Circular Case Study – The Nest

Social Enterprise providing recovered textiles at low cost 

The Nest combines a textile recovery centre, a haberdashery, educational programs, and a volunteer network to connect women through craft and provide reclaimed textiles to the maker community. Since its beginnings in 2014, The Nest has focused on sustainability, community, and preserving crafting heritage. 

Core Business 

Sales from the Nest Haberdashery provide finance for the Textile Recovery Centre and classes held on-site. Over 500 women including volunteers, customers and workshop participants come through the space weekly.  

Donations to the Textile Recovery Centre divert materials from landfill and provide local makers and emerging designers with low-cost, quality resources. The Nest receives 4,000–5,000 litres of textile donations weekly, along with equipment like sewing machines, knitting machines, and overlockers. Volunteers sort and assess donations, repackaging, measuring for data, and testing equipment for safety and value. While typical op shops resell about 15% of donations, The Nest resells 60%. 

The Nest Haberdashery offers a wide range of sewing supplies, meticulously organized by item type and color. It stocks dress and upholstery fabrics by piece or roll, along with supplementary materials like calico, interfacing, wadding, and a variety of notions (buttons, buckles, zips, press studs, hooks and eyes). Staffed by knowledgeable volunteers who have sorted and repackaged goods at the Textile Recovery Centre, the shop provides expert assistance to crafters. 

Since 2014, The Nest has received 580,327 litres of donations, 156,844 meters of fabric, and engaged volunteers for 249,414 hours of work. 

This has been achieved with support from business and government since 2015, including local MP Tim Mander, Wesley Mission and Wattlerun developers, amongst others.