What Makerist does

Makerist, operated by fabfab GmbH, is a German direct-to-consumer e-commerce platform serving the DIY sewing and handicraft community. Founded in 2013 and headquartered in Schenefeld (near Hamburg), the company sold fabrics (Stoffe) and sewing notions (Kurzware) through its makerist.de storefront, complemented by partner-designed sewing patterns (Schnitte) that customers could use to make handmade clothing and craft items. The customer base is segmented horizontally around individual sewing enthusiasts and crafters in Germany, with the company positioning itself as a one-stop materials supplier for personal sewing projects rather than as a marketplace for finished goods.

The business model is straightforward specialty e-commerce: Makerist purchased fabric and notion inventory and resold it at markup through its own website, while partner designers contributed patterns that drove traffic and basket size. Revenue mechanics depended on AOV and repeat purchase frequency from a niche German hobbyist base rather than on platform fees, subscriptions, or advertising. The company raised approximately $5.44M across two disclosed rounds (2013 seed with HTGF and TA Ventures; 2016 round with G+J Digital Ventures, HTGF, OZ Verlag, and Ringier Digital Ventures), reaching a headcount band of 11–50 employees.

As of 2024, fabfab GmbH is in formal insolvency proceedings (Insolvenzverfahren): inventory has been sold off, open orders are being completed, cancelled orders are being refunded, and the current legal entity is required to close. Whether the makerist.de brand will be continued under a new ownership structure remains explicitly unresolved per the company's own customer communication, leaving the platform's ongoing operational viability in question.

Name

Makerist

Legal name

fabfab GmbH

Website

https://makerist.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

2013

Operating status

Closed

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Makerist, operated by fabfab GmbH, is a German D2C e-commerce platform selling fabrics, sewing notions, and partner-designed patterns to individual sewing enthusiasts and DIY crafters, founded in 2013 and now in insolvency proceedings.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Online fabric and sewing supplies retail

NAICS

Sewing, Needlework, and Piece Goods Retailers (459130)

SIC

Wholesale-Apparel, Piece Goods & Notions (5130)

akta.pro primary industry

Notions & Sewing Accessories Retail (Thread, Needles, Zippers, Buttons) (CRALADAG)

Keywords

• Sewing fabrics retail
• Sewing notions
• DIY craft supplies
• Sewing patterns
• Handmade textiles

Headquarters

HQ city

Berlin

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Digital Commerce or Content

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Distribution channels1 record

Core offering

Makerist operated an online retail store (makerist.de) selling fabrics, sewing notions, and partner-supplied sewing patterns directly to individual DIY sewing and crafting enthusiasts in Germany. The business bundled physical materials (Stoffe and Kurzware) with pattern content from partner designers so customers could source complete sewing projects from a single storefront.

Product overview

Makerist (operated by fabfab GmbH) is an online retail platform offering fabrics, sewing notions, and sewing patterns from partner designers. The company operates as a single e-commerce offering focused on the sewing and crafting community in Germany. The current inventory is being liquidated as part of insolvency proceedings, with uncertainty about whether the platform will be continued by a new entity.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Fabrics (Stoffe) Fabric and textile products sold through the makerist.de platform, offering materials for personal sewing projects by individual consumers.
• Notions (Kurzware) Sewing notions and accessories available through the makerist.de platform for individual DIY sewing enthusiasts.
• Sewing Patterns (Schnitte) Sewing patterns from partner designers distributed through the makerist.de platform to enable customer DIY sewing projects.

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves4 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Direct peers

• Stoff & Stil: European (originally Scandinavian) direct-to-consumer retailer of fabrics, sewing patterns, and sewing notions. Closely comparable to Makerist in product mix (fabrics + notions + patterns), target customer (sewing hobbyists), and online-first distribution model.
• Buttinette: German specialty retailer of fabrics, sewing notions, and craft supplies. Highly comparable in geography (Germany), customer base (sewing/crafting hobbyists), and product mix (fabrics, notions, patterns).
• Stoffe.de: German online fabric retailer operated historically alongside the same fabfab GmbH that ran Makerist. Directly comparable in product (fabrics, notions), German-market focus, and online D2C model — effectively a sister brand and the most direct peer in customer terms.
• Snaply: German online sewing and DIY retail platform offering fabrics, sewing patterns, and notions to hobbyists. Directly comparable in geography, vertical, and product offering, with significant overlap in target customer (German sewing enthusiasts).

Broad incumbents

• Etsy: Global marketplace for handmade goods including fabric, sewing patterns, and craft supplies. Comparable in serving the sewing/crafting community and in offering partner-supplied patterns and materials, but at vastly greater scale and as a horizontal marketplace rather than a vertically curated retailer.
• Prym: Long-established European manufacturer and brand of sewing notions (buttons, zippers, fasteners, needles). Comparable in product mix to the Kurzware (notions) side of Makerist's offering and relevant as both a potential supplier and category benchmark for notions assortment.
• Amazon Handmade: Amazon's curated marketplace for handcrafted goods, including fabric and sewing-pattern sellers. Comparable as a destination for Makerist's customer base, and a structural competitive threat given logistics, scale, and customer acquisition advantages.

Regional players

• Minerva: European fabric and sewing-pattern retailer with strong presence in German-speaking markets. Comparable in product mix (fabrics, patterns, notions) and in serving the European DIY sewing community, though with somewhat different brand positioning.
• Hobbycraft (UK): UK-based specialty retailer of fabrics, sewing supplies, and craft materials. Comparable in vertical (sewing/craft hobby retail) and product mix, but primarily serves the UK rather than Germany, making it a regional rather than direct competitor.

Emerging players

• Lillestoff: German online retailer specializing in designed jersey fabrics and sewing patterns for the maker community. Comparable in targeting the German sewing hobbyist and in offering both fabrics and partner-designer patterns, but with a narrower, more design-led assortment.

Market position

Strengths3 records

Weaknesses3 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights4 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/makerist
• Facebookfacebook.com/Makerist
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/makerist-gmbh

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds2 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 Makerist