United Repair Centre is on a mission to repair the clothing industry. Through offering high-quality repair services it works with leading clothing brands to help address the textile waste crisis and tackle social exclusion. URC provides employment opportunities to newcomers, young adults and other job seekers distanced from the labour market.  Established in the Netherlands, with Patagonia as a founding partner, URC is now expanding operations into the UK and is working with brands such as Lululemon and Rapha and has partnered with London based social enterprise, Fashion Enter.

How URC makes an impact

The URC team, lead by Thami Schweichler, are passionate about both circularity and inclusion. Through their repair services they promote and enable circularity in the fashion industry – the second most polluting industry globally. By also providing employment and training to those facing social and financial exclusion URC has the potential for significant social as well as environmental impact.

Where Fredericks comes in

URC needed funding to support it’s expansion into the UK market. Fredericks, alongside Treebeard Trust, have invested £50,000 through a revenue participation agreement to help fund operating costs of the UK expansion. The dual impact of both inclusion and circularity made URC an organisation that we were keen to support.