BFC launches Student Fabric Initiative

By

Nigel TAYLOR

Published
Apr 9, 2021

The British Fashion Council (BFC) is expanding its support for students with a new waste-efficient initiative.

The BFC has launched the Student Fabric Initiative, a collective community action developed to support fashion students across the country in the face of the pandemic. Key to it is its aim to reduce waste across the industry. 

Some 24 brands have joined together to donate materials, including deadstock and unwanted fabric, to fashion students at 33 colleges in need around the UK. 

Burberry supported the delivery of the material, and the initiative is supported by writer Charlie Porter with additional help from MatchesFashion, Fora and Cozette McCreery.

Brands also taking part in the initiative include: Asics, Barbour, Begg x Co, Bianca Saunders, Charlotte Knowles, Craig Green, David Koma, Gabriela Hearst, Halpern, Hamilton and Hare, Knitster LDN, Mackintosh, Natasha Zinko, Orlebar Brown, Paul Smith, Per Gotesson, Phoebe English, Preen by Thornton Bregazzi, Qasimi, River Island, Roksanda, Simone Rocha, Sunspel and Victoria Beckham.

The BFC, through its Institute of Positive Fashion and Colleges Council, oversees the logistics of the fabric donation to students across the UK. The initiative will support students as they complete their BA Fashion degrees, while also helping colleges bring sustainability even closer to the heart of fashion education in the UK, the BFC noted..  

The scheme’s ultimate ambition is “to create a simple and efficient way for brands and colleges to work together to provide practical support for future talent”, it added.

BFC chief executive Caroline Rush said: “We are delighted to work with some fantastic brands to meaningfully support the pipeline of creative talent here in the UK with the support of our incredible colleges network”. 

She added: “One of the BFC‘s priorities is to encourage the industry to move towards a circular fashion economy while supporting excellence in fashion design. Being able to help students in need while managing to offset waste is an important example of the power of industry-wide collaboration”.