A.BCH launched Circular Sourcing, a digital marketplace for surplus fabrics
Australian circular fashion label A.BCH launched the Circular Sourcing platform - a digital marketplace for buying and selling quality Australian surplus fabrics, which marks Australia's first online platform to recirculate high-quality surplus and designer deadstock fabrics.
It is estimated that over 10 million kilograms of excess textiles are created, imported or accumulated from production leftovers every year in Australia, amounting to about 500 million dollars. According to the platform, surplus and deadstock fabrics currently occupy space in over 85 percent of fashion- and textile-related businesses. “The pilot phase has been supported by Sustainability Victoria's Circular Economy Business Innovation Fund (SVCEB) and we're already seeing huge interest from both buyers and sellers,” says the initiative in a press release.
A.BCH was founded in 2018 when founder Courtney Holm experienced a major shortage of circular raw materials on the market. In 2022, the online shop was transformed into a marketplace where other businesses could sell their surplus material as well. Apart from the SVCEB, the platform is also supported by project partners Full Circle Fibres, Melbourne Textile Knitting, The Social Studio and collaborators like Harvey and The Good Egg Collective.
There is also a Learning Hub on the platfrom with more information about materials, related articles and local circular economy news. This is also where customers find more information about recyclable fabrics that qualify for a take-back program: “Imagine a product stewardship that went so deep that you could pack up those offcuts and return them to the manufacturer. Welcome to actual circular sourcing.”
