Local production
CUSTOM PRODUCTS WITH POSITIVE SOCIAL IMPACT
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At our well-equipped sewing atelier in Zürich Binz, we specialise in producing custom-made textile products for a variety of organisations, corporations, non-profits and small labels that care about the same issues we do. Whether you are looking for upcycled corporate gifts, merchandise for your conference or event, or simply seeking locally-based manufacturing support, we offer a range of ecologically and socially sustainable solutions to fit your needs.
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Production at Social Fabric serves as a pillar in our role as a non-profit organisation and through this we are able to provide work integration and educational programs for tailors with refugee backgrounds. Together with our participants, we support a holistic approach to self-determined integration.
As a principle, we use and promote sustainable fabrics and upcycling technologies in an effort to keep our ecological impact to a minimum while also advocating for a circular economy.
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By choosing Social Fabric to produce your textile products, your items will carry an uplifting story of respect, community, sustainability, transparency and positive social impact.
HEAR WHAT OUR CUSTOMERS SAY
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“I had an excellent experience with Social Fabric, who produced my first collection of long-sleeve illustrated blouses. Ruth and Fatima took time to guide me through the prototype development and the production steps so the final product fitted what I had in mind. The whole team always welcomed me warmly and I could easily discuss my project with them. I am very happy to have a product that not only is nicely crafted but also has a positive impact.”
Marie Le Dantec
MLD Illustration
“Social Fabric helped me to assess what would be the best project for the material we wanted to recycle and made the whole process really easy for us. Having pencil cases upcycled from our own old plastic banner flags, it provided us with give-aways for our clients with a story. Another advantage was to display our commitment to sustainability.”
Elodie Duvaldestin,
Vontobel Asset Management AG
ADDITIONAL OFFERS
Upcycled
Corporate Gifts
Turn your used advertisement materials into upcycled corporate gifts with positive social impact and share the spirit of sustainaibility.
New advertisement materials are printed out every day as offers expire and details change. This, however, does not have to mean that the materials need to go to waste after serving their initial purpose. We are here to help you bring the materials back into circulation by creating beautiful and one-of-a-kind corporate gifts out of them.
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Printed Fairtrade Merchandise
We collaborate with the Indian social enterprise Joyya for our GOTS-certified merchandise, including organic Tee's and printed bags.
Joyya empowers women and their families in Calcutta by training and employing them and bring joy into everyday life. They were rated A+ in The Ethical Fashion Report 2021 which is a project of Baptist World Aid Australia, in partnership with Tearfund New Zealand. Within 98 companies only 4 companies reached A+ in overall grade.
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Our production team
Ruth Knipping
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Head of Production and Education
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Ruth Knipping - Graduate Engineer Textile and Clothing Technology, Textile Printing - has 20 years of experience in the globally operating textile industry. In her past positions as material manager, Ruth placed a strong focus on the sustainable production and procurement of fabrics, always respecting aspects of team-oriented and socially inclusive standards. After being a longtime member of the Social Fabric’s board, Ruth took a more active role in August 2021 as a Head of Production & Education.
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Annette Kres
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Design and Production Management
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Annette got to know Social Fabric at a start-up weekend. A company where social values and environmental impact seriously count - that matched her vision. Annette studied fashion design as well as interdisciplinary design with a focus on sustainability and currently works at a sportswear design agency. She has many years of experience in product and apparel design and keeps up to date on material development and innovation. The new chapter of Social Innovation fills her with excitement. She appreciates the positive energy at Social Fabric, the mutual inspiration and the good teamwork.
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Martina Feer
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Production Management
Martina is a textile design teacher. She studied fashion design for several years, developed her own label in women's fashion, and even ran an open sewing atelier herself. To get to know Social Fabric better, she completed a traineeship at Eichstrasse and felt at home from the beginning on. She manages the production and supports the employees and apprentices. Combining sewing and design with social, educational, and methodological elements suits her well. Martina appreciates the openness, transparency and friendliness at Social Fabric.
Kouassi Amoussou Doh
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Production Team Member
AOZ GEP-Programme
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Kouassi Amoussou-Doh came to Switzerland in 1997 from his home country of Togo. Since the end of 2018, Kouassi has been working as a tailor for Social Fabric as part of the AOZ’s GEP (Gemeinnützige Einsatzplätze) program. Kouassi brought a lot of experience in tailoring to Social Fabric. After he completed his studies in France, he completed a three-year apprenticeship in the textile trade in Togo, followed by a six-month internship under the guidance of a master tailor. Kouassi has worked as a freelance tailor for over eight years, and is hoping to return to Togo after working for Social Fabric to open his own studio.
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Nassibe Haydari
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Production Team Member
HEKS programme
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Nassibe likes to sew. Since arriving in Switzerland, Nassibe started sewing as a hobby. An Afghan colleague told her then about Social Fabric. Nassibe is also from Afghanistan but lived in Iran for two years before she had to flee again. She first joined Social Fabric for a Summer Project and then continued to attend the Open Sewing Course for three years. Since 2021, she has been a production team member within the HEKS programme. She supports us two days a week. Nassibe is a single mother of five children. She appreciates the community, the beautiful, bright atelier room, and the positive atmosphere. "There is never any stress here!"
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Fatima Hasanzadeh
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Production Team Member
Apprenticeship
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Fatima's family is originally from Afghanistan, but she was born in Iran and lived most of her life there. She started sewing at an early age, when she was only seven years old, and learned the basics on her own. Later, she worked for several sewing ateliers and factories in Iran and Turkey. She came to Switzerland in 2016, and joined Social Fabric in February 2021. Since then, Fatima has completed her Pre-Apprenticeship studies with Social Fabric and is currently in the Apprenticeship programme. She is keen on taking her sewing skills even further, and her goal is to make a career for herself as a fashion designer.
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Rula Hassan
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Production Team Member
Pre-Apprenticeship
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Rula comes from Syria and is 22 years old. She has been living in Switzerland for five years. After the social worker at school drew her attention to Social Fabric, she made her way to Eichstrasse to find out more and introduce herself. Since November 2023, she has been doing the EBA pre-apprenticeship as a garment seamstress and is part of our education programme. Making clothes, especially recycling, is her hobby. In her free time, she designs her own models from her old clothes. She is very happy that she can learn a lot of new things at Social Fabric - not just sewing, but also words! She appreciates the new contacts and encounters within the team and the community.
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Marina Kupper
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Production Specialist
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After completing her apprenticeship as a clothing designer, Marina explored various topics in the creative field, particularly ceramics (artists' residency in China, Erasmus in Estonia), but also art education (Bachelor's degree). Being creative and working with people suits her very well. Marina is looking forward to sewing more again. She appreciates the professionalism of Social Fabric, the transparency and the respectful approach. "How wonderful: A profession that is dying out in Switzerland is being revitalised, brings people together, creates a future for refugees and sustainability in every respect."
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Mariia Budnictzka
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Production Team Member
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Mariia Budnictzka restored icons in Ukraine and worked in a repair workshop for clothes, shoes, and accessories. Sewing was her hobby, which she got to know and love in a mother and child sewing course. After fleeing to Switzerland, she joined Social Fabric via a Red Cross course. The pleasant atmosphere was soothing, and Mariia immediately became involved as a volunteer. She found the atelier and the community to be a calm and safe place, "like a new family". Mariia has two children and currently works 20 percent in production. The beautiful fabrics inspire her to come up with new ideas. She would like to study psychology later on.
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