FabricAID is announcing the finalization of its $1.6 million seed funding round through investment by Wamda and AL Fanar.
It is the biggest seed round for a social enterprise in the MENA region.
Founded in 2017 by Omar Itani, FabricAID started by collecting, storing, and redistributing clothes to disadvantaged communities in Lebanon at micro-prices, ranging from 0.3$ to a maximum of 2$.
The social enterprise expanded, providing sustainable and high-quality fashion that everyone can afford, including the most vulnerable, and does not cause any harm to society and the environment.
By 2019, Itani was honored with the prestigious Denis Pietton Award by the French Institute and French Embassy in Lebanon, and the title of the 2019 Young Champion of the Earth for West Asia.
In December 2021, he received the Young Entrepreneur Award at Takreem Awards Ceremony for growing a fully developed enterprise from a seed idea.
FabricAid has now become the largest second-hand clothing collector in the MENA region, working to ensure a sustainable and conscious value chain for the clothing industry. It optimizes the collection of pre-owned clothes by sorting, upcycling, and reselling them.
To date, it has served 70,000 beneficiary consumers, employing nearly 100 full-time employees.
The round of investment will be used to reinforce FabricAID’s positioning in Lebanon, expanding its operations in Jordan, and launching in Egypt to fulfill its vision of supplying sustainable clothing for everyone.
FabricAID told 961: “FabricAID will be playing as a catalyst of change in the MENA region in that we are driving environmental change. This is a social movement that is being created especially when it comes to harnessing the culture of second hand.”
Through communication and community engagement efforts, FabricAid is ensuring that its success and change-making “inspire young people and entrepreneurs to go into social entrepreneurship, be it in the fashion industry or otherwise.”
FabricAID told 961 that they aim to advocate for and make social entrepreneurship accessible, by increasing the awareness around it. “We believe it’s the way for not only a better society but also a better economy in the region. We hope that through our work we pave the way for other social enterprises to come to life.”
FabricAID is now focusing on upcycling and reusing, However, it doesn’t intend to stop there. Its vision for its future is “to become part of the entire value chain of the fashion industry, from agriculture, logistics, manufacturing, recycling, upcycling, and reuse.”
“We are aiming to develop and expand into the other elements of the fashion industry. And the reason why we are excited to be part of it is that we want an industry that is fairer, more equitable, more sustainable for everyone.”
Worth noting that FabricAid also offers pick-up services, in addition to their bins across Lebanon. People wishing to donate their clothes can Whatsapp them on 81 79 50 72.
