FibreLab

FibreLab is a UK-based startup offering an end-to-end textile recycling service and products developed from textile waste. FibreLab’s recycling service offers zero-emission collection using EVs, sorting organic and mixed fiber textile waste, and mechanical shredding using custom machinery. The company typically recycles textile cutoffs from garment manufacturers and rejected linen from hotels and offers its clients the option of reusing their textile waste or letting FibreLab use it for in-house R&D efforts. FibreLab develops PAPERTEX, a paper product made from recycled textile waste working with an artisan paper mill that handmakes the paper, available in a range of sizes, colors, and weights. It can be used for applications ranging from swing tags, business cards, menus and marketing materials. The company also has textile waste-based architectural bricks and fillings for home furnishings under development.

As of March 2023, the company reports that it has diverted 1,200 kg of textile waste from landfills and has saved 19.53 tons of CO2, which it claims is the equivalent of planting 292.95 trees. It also offers businesses individualized impact reports to reflect the impact of their environmental savings. In May 2022, the company’s custom shredding machine was reported to have a daily processing capacity of 400 kg.

Key customers and partnerships:

In 2022, the company partnered with social catalyst fashion brand ReGo to unveil a capsule collection consisting of three upcycled bags created from textile waste. In the same year, it also partnered with London College of Fashion to allow six students to develop applications for recycled textile fiber, which led to the creation of a biodegradable bag and a zero-waste tunic. In 2023, the company partnered with an artisan paper mill Two Rivers Paper and the Paper Foundation to produce PAPERTEX, as well as high-end stationary printer, Baddeley Brothers, to facilitate more speciality processes like lithography, embossing, and envelope manufacturing.

Funding and financials:

In June 2021, the company was awarded a GBP 20,000 (~USD 25,700) grant for winning the Mayor of London’s Entrepreneur Award. The funding was utilized to find a studio space and develop its shredding machine.