This week with spoke with our event partner Amothreads on their incredible service, offering deadstock fabric to consumers. Find out more below.
What is AmoThreads?
AmoThreads is an online marketplace that allows designers and brands to source deadstock fabrics in small quantities that would otherwise go to waste.
Why did you develop the service?
We created AmoThreads to help save a huge amount of deadstock fabric that goes to waste every year (approx $100BN!). Whilst doing this we wanted to give designers access to this fabric that they would normally struggle to get hold of. With this in mind we put together the platform to seamlessly connect the two!
Can you tell us a little about how did you begin your career in fashion? Did you always set out to start your own business?
So I come from a background in the startup world, but not in Fashion, in food! Ever since I got my first job at 13 I knew I wanted to one day have my own business and work for myself.
What are your responsibilities from day to day?
Day to day my responsibilities vary quite a lot as there is only myself and my Co-Founder Sara, so we wear quite a few hats! Normal tasks include dealing with both suppliers and buyers to make sure the transactions are seamless, social media, conducting sample viewings from our office, keeping an eye on the finances and building partnerships to help grow the brand.
How do you support graduates and emerging designers?
We support graduates and emerging designers by connecting them to deadstock fabrics that they wouldn’t normally have access to, without the huge minimum orders. The platform means they don’t need to spend hours and hours searching and contacting different suppliers.
How does AmoThreads scout new fabrics to sell? Where does the deadstock come from?
We work closely with suppliers in the UK and Portugal. Our suppliers range from, Mills, Manufacturers, Wholesalers and Designers who have excess fabrics. When we source new fabrics we first start with our current suppliers to see what other leftovers they have and then we use our database of contacts that we have made through direct outreach and events such as Premier Vision.
What packages do you offer to emerging talent and what are the price points?
Each fabric is listed directly by the supplier (and shipped directly from the supplier), meaning no middlemen are involved. The prices are all set by the suppliers themselves and at the moment these range from around £3.95m to £ 18 pm.
What skills do you think young aspiring designers need in 2020 that might not have been as important when you started out?
I would say that you need to be adaptable. The industry is changing so fast and we need to change with it. By allowing yourself to adapt and change with the times means that you’ve got a good chance of really standing out and being successful.
What advice do you have for someone leaving university and entering the industry on how to find their feet as a designer?
Do your research and explore all of the different options out there. For example, if you’re planning on starting your own brand, take the time to plan and don’t forget about all of the small things that require a business to run (I.e. the boring things such as book-keeping etc!).
What are some aspects of the fabric world that might be surprising or unexpected to graduates considering their careers?
One thing that I really think is surprising (and still amazes me), is how much waste there actually is in the industry. With this in mind, I think it opens up so many different options and career routes for new graduates that maybe they wouldn’t have thought about.
Across many industries, there has been an exponential change in the last 5 years, from representation, awareness of sustainability, and the digital revolution. What is the biggest change in your sector?
The biggest change in this sector has for us definitely been the awareness of sustainability. I think that people are so much more aware of the problems and that we need to make a change.
However, with this being said, there is still a long way to go. But by making people more aware means that people realise what’s happening. This is exactly where AmoThreads comes in. We want to help people become aware of the huge amount of waste and that by using deadstock is making a really big impact on our planet!
FIND OUT MORE AT https://amothreads.com
