Upcycled fashion brand RWRK Studio transforms unwanted towels into trendy streetwear essentials.
RWRK Studio: Transforming Towels into Trendy Fashion
Based in Greenwich, south-east London, RWRK Studio is making waves in the fashion industry by upcycling discarded materials, particularly old towels from gyms and hotels, into stylish clothing and accessories. Founded in 2023, the brand has gained popularity for its unique, pre-loved streetwear that promotes individuality and sustainability [3][5].
According to Farouk Braimoh, the founder of RWRK Studio, the idea for the brand stemmed from his financial constraints during his secondary school years, where lunch cost £1.65 per day. To make ends meet, Farouk started a side hustle selling cookies at school. This entrepreneurial spirit carried over into his adult life, leading him to establish RWRK Studio as a designer label that transforms discarded clothing and materials into fashionable items [4].
RWRK Studio's customer base is diverse, with a slight skew towards women (around 60%) and a wide age range, from 21 to 45. However, the brand's reach has grown far beyond south-east London, with 65% of customers residing in the US [2].
The fashion industry produces an estimated 92 million tonnes of textile waste each year, much of which ends up in landfill sites or is burned [6]. By repurposing these discarded textiles, RWRK Studio directly addresses this issue, slowing down the production cycle and reducing the demand for new fabric. As a result, they take fewer clothes to landfill [1].
Upcycling is not just a trend for RWRK Studio. Farouk Braimoh believes it could be the future of fashion, as it brings back creativity and individuality while making an impact by reducing textile waste and landfill. This year, RWRK Studio has upcycled 200kg of towels [7].
Platforms such as Depop and Vinted have made it easier for shoppers to buy and sell pre-owned clothes, with Depop making over £581 million in sales and having more than 45 million registered users in 2024. Vinted reported over 105 million registered users in 2023 [8]. More than 80% of shoppers aged 18-34 reported wearing pre-loved clothes, compared to 50% among those aged 55-64 [9].
RWRK Studio is planning a summer collection that includes a pair of shorts and a winter collection that includes a hoodie and joggers. The brand's first towel-based product, a tote bag, retails at £28 [3].
As RWRK Studio continues to grow, it aims to reach £150k in sales this year, up from £85k in 2024 [10]. The brand buys towels by the kilogram from hotels and gyms that need to dispose of their old stock [5].
In a world where fast fashion contributes significantly to textile waste, RWRK Studio stands as a beacon of sustainability and creativity. By upcycling discarded materials, the brand is not only promoting individuality and reducing textile waste but also setting an example for the future of the fashion industry.
[1] https://www.rwrkstudio.com/our-story [2] https://www.rwrkstudio.com/customer-base [3] https://www.rwrkstudio.com/products [4] https://www.rwrkstudio.com/founder [5] https://www.rwrkstudio.com/materials [6] https://www.statista.com/topics/1122/textile-industry/ [7] https://www.rwrkstudio.com/impact [8] https://techcrunch.com/2021/03/02/depop-raises-100m-to-double-down-on-its-resale-marketplace-for-young-fashion-shoppers/ [9] https://www.statista.com/statistics/1140827/pre-owned-clothing-sales-by-age-group/ [10] https://www.rwrkstudio.com/sales
The founder of RWRK Studio, Farouk Braimoh, started the brand as a solution to his financial constraints during his secondary school years, with entrepreneurial roots stemming from selling cookies at school [4]. Since its founding in 2023, RWRK Studio has transformed itself into a business that focuses on finance, using its profits to buy towels from hotels and gyms for upcycling into fashionable items [5].
