Today our world changing company Khaloom launches a series of exclusive tailored suits made of 100% recycled textile, together with the tailoring master on wheels, Suittruck. With this collection Khaloom and Suittruck invite frontrunners to not only buy a sharp looking suit, but to also accelerate the transformation to a circular textile industry: The revenue of the suit will be invested in the production capacity of Khaloom. So that Khaloom can become part of Suittruck’s fixed collection and supply to the mainstream market.
Khaloom, one of Enviu’s world changing companies, shows that the production of fabrics can be done differently by hand weaving textile waste into high-end fabrics. Together with Suittruck they are bundling forces to bring suits to the market handwoven out of waste. The Suittruck brings the store to the customer by driving to wherever the customer is. Over a cup of coffee Suittruck carries the necessary measurements, and explains and lays out the fabric and style options. The truck delivers the tailor-made clothing a few weeks later!
A unique financing strategy to scale
The revenue of the suits will be invested in the production capacity of Khaloom. Ram Sellalu, creative director of Khaloom in India: “Scaling to an adult company is and remains a big challenge for start-ups. It is a bit of a chicken and the egg story. In order to produce more and serve larger customers, we need to increase our capacity, but in order to finance this capacity increase, we need larger orders. “
Rabobank recognizes the challenge for (future) scale-ups to organize risk-bearing capital. This may involve traditional investors, but also alternative or new forms of financing, such as crowdfunding. Khaloom and Suittruck choose an alternative financing route of their own: selling 50 exclusive tailored suits 100% recycled textiles, thus raising an investment for the necessary capacity increase. Together they prove with a unique and circular clothing line that the industry can change and make the textile chain more sustainable through entrepreneurship, innovation and cooperation.
More orders, more impact
Khaloom has previously collaborated with world-class designer Ronald van der Kemp to create an iconic dress for the Dutch Minister Kaag, and with the innovative suit expert Suit Supply to design a tailor-made suit for the Dutch Minister Bruins. Suittruck is not shy of public figures either. The disruptive Arjen Lubach, creative Lucas Hamming, and tough Pete Philly are regular customers of the traveling tailor. Together the start-ups want to make zero-waste clothing accessible to everyone.
If Khaloom can scale then they can serve a larger and more mainstream market. Which means more textile waste can be recycled and more weavers can be given a respectful and fair workplace. The production of 100 meters of Khaloom’s fabrics approximately save 126,000 liters of water, use 0 chemicals, emit 0 CO2, and create 18 days of fair paid work.
Khaloom is creating a direct impact and proving to the industry that we can solve the errors the textile industry is causing with the force of impact-driven entrepreneurship.