Homeboy Threads

One of the best parts of building fabricfeed has been getting a firsthand look at the organizations doing the hard work required to make circular fashion a reality. More specifically, with the support of the Los Angeles Cleantech Incubator (LACI) I've had the opportunity to spend time with the team at Homeboy Threads and learn how they operate. What stood out most was the people and the mission. Behind every bale of textiles, every resale item, and every recovery outcome is a team making hundreds of operational decisions every day to maximize the value of materials that might otherwise be discarded. And the team is made up of a diverse set of operators, including highly marginalized individuals who they uplift by providing them with the resources and support needed to get back on their feet and become responsible contributors to their communities. One of my favorite moments was seeing Isabel Hartley praise a team member for the creative SEO strategy for a product they were posting online. It was a seemingly small moment that really showed the prevailing culture in the organization. On the operational front, what impressed me about Homeboy Threads was their commitment to continuous improvement. They're constantly asking questions like: • How can we recover more value? • How can we create more opportunities for reuse before recycling? • How can we build a more sustainable and economically viable recovery system? These are the kinds of questions that will shape the future of California's textile recovery ecosystem. As conversations around EPR continue to grow, I think it's important to recognize that circularity doesn't happen because of regulations alone. It happens because organizations like Homeboy Threads are doing the day-to-day work required to recover, sort, resell, and responsibly manage textiles at scale. The future of circular fashion will require infrastructure. But more importantly, it will require operators who are willing to innovate, adapt, and build that infrastructure alongside the rest of the industry. Thank you to the Linda Lane Corrado, Isabel Hartley, Elisa Johnson, Chris Zwicke and the entire Homeboy Threads team for welcoming us into your operation and sharing your expertise throughout this journey. I'm excited to see what we can continue building together.

Beyond circularity, it’s about human impact. ♻️✨   In this preview, Hector Verdugo, a former Homeboy trainee, and climate activist Aditi Mayer spotlight how Homeboy Threads is helping reduce apparel waste while creating meaningful opportunities for individuals looking to rebuild their lives.   Since 2022, Homeboy Threads has been advancing the circular economy as a certified social enterprise, offering reuse and recycling services for apparel and footwear. Through their work, they are not only giving garments a second life, but people too. Watch now to see how purpose, partnership, and possibility come together to drive real change   Homeboy Industries  #LoveGUESS #GUESSEco   Watch the full episode here: https://lnkd.in/gRit37dJ

Athens Services partnered with Homeboy Threads to give old uniform polos and work pants a second life ♻️ Homeboy Threads works with businesses to ensure apparel and textiles are put to their best use—whether through reuse, resale, fiber-to-fiber recycling, or responsible disposal. The polos are being recycled since they’re no longer usable. However, the work pants are still in great condition and are being donated for Homeboy employees to use. 👕 Got clothing you no longer need? Give it a second life by donating or upcycling it! Learn how: https://lnkd.in/gSYzpNET 🖥️

What does textile circularity look like in practice? 🧵♻️ On Monday, our National Textile Circularity Working Group is diving into that question with a deep dive with Linda Lane Corrado from Homeboy Threads. This is often the part of the system that often gets overlooked from sorting, grading, reuse, and preparing materials for their next highest and best use. The behind-the-scenes work that determines whether circularity actually happens. Homeboy Threads is showing what it looks like to connect: • reuse, resale, and recycling pathways • data, traceability, and compliance • and importantly real social impact through workforce development 𝑩𝒆𝒄𝒂𝒖𝒔𝒆 𝒄𝒊𝒓𝒄𝒖𝒍𝒂𝒓𝒊𝒕𝒚 𝒊𝒔𝒏’𝒕 𝒋𝒖𝒔𝒕 𝒂𝒃𝒐𝒖𝒕 𝒎𝒂𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒊𝒂𝒍𝒔. 𝑰𝒕’𝒔 𝒂𝒃𝒐𝒖𝒕 𝒑𝒆𝒐𝒑𝒍𝒆, 𝒔𝒚𝒔𝒕𝒆𝒎𝒔, 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒐𝒖𝒕𝒄𝒐𝒎𝒆𝒔 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒘𝒐𝒓𝒌 𝒊𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒍 𝒘𝒐𝒓𝒍𝒅. 🔄 If you’re working in textiles, apparel, recycling, or policy, this is where implementation, pilot, and sustainable solution conversations are happening. We keep this space education-first, practical, and focused on what actually scales. 🔗 https://lnkd.in/eJ3iPjDr Reach out to Heath Nettles, MBA at heath@nsaction.us if you’d like an invitation. #TextileCircularity #CircularEconomy #TextileRecycling #Reuse #SustainableFashion #WasteReduction #SocialImpact #CircularSystems

Heading to the Textile Recovery Summit next week! Isabel Hartley and I will be facilitating a small group discussion on the subject of resale. While resale has captured significant attention as both a sustainability solution and a business opportunity, fundamental questions about profitability, market disruption, and transparency remain largely unanswered. We look forward to candid dialogue as we work to address these questions. Homeboy Threads #textilecircularity #resale #secondchances #trs2026