From Waste to Wonder: The Story of the Textile Reuse Hub
What if waste wasn’t the end of the story, but the beginning?
That’s the question we set out to answer with the Textile Reuse Hub — and the results have been beyond what we imagined and are clear to see in this recent Impact Report report produced by our delivery partner Yodomo.
Over two years, this little corner of Hackney Wick became a powerhouse of circular creativity.
The numbers alone tell a story:
13+ tonnes of textiles saved from landfill and put back into the hands of artists, makers, upholsterers and community groups
1,100+ visitors sourcing reclaimed materials for their projects
160+ volunteers rolling up their sleeves to sort, process and breathe new life into discarded fabrics
15 young makers given space, tools and mentoring to turn their sustainable businesses into reality
A Partnership-Driven Project
The Textile Reuse Hub was never a solo effort. It was a live experiment in what happens when partners come together around a common goal.
In May 2023, Yodomo took over an empty space in Hackney Wick with the challenge of activating it as a “demonstrator” for circularity in action by us & The Trampery. Two years later, the results prove the power of collaboration:
Space leveraged thanks to a partnership between us, The Trampery | Certified B Corp, and Peabody
Support from local authorities including Hackney, Tower Hamlets and Newham
Capital funding from the Mayor of London, enabling specialist machinery and infrastructure
Brands on board, from Vivienne Westwood to John Lewis & Partners to Nike
Collaboration with academia, including University of the Arts London and UCL
The energy of local volunteers and residents who turned good intentions into tangible outcomes
But stats only scratch the surface. The real impact lives in stories like Luisa’s. She came to the Hub during one of the hardest chapters of her life, found reclaimed materials, and started making bags. That spark turned into a livelihood, and eventually, a new career path rooted in sustainability and creativity.
The Hub also became a meeting ground: from London College of Fashion students to the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, from hospice patients to Black Girl Knit Club, from local councils to international delegations. Everyone came through our doors chasing the same thing — a way to make more with less.
And that’s the point: The Textile Reuse Hub was never just about fabric. It was about community, possibility, and proving that a circular economy can work at street level.
This was a demonstrator project — and it worked. It shaped the creation of The Loop, our new circular economy hub in Hackney Wick, and showed that with the right space and support, transformation isn’t just possible. It’s already happening.
We’re grateful to everyone who joined us on this journey — makers, volunteers, funders, partners, and curious visitors alike. Together, we’ve shown what can happen when waste is seen not as an endpoint, but as a starting line.
Want to get involved in the next chapter at The Loop? Contact us here