Jessica Schreiber: Transforming Fashion Waste Into Sustainable Treasure
Jessica Schreiber has always been captivated by the stories behind discarded items. As the founder of Fabscrap, a nonprofit revolutionizing how fashion waste is managed in New York City, Jessica is proving that one person’s trash can become another’s treasure.
Jessica’s journey began during her five-year tenure at New York City’s Department of Sanitation, where she conducted “waste characterization” studies, ripping open trash bags to analyze their contents. “From a sociology perspective, I’d find it interesting how trash was different in different neighborhoods,” she explains. What others saw as garbage, Jessica viewed as a window into people’s lives.
In 2016, she left her government role to launch Fabscrap, focusing on the textile waste generated by New York’s world-famous fashion industry. Commercial textile scraps, like luxurious silks and wools, often don’t qualify for traditional recycling programs, leaving them bound for landfills. Jessica saw this as an unacceptable waste of resources, especially when such materials could benefit budding designers, students, and crafters.
Fabscrap’s mission quickly gained momentum. By 2019, the organization had partnered with over 350 designers, including big names like Marc Jacobs and Oscar de la Renta, to collect their unused fabric scraps. Designers pay a fee for waste pickups, and Fabscrap’s volunteers meticulously sort the materials, which are either resold or repurposed into insulation.
Fabscrap has even opened a thrift store in New York’s Garment District, offering these discarded treasures at affordable prices. The store’s location near design schools has made it a favorite destination for sustainable-minded creators.
Jessica’s work hasn’t gone unnoticed. Fashion bible Vogue featured Fabscrap in 2019, with a reporter describing the “burning desire” to sift through forgotten textiles alongside like-minded volunteers. With the nonprofit thriving, Jessica has expanded its reach, adding a Brooklyn warehouse and planning a move to Los Angeles.
Fabscrap is not just a recycling organization; it’s a community that bridges sustainability and creativity. Jessica Schreiber’s vision is a reminder of the power of innovation and dedication in turning waste into opportunity.
A Business Tip for Aspiring Entrepreneurs
Identify a gap and find creative ways to fill it. Her advice? “Look beyond the obvious and see the potential in what others overlook. Small, sustainable changes can lead to big impacts.”
VentureMom is thrilled to spotlight Jessica Schreiber and Fabscrap, a true testament to what happens when passion meets purpose.
