circularity we have prepared a guide with contacts of suppliers of these materials located in the United States and Europe. These contacts are part of the database of our Innovation and Entrepreneurship Program in Sustainable Fashion.

 

QUEEN OF RAW

QUEEN OF RAW is an online marketplace for buying and selling unused fabric waste. They work in collaboration with MATERIA MX, a tool that helps brands map, measure and tracks their supply chains to improve control and reduce waste. They claim that this tool is capable of turning waste into profit.

On the QUEEN OF RAW platform besides buying, you can also sell the unused fabrics by your brand. It works for both sides. Thus, it is possible to innovate without wasting the fabric that has been useful to you in the recent past.

The offices of both companies are located in New York, US. They cater to fashion designers and interior designers.

 

FABSCRAP

 

FABSCRAP is a platform that provides tissue removal services from fashion and design, art and entertainment companies in New York. With a team that includes students, artists, seamstresses, craftsmen, designers, and manufacturers, they use new technologies so that the fabrics are recycled and reused so they do not stop at landfills.

I WANT FABRIC

I WANT FABRIC is located in Machester, UK. It is a family business with 3 years of existence. In their online platform, they carry out the sale of reclaimed leather, which can be accessed directly at this link.

 

PURE WASTE TEXTILES

PURE WASTE TEXTILES is a company with offices in Finland, Germany, and Belgium. They report that they work with 100% recycled raw material, renewing 90% of the energy invested in the production of the fabrics. They do not use harmful chemicals, saving 2,700 liters of water per t-shirt. Its platform is clear and allows you to find a lot of information about the process of treatment and recovery of fabrics.

SEAQUAL

SEAQUAL offers polyester fibers made from recycled materials including bottles and plastics taken from the ocean. SEAQUAL belongs to the SANTANDERINA group, which encompasses various textile industries throughout Europe. They recycle materials like TENCEL ™, cotton and denim.

 

Looking for more options?

 

These are some of the contacts that belong to the database developed for participants in the Slow Innovation Brands' sustainable fashion mentoring program.

Our database include these and other contacts from suppliers of recycled raw materials that result in the composition of new fabrics. We hope they can be applied to the circular production plan of your fashion brand or interior design.

If you want to have access to more contacts receive personalized help for the development of your brand, join our Sustainable Fashion Innovation Program today.