What FabricAID does

FabricAID is a Lebanon-based circular fashion social enterprise that collects, sorts, and redistributes second-hand clothing to reduce textile waste and serve marginalized communities. The company runs a vertically integrated value chain spanning donation collection through 350 public bins (300 in Lebanon, 50 in Jordan), meticulous sorting and cleaning at a dedicated laundry facility, ISO-certified in-house tailoring production, upcycling, and multi-channel retail. Its portfolio of sub-brands — Souk Al Khlanj (micro-price second-hand retail under $1 per item), Second Base (curated vintage/thrift boutique), Clothing Kits (customized bulk kits for NGO distribution), FabricED (vocational tailoring school), Corporate Uniforms, Upcycled Merchandise, and Value Clothing — addresses low-income consumers, eco-conscious shoppers, NGOs, and corporate ESG buyers from a single operational platform.

The company monetizes across six revenue streams: Souk Al Khlanj micro-retail (77% of recycled clothing volume), Second Base vintage retail, NGO clothing kit sales, corporate uniform production, upcycled corporate merchandise, and wholesale value clothing. Go-to-market combines community-led collection (bin networks, NGO partnerships), direct-to-consumer retail (9 Souk Al Khlanj branches and 2 Second Base boutiques across Lebanon and Jordan), and enterprise field sales targeting corporations. Strategic funding partnerships include a $1.6M seed round (January 2022) with Wamda and Alfanar, a $300K follow-on (March 2024) with Alfanar and Hope Ventures, EU Interreg NEXT MED co-funding for the Waste2Fashion pilot, and UNICEF/US Embassy support for the FabricED training program.

Founded in 2017 (after a December 2016 pilot by co-founder Omar Itani), FabricAID employs 11-50 staff and is positioned as the largest second-hand clothing collector in the MENA region. The business model is a hybrid impact/commercial enterprise with stated intent to expand into Egypt. Key operational metrics disclosed include 151+ FabricED graduates, 130+ placed in employment, and 5 completed training semesters.

Name

FabricAID

Legal name

FabricAID

Website

https://fabricaid.me

Company type

Private

Founded year

2017

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

FabricAID is a Lebanon-based circular fashion social enterprise that collects, sorts, and redistributes second-hand clothing via 350 bins, 11 retail outlets in Lebanon and Jordan, and an ISO-certified tailoring facility serving low-income consumers, NGOs, and corporations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Circular Fashion Services

NAICS

Apparel Manufacturing (315), Apparel Accessories and Other Apparel Manufacturing (31599)

SIC

Apparel & Other Finishd Prods Of Fabrics & Similar Matl (2300), Retail-Apparel & Accessory Stores (5600), Retail-Family Clothing Stores (5651)

akta.pro primary industry

Apparel Alterations, Repair & Circular Manufacturing (Remake/Upcycle) (CRAAAAAO)

akta.pro secondary industry

General Fabric & Textile Stores (CRALADAA)

Keywords

• Circular fashion services
• Second-hand clothing retail
• Textile waste recycling
• Corporate uniform manufacturing
• Vocational training programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Beirut

HQ country

Lebanon

HQ region

Middle East

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Personnel, Infrastructure, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Second-Hand Clothing Retail (Souk Al Khlanj): Sale of recycled clothing through retail storefronts to marginalized communities at micro-prices (under $1 per item). 77% of recycled clothes sold through this channel.
2. Vintage and Thrift Retail (Second Base): Sale of curated vintage and second-hand clothing through boutique stores. Also accepts customer clothing in exchange for 25% cash back or 50% store credit.
3. Clothing Kits for NGOs: Customized clothing kits (gender, size, season specific) distributed in bulk through partnerships with NGOs for aid distribution during key periods like Eid, Christmas, or winter.
4. Corporate Uniforms: Production and sale of high-quality custom uniforms and costumes to corporations at competitive prices through scale advantages and skilled workforce.
5. Upcycled Corporate Merchandise: Transforms scrap fabrics and unsellable clothing into upcycled merchandise for corporations, supporting ESG commitments and sustainability initiatives.
6. Value Clothing Production: ISO-certified facility manufacturing ultra-low-cost essential items (undergarments, basic t-shirts, home essentials) for retail inventory support and wholesale to NGOs and development agencies.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

FabricAID collects, sorts, and redistributes second-hand clothing through an integrated circular fashion model. It operates retail brands (Souk Al Khlanj for micro-price clothing and Second Base for vintage), an ISO-certified production facility manufacturing corporate uniforms, value clothing, and upcycled merchandise, plus an integrated vocational training school (FabricED). The company serves marginalized communities through affordable retail, NGOs through bulk clothing kits, and corporations through uniform and sustainable merchandise contracts.

Product overview

FabricAID operates as a circular fashion enterprise offering an integrated portfolio of retail brands, production services, and education programs. Its retail operations include Souk Al Khlanj (micro-price second-hand clothing for marginalized communities), Second Base (vintage/thrift boutique), and Clothing Kits (bulk customized clothing for NGO distribution). Production services encompass Corporate Uniforms manufacturing, Value Clothing (ultra-low-cost essentials via ISO-certified facility), and Upcycled Merchandise for corporate ESG needs. The ecosystem is supported by FabricED Tailoring School (vocational training) and the Waste2Fashion R&D project (EU-funded textile innovation pilot). The company collects donated clothing through bins across Lebanon and Jordan, sorts and processes items, then redistributes through retail channels or upcycles materials.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Souk Al Khlanj: A second-hand retail brand offering marginalized communities a dignified shopping experience at micro-prices, with an average cost of less than one USD per item. 77% of all recycled clothes are sold as Souk Al Khlanj.
• Second Base
• Clothing Kits
• FabricED

Products and services

• Souk Al Khlanj (سوق الخلينج) Second-hand retail brand offering marginalized communities a dignified shopping experience at micro-prices, with an average cost of less than one USD per item. All products are sourced from recycled clothes collected through FabricAID's sourcing network.
• Second Base Thrift and vintage clothing brand that curates and sells hand-picked, high-quality second-hand clothing. Customers can also sell their own clothes in exchange for 25% cash back or 50% store credit.
• Clothing Kits Customized clothing kits tailored to specific needs including gender, size, and season, comprised of ultra-low-cost secondhand clothing distributed through partnerships with NGOs to aid beneficiaries during key periods like Eid, Christmas, or winter.
• Corporate Uniforms Production of high-quality uniforms and custom costumes combining functionality, comfort, and style at competitive prices for corporations. Pricing advantage stems from scale of production, strong supplier relationships, and skilled workforce powered by in-house tailoring school.
• Value Clothing Ultra-low-cost clothing manufacturing through ISO-certified tailoring facility, including essential items like undergarments, basic t-shirts, and home essentials. Serves retail stores and provides affordable clothing to NGOs, companies, and development agencies.
• Upcycled Merchandise Transformation of scrap fabrics, old uniforms, and unsellable clothing into high-quality upcycled merchandise for corporations. Helps companies integrate sustainability into operations and fulfill ESG commitments.

Quantifiable outcome

• 77% of recycled clothes sold as Souk Al Khlanj micro-price items
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core and operational.

• UNICEFcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUNICEF is currently funding FabricED Tailoring School, which provides vocational training to vulnerable youth, especially women, combining sewing skills with English language instruction and employment support.
• Fast LogisticsoperationalStrategic or Co-development PartnerLogistics partner providing fast rotation services for clothing collection bins across Lebanon and Jordan, ensuring efficient collection and processing of donated items.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• ThredUp: ThredUp is a large online resale platform for second-hand clothing, operating across the US and increasingly internationally. Directly comparable to FabricAID's secondhand retail model, though FabricAID focuses on micro-price affordability and offline retail rather than online consignment.
• Vinted: Vinted is a leading peer-to-peer second-hand fashion marketplace with a strong European footprint. Comparable to FabricAID's secondhand clothing redistribution mission, differing primarily in C2C marketplace model versus FabricAID's donation-to-retail pipeline.
• Vestiaire Collective: Vestiaire Collective is a global luxury and premium second-hand fashion resale platform. Comparable to FabricAID's Second Base vintage boutique in curating higher-value pre-owned apparel, though focused on luxury tier rather than mass-market.

Broad incumbents

• H&M (Garment Collecting program): H&M operates one of the largest global garment-collection take-back programs and circular fashion initiatives. Comparable to FabricAID as a broad incumbent collecting used clothing for reuse/recycling, though operating as part of a global fast-fashion retailer rather than as a focused circular enterprise.
• Patagonia (Worn Wear): Patagonia's Worn Wear program buys back and resells used Patagonia garments and repairs used apparel. Comparable to FabricAID's circular/reuse philosophy and upcycling mission, though narrower in scope (own-brand only) and positioned as a sustainability halo for an established outdoor brand.

Emerging players

• Eileen Fisher (Renew): Eileen Fisher Renew takes back used Eileen Fisher garments and resells/remakes them, including a take-back program and remanufactured lines. Comparable to FabricAID's upcycling operations and Second Base resale concept, though narrower in brand and geography.
• The Renewal Workshop: The Renewal Workshop processes unsellable and returned apparel into upcycled or recycled products for fashion brands. Directly comparable to FabricAID's upcycling innovation process and corporate upcycled-merchandise B2B stream.

Others

• SOEX Group (I:CO): SOEX/I:CO operates one of the world's largest textile collection and sorting networks, supplying second-hand clothing to markets globally. Comparable as a supply-chain peer to FabricAID's collection and sorting infrastructure, though operating at significantly larger scale.
• Bank & Vogue Group: Bank & Vogue is a global collector and trader of second-hand clothing, supplying graded used apparel to markets in Africa, Asia, and Latin America. Comparable to FabricAID's role as a second-hand clothing collector and redistributor at the regional level.
• Trans-Americas Textile Recycling: Trans-Americas Textile Recycling operates clothing donation bins and post-consumer textile processing across North America. Comparable to FabricAID's bin-collection and sorting model at a structural level, though operating in a different geography.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCqp5Zn4plQdyYan571BAfJA
• Facebookfacebook.com/FabricAIDLeb
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/18175271/admin
• Instagraminstagram.com/fabricaid.me
• Xx.com/fabricaid_me

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds5 records

Investors5 records

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about FabricAID