- Frankie, a clothing manufacturer and brand based in Vancouver, BC to join Ecologist, a clothing company dedicated to ending fast fashion and fostering a shift in perspective from disposable to a long lasting product
- The future of fashion is circular – Frankie is the market leader in upcycling clothing, recycling used clothing that would otherwise be destined for landfill
VICTORIA, BC / ACCESSWIRE / August 4, 2022 / ecologist Outfitters Inc. (“ecologist” or “company“), a manufacturer and brand of planet-conscious, 100% natural fiber apparel, announced today that it has signed a definitive agreement to acquire Frankie Collective (““Frankie”). Frankie is a women’s streetwear manufacturer that repurposes vintage and unsold clothing into unique pieces, pushing the boundaries of contemporary style, extending product lifecycles and adding value to like-minded customers and the environment.
“Frankie Collective complements ecologyst, with both businesses focused on producing clothing that provides clothing to customers who share the same vision of living in harmony with the planet,” said Rene Gauthier, founder and CEO of ecologyst. “Our aim is to show that synergy is possible between the concepts of economics and the environment. With the apparel resale market expected to reach $53 billion by 2023* – surpassing the fast fashion market – the acquisition of Frankie Collective strengthens our quest to have the world’s cleanest supply chain based on environmental awareness and transparency.”
Frankie Collective offers a market expansion opportunity that aligns with the ecologist’s value-based ethos. ecologyst produces new clothing, made for sustainability with only natural fibers, appealing to a community of customers who share a passion for the planet and a responsibility for its future. Frankie Collective takes a different approach by rescuing unsold clothing from major global clothing lines such as Nike, Adidas and Tommy Hilfiger, redirecting garments from landfills by reworking them into unique and elegant pieces of art that appeal to the modern streetwear community. . Clothes made by Frankie Collective have a 73% sell-through rate within three weeks, and many of her new re-releases sell out within hours.
“On behalf of myself and the Frankie team, we are super excited to now be working under the ecology group,” said Drew Heifetz CEO, Frankie Collective. “For the past eight years, we’ve been building Frankie Collective’s clothing waste management systems and we believe ecologyst has a lot to offer to help us reach our full potential. When we decided it was time to start shopping for partners possible, we had several offers on the table. The commitment to responsible fashion, the great company culture and being Canadian-owned are all reasons why we chose eco. Today marks the next chapter of Frankie Collective.”
In all steps of the production process, Frankie takes into account the environmental impacts of the clothing industry and makes efforts to reduce waste. For Frankie’s famous line, their “picking” team diverts large amounts of waste from landfills to their Vancouver facility, where the clothes are sorted to be made into new products. Frankie has reworked over 460,000 pounds of discarded clothing to date, meeting global demand and exclusively producing unique pieces from existing clothing and textiles.
The acquisition of Frankie Collective is expected to grow the ecologist’s producer to consumer (“M2C“) footprint across North America, expand its e-commerce presence as the trusted leader in sustainable apparel and become the market leader in refurbished apparel.
Both Ecologer and Frankie Collective have a strong online presence, delivering high order values that mostly sell at full price. ecologyst and Frankie Collective have factories in British Columbia, with one of the ecologyst locations acting as a hybrid retailer and manufacturer, and the Whistler location acting as a storefront. Both companies have an e-commerce presence, with Frankie Collective’s sales coming from the US.
This acquisition is expected to close on August 19, 2022, subject to customary closing conditions.
* Source: BoF Professional:
https://www.businessoffashion.com/articles/sustainability/what-a-recession-could-mean-for-sustainable-fashion/
About Ecologyst Outfitters Inc.
ecologist is disrupting the old clothing industry by producing and selling sustainable, ethically produced fashion through producer to consumer (“M2C“) business model using natural, biodegradable fabrics. Its mission is to create the world’s cleanest clothing supply chain. Founded in 2019 in Victoria, British Columbia, the ecologist combines technology and ethical in-house production to eliminate waste and reduce inventory while maintaining the highest quality standard. ecologyst is expanding their M2C model to bring their locally made manufacturing practices to more cities across North America. ecologyst believes that the future is circular – where the solution to ending the environmental degradation associated with the existing clothing industry lies in owning fewer, higher quality, ethically produced clothing.For more information, visit www. ecologyst.com.
About Frankie Collective
Frankie Collective is committed to sustainable crafted fashion by altering existing garments and using existing textiles to add value and extend the product’s life cycle. Frankie Collective’s revamped apparel appeals to highly discerning streetwear customers around the world. Knowing that approximately 30% of all clothing produced is never sold, Frankie Collective’s skilled in-house manufacturing team in Vancouver, British Columbia uses these materials to create 1 of 1 unique pieces each day, which reduces our footprint of carbon by 82% using more new materials. For more information, visit www.frankiecollective.com.
contacts
Alyssa Barry
Investor relations
604.997.0965
[email protected]
SOURCE: Ecologist Outfitters Inc.
