What is Deadstock?

Waste is a huge problem in the fashion and textiles industry. When companies have products or materials that are no longer for sale or cannot be sold anymore they remain in inventory. This is referred to as deadstock.

You may have also heard it referred to as overstock, surplus or remnant material. It can occur for a number of reasons. Brands could have ordered too much fabric, mills could have produced incorrect colours, the material or product could be flawed or it could also come from cancelled orders. There are many ways it can be produced, but ultimately deadstock material can have a huge impact on the brand and the environment.

It is a major expense for businesses to have deadstock material because it takes up valuable space which could be used for actual profit-making products. The easiest way for brands to get rid of the deadstock is to put it into a landfill or burn it, but that’s not an environmentally conscious solution.

Being able to perfectly create the right amount of stock or dye yarn the perfect shade on the first go is almost impossible. But brands offsetting this possibility of running out of stock by making an excessive amount of product has ultimately led to an unsurprising estimate of 92 million tonnes of textile waste being created annually from the fashion and textiles industry (Fashion Revolution).

This is where brands like mine come in. Shiv Textiles saves textile waste from British industrial mills, which would otherwise be destined for landfill.

Since the start of the year, we have managed to save 142kg of industrial textiles waste from going to landfill! That brings our total to 828kg saved since 2021.

Brands like mine that create products from deadstock fabric are a positive step towards the solution to overproduction in the industry. We use materials that other people may consider as being waste and save them from going to landfills or being incinerated. By keeping these fabrics and materials in active use, we are reducing the need for new materials and so reducing the impact on the environment.

It was estimated that textile waste would increase by 60% between 2015 and 2030. This is an additional 57 million tons of waste being generated annually, creating a new annual total of 148 million tonnes (Fashion Revolution).

This is an unnecessary amount of waste being produced and whilst big brands are starting to be more eco-conscious about how they dispose of their stock, there is still a long way to go.

In the meantime, I and other sustainable brands similar to Shiv Textiles will continue to use deadstock materials and give them another lease of life in new products for you to enjoy. Helping to save the planet one ball of yarn at a time.

Follow my deadstock sourcing journey by following my Instagram here!

And check out my sustainable products all made from deadstock materials from British mills and factories, here!