Sustainability and creativity powers this Vancouver social enterprise (PHOTOS)

Feb 9 2022, 11:20 pm

A Vancouver-based social enterprise is celebrating five years of keeping reusable textiles from landfills while inspiring creators and makers in the city.

FABCYCLE is a social enterprise with the mission to divert textile waste from entering the waste stream. Launched by Irina McKenzie in March 2017, the group works directly with local apparel manufacturers like factories, fashion designers, and schools to collect the scraps, off-cuts, deadstock, and ends of rolls for reuse or recycling.

“We make sure that usable materials are circulated back to makers and beautiful new fabrics and supplies are not wasted,” McKenzie explained to Daily Hive. “We collect fabric ends of rolls, sewing trims like zippers and elastic, and even yarn and craft supplies. Anything that can be useful to our community of makers.

We take what is unwanted and give it a second life.”

FABCYCLE

FABCYCLE Founder Irina McKenzie at the Textile Waste ReUSE Centre/Submitted

McKenzie was inspired to start FABCYLE after learning how much waste was generated by the apparel industry.

“When I started exploring the pre-consumer textile waste stream, I was absolutely astonished to find that brand new fabrics, completely usable threads, and other supplies would end up in the dump,” said McKenzie. “But that is the reality of the apparel industry. If something is not usable, it’s a liability. Fabric can take a lot of expensive space so the easiest way is to dispose of it.

“That’s when I saw a gap between the apparel industry that produces waste and the creative community that perceives it as a resource.”

FABCYCLE

FABCYCLE Studio Manager Erin Gravelle at the Textile Waste ReUSE Centre/Submitted

McKenzie began to bridge that gap after completing a social entrepreneurship program with Groundswell Education Society and founding Frameworq Education Society, a local non-profit that teaches basic repair skills in the community.

Frameworq was what got me into apparel sustainability and textile waste and I connected deeper to the local apparel industry,” said McKenzie. “FABCYCLE grew out of that and it’s been a transformative experience both personally and professionally.”

Since 2017, FABCYCLE has collected over 140,000 pounds of reusable and recyclable fabrics and supplies from local fashion brands, upholstery companies, the film industry and even private sewists with too much material on hand. Those interested in donating can fill out a form online.

FABCYCLE

Rolls of rescued fabrics at the Textile Waste ReUSE Centre/Submitted

“Once we collect the fabric and supplies, they are taken to our Textile Waste ReUSE Centre on 268 Keefer Street and sorted by different categories in preparation for them to be put on our shelves. So when makers come through our doors, they have a similar experience as a fabric store but with a big difference: everything we have was once considered to be textile waste.

“We prioritize reuse over recycling and as such, we always sort for which materials can be used by our community first. FABCYCLE offers free scraps for crafting and sewing projects and we’ve even had many martial arts hobbyists use our scraps to stuff their punching bags.”

FABCYCLE

FABCYCLE/Submitted

FABCYCLE also has an online shop showcasing the vast array of saved fabric and supplies, and shipping is available to makers across North America. There is free shipping in Canada for purchases over $100 and free shipping to the US for orders over $150.

Promoting sustainability in the apparel industry is a major component of FABCYCLE’s mission. It facilitates student presentations and info sessions, and McKenzie also started a Facebook group called Vancouver Sustainable Fashion Designers (VSFD) that connects local designers to share resources with one another.

The social enterprise also hosts Unboxing with Erin, a bi-weekly livestream hosted by Studio Manager Erin Gravelle that goes through a recent donation of materials, talks about the various fabrics and textures, and provides ideas of what to do with it.

FABCYCLE

FABCYCLE/Submitted

“I get to work with unbelievably creative humans,” said McKenzie proudly. “People that not only share similar sustainability values but also continue pushing the boundaries of creativity and innovation.

“All the materials we have, have been diverted from landfills and knowing that we make an actual impact by circulating beautiful and usable fabrics back into the hands of makers is so gratifying.”

Daily Hive

Community Partnership Content

This content was created by Daily Hive's Community Partnerships team.
Daniel ChaiDaniel Chai

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