ReFAB Studio is a social enterprise arm of the charity The Kartik Foundation. Using beautiful fabric off cuts donated by premium designers and textile merchants, we train disadvantaged women and community artisans via upcycling and upskilling workshops to work with premium fabrics and develop circular-economy skills that can generate sustainable livelihoods. Built upon circular economy principles at our very heart, we address the chronic overproduction and disposal of interior textiles, which is one of the UK's most under-scrutinised waste streams. Nearly 400,000 tonnes of upholstery material ends up in landfill each year in the UK, with a quarter thought to be unused. By upcycling this premium material and upskilling UK community tailors and students to transform "waste" textiles into premium lifestyle products, we bring both unused textiles and unused skills back into the UK economy.

We promote circularity by:

1. Extending the life of existing textiles: We source deadstock and donated fabric remnants from luxury interior designers and merchants, repurposing them for upcycling training, corporate commissions, and pop-up sales. Minimal virgin fabric is used.

2. Fostering green skills: We deliver upcycling training for community tailors from underprivileged backgrounds, refugees, and women prisoners, alongside students. We teach circular design principles, zero-waste pattern-cutting, and upcycling techniques; transferable, monetisable skills that support sustainable livelihoods.

3. Designing for longevity: Every ReFAB Studio product is built to last. We follow a zero-waste design policy with every scrap from our sampling and production process being re-used rather than discarded. We produce nothing that could be considered fast fashion.

4. Building a collaborative upcycling ecosystem: Through our ReFAB Roundtables, we bring together textile brands, community makers, educators, designers, and retailers to develop practical, holistic solutions to textile waste and circularity in the UK.

5. Inspiring the next generation of sustainable designers: We sponsor the UK's first award for creative upcycling, The ReFAB Studio Award for Innovation in Upcycling, at the annual New Designers event, nurturing and celebrating emerging circular designers.

Our environmental impact comes not only from our own circular operations but also by supporting our partners like textile brands, community organisations, and design colleges to embed circularity in their own operations.