A new digital marketplace, Last Yarn, has launched to help users to buy and sell second life fabric, offering an alternative to mass manufacturing and waste in the fashion and textile industries.

The company's mission is to save deadstock fabric from landfill, with the goal of reducing and repurposing overstock.

Deborah Lyons, a former beneficiary of the UKFT-coordinated Tradeshow Access Program award, co-founded the company.

She said that they have a lot of catching up to do in the industry and although they're utilising. deadstock, they also need to study new materials and get to a point where entirely recycled or sustainable fabrics are available to the general public.

Last Yarn is looking for like-minded partners who appreciate great workmanship, design excellence and putting people and the environment first. Bianca Saunders, Singer Sewing Machines, By Rotation, MDX University, Fashion Revolution, Red Carpet Green Dress, Maison Lyons, We are Kin, and others have been featured since its inception.

The Last Yarn Academy, which provides bespoke mentoring and fabric scholarships to schools and institutions with a focus on localisation, regeneration, and collaboration while celebrating inclusion and creativity, is also part of the initiative.

Workshops and events, collection previews, and panel discussions will be held throughout the year, and are open to everyone in the Last Yarn community.