The Mills Fabrica opens its latest hub in London

Mills Fabrica, a worldwide platform for sustainable and social innovation in apparel and textiles, has launched its latest hub in London’s King’s Cross this month.

The building, a three-story Victorian warehouse designed by architect Barr Gazetas, with 11,383 square feet of space, will function as a start-up incubator, investment platform. and curated events dedicated to nurturing a community of sustainable innovators.

Fabrica X, an experiential concept store and innovation gallery for sustainable companies, a café by Mouse Tail Coffee, membership-led workspaces, a tech lab for prototyping, and more are all part of The Mills Fabrica. The Mills is a Hong Kong-based regeneration project and the London opening marks a new cross-continental chapter in the worldwide quest for a more sustainable future.

The Mills is a continuation of the Nan Fung Group’s textile history in Hong Kong, which peaked in the 1950s as one of the world’s largest spinning mills. Today, The Mills Fabrica takes a giant step forward into the wider intersection between tech and lifestyle.

It will lead the way in sustainable innovation and creativity to reimagine how things are grown, created, moved, and disposed of, as well as what people wear and consume. The Mills Fabrica is destined to become a lively player in the heart of London, pushing regenerative solutions for future generations.

The Mills Fabrica investment fund has a stake in over 25 companies worth over a billion dollars that are solving systemic challenges at the material level, within the supply chain, and all the way down to business models that need to improve environmental, social, and governance outcomes.

Notable portfolio companies include Renewcell, a pioneer in garment fiber recycling, Geltor, a biodesign company creating collagen-based vegan components for the cosmetics sector, and Abillion, a social networking platform for conscientious consumers.

Fabrica X, located on the ground level, will feature the newest fashion and food tech innovations, all of which promote biodiverse material usage, minimal waste, and ethical production, allowing consumers to make design-led, responsible purchases.

Immersive installations designed by landscape architect Wayward invite visitors to try the UK’s first 3D body scanning technology to create custom-fit denim by Unspun and upcycled trainers by Italy-based Womsh, made from apple skin, organic cotton, and water bottles collected from Waes – the world’s first plastic-free footwear brand.

Fresh herbs and fruit will be gathered from vertical gardening units and utilized in the kitchen of Mouse Tail, the ground-floor café.

Membership-only and flexible office spaces, ranging from floating and fixed workstations to permanent office dwellings for renters with lounge access, are offered on the top levels to bring together thinkers, artists, and entrepreneurs united in their quest for a sustainable future.

Emerging food and fashion tech start-ups will be fostered by the incubation program and will also use the area. Colorifix, the first company to use a biological process to create and deposit pigments onto textiles, Reflaunt, a luxury second-hand marketplace, and Provenance, a software solution for sustainably transparent communications that allows brands to communicate social and environmental impact to shoppers online and in stores, are among them.

Members, incubatees, and renters will benefit from selected events, networking opportunities, and access to Fabrica Lab, a high-tech area with prototyping equipment for bringing breakthrough ideas to life.

Vanessa Cheung, the founder of The Mills Fabrica, said that she couldn’t be more delighted that the second outpost of The Mills Fabrica in London is a reality. It couldn’t have occurred without all of the support and advice from their partners and community from all around the world. With an ecosystem of inventors, collaborators, and passionate spirits, they’re certain that establishing a center in London’s King’s Cross will further accelerate their goal to build a resilient and good future.