REFAB
A marketplace for repurposing unused textiles
Founders:
Louis Kopp
Patricia Peng
Matthew Robinson
Emilia Sandoghdar
Nina Vujasinovic
P A R S O N S C A P S T O N E M A Y 2 0 2 3
THE TEAM
A group of interdisciplinary and globalStrategic Designerswho are passionate about innovatingthefashion industry.
THE TEXTILE WASTE LANDSCAPE
THE DIRTY LAUNDRY OF THE FASHION INDUSTRY
17MILLION tons of textiles waste are generated every year in the US alone
10% of global carbon emissions are due to the fashion industry
85% of textiles thrown away are dumped into landfills or burnedincluding unused textiles and unsold clothes.
SOURCES OF TEXTILE WASTE
Overproduction Unsold inventory End-of-life disposal
MARKET LENS: TEXTILES RESALE
The global recycled textile market is projected to grow at a CAGR of 6.2% from 2021 to 2028.
Resale platformsare growing at a CAGR of morethan34%.
BUT TO DATE, THE RESALE INDUSTRY IS LARGELY CENTERED AROUND RESELLING USED CLOTHES.
Even though the majority of garments that are turned in by customers cannot be resold and the margins are low.*
*From last semester's expert interviews with Resale as a Service partners
WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY
to make a positive impact on the environment and create value for businesses by helping to diverttextilewasteinto channelsofreuse.
BUSINESS MODEL
VALUE PROPOSITION: REFAB HELPS BUSINESSES RESELL UNUSED TEXTILES
Connect
Capitalize
Contribute
buyerswithsellersof unusedtextiles
onunusedfabricsasanadditional revenuestreamwhilebuyerscan shopataffordableprices
tosignificantlyless textilewasteentering ourlandfills
Consistentsupplyof high-qualitytextiles
Streamlined shopping experience
Robustseller reporting
Reductionofglobal textilewaste
WHY BUY WITH US?
Widerange of high-quality recycled fabrics and textiles, making it easy for buyers to find the materials they need.
Customizedsearchfilters help buyers quickly and easily find the specific types of recycled fabrics they need.
We facilitate securetransactions between buyers and sellers, giving buyers peace of mind when purchasing from our platform. By buying recycled fabrics from ReFab, buyers are contributing to a moresustainablefashionindustry.
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WHY SELL WITH US?
Our platform offers sellers access to a large networkofpotentialbuyers, increasing their reach and exposure.
Our commission-basedmodel means that sellers only pay a fee when they make a sale, reducingtheirriskandoverheadcosts. By selling with Refab, sellers are contributing to a more sustainable fashion industry and reducingtextilewaste.
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THE DESIGN PROCESS
EARLY PROTOTYPES
Started off as an app with a product detail page, a generic search screen, and a cart page.
TESTING INSIGHTS
More intuitive browsing design
Robust search filters & favorites
Transparent & secure transaction
A clearer checkout page
Functions backing the reliability of the seller and the fabric
More in-depth product details: age of fabric, material composition, quantity available, etc.
REVISED PROTOTYPE
After testing our first prototype, we implemented the suggestions and pivoted from an app to a website. This allows us to save costs in the first year and gather more insights into buying and selling needs before we spend capital on building out these features.
HOMEPAGE
Prominent search to immediately encourage browse
Brand differentiation and value proposition
Easy sign-up
BROWSE
View library of entire textile inventory using key filters gained from testing on experts:
Color
Fabric Type
Weight
Meters Available
Pattern/Print
Shipping Speed
Mill Location
PRODUCT DETAIL PAGE
Critical textile details that influence conversion
Country of origin, fabric age, detailed description, etc.
Rich imagery to convey textile detail and quality
Other suggested styles at the bottom based on search habits
CART
Quick overview of all selected textiles
Individual details per fabric with split delivery dates
Shipping cost, total cost, and overall estimated delivery timeframe
SELLER EXPERIENCE
VERIFIED SELLER STATUS
10 transactions with average 4.8 rating from mandatory reviews
Intervene and audit to ensure quality
Better SEO results on ReFab
Gain the badge on seller profile
Biannual audits to maintain verified status
HOW WE ENSURE QUALITY REVIEWS
In order to ensure consistent quality from our sellers, we make reviewsmandatory from our buyers upon delivery of their goods. This helps buildtrust and a reliable user experience.
"I ordered 540yd of leather and it looked exactly like in the pictures. My team is excited to create our new limited summer collection."
HarumiKobayashi, PinStripe Tailors, NY
BRINGING IT TO LIFE
Secure$150k investment capital
LAUNCH & GROWTH STRATEGY ROADMAP
Timeline: 12 months
LaunchReFab website
Generatemarketawareness through Google ads, social media marketing, cold calls, & industry events
Identify10keypartnersassellers to become verified & provide initial inventory for launch
Secure additional $1M investment capital to continue improving site
Updatesite: more robust search/filtering, "favorites", pricing algorithm to help determine seller price, & faster speed on site
Improvecustomerexperience: better UX, better pricing and search capabilities - can find what you need at the price you want, and better customer service
Continuecollectingproductfeedback from initial users
Have 80-100usersinfirstyear
THANK YOU!
