The Fabric Sales - an almost complete circular fashion powerhouse

The Fabric Sales
Type of organisation or company
Country
Belgium
City
Brussels
Language for original content
Project elaborated in partnership
No
Ongoing
Yes
Type of funding
Elisa Cousseran
Description

At The Fabric Sales, a new model has been developed for repurposing and extending the life of designer fabrics. 

The Fabric Sales is: 

  • a designer fabric outlet in Belgium equipped with an online database that manages textile inventory, storage, logistics and sales on & offline;
  • a unique opportunity for high-end fashion brands such as Dries Van Noten, AF Vandervorst, Christian Wijnants, Raf Simons, Kris Van Assche, Filles A Papa, Celine, Rue Blanche, Ines de la Fressange, Lanvin, Essentiel, etc. to manage and resell their dead stock of fabrics hence reducing their environmental impact and better allocating their resources;
  • the source of 10.000 fabrics and 5.000 accessories for young designers and emerging brands, as well as an increasingly growing international sewing community to create with;
  • a brand new designed showroom hosting a ''Fabric Library" where clients come by appointment, and browse large 60x35 cm fabric samples which are easy to handle, select, compare and retrieve info from so that client experience becomes as sophisticated as the fabric they purchase; 
  • a centre of sewing classes (to be continued post-pandemic).
Main activity field
Main results

The Fabric Sales contributes to a change towards a circular economy while becoming an active player in changing the current mindsets when it comes to clothes production and consumption, thus facilitating a more durable model.

Compared to a year ago and learning from the Covid-19 related crisis, a growing number of fashion houses has agreed to openly mention their engagement with The Fabric Sales, thus recycling their fabrics instead of destroying them or diminishing their value in shadow networks.

The Fabric Sales also contributes to changing the way people dress collectively, promoting me-made dressing instead of fast fashion, with existing fabric stocks.