PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — A New York nonprofit organization that reclaims, reuses and recycles pre-consumer fabric waste has expanded to South Philadelphia, with a store and volunteer program opening just in time for America Recycles Day.
FabScrap opened its Philadelphia location inside the Bok building at 9th and Mifflin streets, in a space that was once a high school cafeteria.
"We are working to end commercial textile waste, so essentially working with the fashion industry and other companies that create textile waste and keeping it out of the landfill," said regional manager Lindsey Troop.
"We get a lot of fabric samples or mendable garments that were discarded during the process, yardage that was over-ordered, fabric cuttings, things that cane off of the rolls," she explained.
There are volunteer stations where the public can sort fabric and remove things like buttons and pins. Session run three hours and volunteers receive five pounds of free fabric for helping.
There's also a store where material is typically sold 30% to 50% less than retail stores. Both the store and volunteer space open to the public Monday.
Unwanted fabric can be picked up from designers and brand partners. FabScrap pays a recycling fee similar to cardboard or other waste management services. "Brands can sign up with us, and if they have textile waste, we'll take it in," said Troop.
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