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Plastic Free July encourages us to think more carefully about the materials we consume and the waste we create. But while plastic often dominates the conversation, textile waste remains one of the fashion industry's biggest environmental challenges. At Reskinned, we're passionate about keeping clothing in circulation for as long as possible. But for garments that can no longer be worn, innovative recycling solutions are just as important. That's where FibreLab comes in.
We sat down with founder Kae to discuss why textile waste is so difficult to recycle, what really happens to discarded fabrics, and how creative innovation is helping turn fashion waste into valuable new materials.
Can you tell us a little bit about yourself?
My name is Kae, I'm the founder of FibreLab, an East London based textile recycling business. I also recently started another business with my partner, Mooka, called Matter Forms, which is an interdisciplinary design studio focused on utilising waste materials for architectural applications. I'm originally from Chicago, but have lived in East London for over 7 years now.
What is FibreLab and what inspired you to start it?
At the heart of FibreLab is our textile recycling service, where we collect pre-consumer and commercial textile waste from businesses around the London area. I started my early career in fashion as a designer at a big fast fashion business in New York, it was there that I saw the huge amounts of waste that are produced before a garment ever even reaches a consumer.
I knew I wanted to part of a positive change in the industry, so I came to London to do an MA at London College of Fashion on the Fashion Futures course, and that's where I came up from the framework to start FibreLab. It's been 5 years since then!
What happens to textiles once they arrive at FibreLab?
We work closely with brands to understand their waste materials before we do a collection, so we tend to have a good idea of what will turn up ahead of drop-off. Once it gets to us, we weigh it for our records, and then sort it by colour and fibre composition.
All our natural fibres are made into PaperTex, a handmade paper made from 100% recycled textile waste, which brands can have made into marketing and packaging materials. All of the mixed synthetic waste is used for either filling in cushions or made into composite materials for furniture and fixtures.
Why should people care about textile waste?
It's one of the most difficult and expensive waste streams to recycle. We've figured out really good processes for recycling plastic, paper, food waste, metals and so on, but textiles remain so difficult because of the mixed materials. For example, a dress can be a cotton/polyester blend and include zippers, buttons and trims that all need to be removed manually before recycling can take place. Then, each textile blend has to undergo a completely different process for recycling.
That's why we always try to encourage people to be mindful of buying new clothing. It's so important to buy only what's necessary and then choose something that will last you many years and is worth repairing. This concept of disposable fashion has created a massive problem that will take generations to fix.
What gives you hope for the future of circular fashion?
I think more and more people are becoming aware of the problems in the fashion industry, which is a key step towards behavioural change. I also see so many creative people coming up with new ideas for how to use waste materials to create really innovative and beautiful work.
The second hand market is thriving and repair is becoming more common. There are also new laws coming into play that will force big fashion businesses to make more responsible decisions.
Although the sustainable fashion world has faced many ups and downs recently, I do remain very hopeful in all the work being done to make a lasting change, particularly among the grassroots organisations.
The future of fashion doesn't end when a garment is no longer wearable.
As Kae explains, keeping textiles out of landfill requires innovation at every stage – from buying less and wearing clothes for longer, to finding new ways to transform materials once they've reached the end of their wearable life.
At Reskinned, we're proud to work in an industry with organisations like FibreLab that are helping build a truly circular system. Together, we're proving that waste isn't the end of the story – it's the beginning of something new.
Watch our interview with Kae to learn more about the future of textile recycling, and if you have clothes you no longer wear, send them to us. We'll make sure they're resold, repaired or responsibly recycled, keeping valuable materials in circulation for as long as possible.