The story of the lightweight MESDALG shirt, upcycled

The MESDALG lightweight shirt meets a very specific need: to add to our catalog a lightweight shirt for summer that complements the first two shirts we offer, the hiking shirt RAICHO, which also comes in a shirt version, and the flannel shirt PERDIZ.

While working on this lightweight shirt, the Lagoped Product team was looking for a printed fabric with a fresh and friendly pattern. This fabric absolutely had to meet Lagoped’s specifications: a recycled and European fabric. The sourcing stage proved difficult: it was ultimately impossible to find the ideal fabric for the lightweight shirt. The team then turned to another solution, equally interesting from an eco-design perspective: dormant stocks.

We tell you everything about what dormant stock is, who our partner is, and where the fabric comes from.

In the world of fashion and the textile industry, a lesser-known but concerning reality is that of dormant stocks, or "dead stock."

Today, several hundred thousand meters of textiles lie dormant in warehouses, waiting for a second life. These raw materials, often new, come from production surpluses, order cancellations, or non-compliance with specifications. They may even have minor defects.

These "dormant" textiles are the result of various factors such as overproduction, order cancellations, or unmet specifications like colors, weights, prints, and technical properties. Despite common misconceptions, the majority of these fabrics are new, available in large quantities, and sometimes stored for several years. Surprisingly, dormant stocks represent up to 12% of the total textile production each year.

They represent a cost for the company in terms of stock management, storage space, and material depreciation. Effective management of dormant stock is crucial to optimize profitability and minimize losses in the textile industry.

In response to this waste, upcycling these existing materials presents an ecological and economical solution, giving these textiles a second life and thus reducing the environmental footprint of the textile industry.

Feat coop is a committed initiative born in 2020 in Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes. Founded by Tim and Tristan, childhood best friends, joined by Pauline in January 2022, this cooperative has set itself the mission of fighting industrial textile waste by awakening dormant stocks. Specializing in textile collection, Feat coop focuses on a 150km radius around Lyon, a true nursery of textile know-how. They collaborate with weavers, knitters, and printers in the region, recovering stocks originally intended for various sectors such as clothing, outdoor gear, lingerie, and furniture. 

With 788 references and over 270,000 meters of textiles, as well as a varied selection of more than 300 ribbons and buttons, their digital marketplace, shop.featcoop.fr, and their showroom in Lyon are full of textile treasures ready to find a second life. Located in the heart of France’s leading textile region, Feat coop embodies an eco-responsible and solidarity-driven approach to valorizing dormant stocks.

A little anecdote that says a lot about the extent of dormant stock in the region: the oldest textile in the Feat coop showroom dates back to 1968. It is a beautiful pale pink fabric that has been resting for 56 years. So it is a well-rested fabric that has retained all its qualities for decades.

With a showroom located in Lyon, at 1 rue Père Louis de Galard, Feat coop offers you the chance to discover in person the textiles recovered from their network of 20 industrial partners.

But that’s not all, the online store, launched in February 2024, completes this experience by offering a practical and intuitive online catalog, giving access to the cooperative’s textile treasures. On the site, you have the freedom to order items by the cut or by the roll. For those who want to see and feel the materials before making their choice, the cooperative offers the possibility to receive samples for free.

Furthermore, free appointments can be made for a showroom visit, allowing for a personalized shopping experience. After two years of work, Feat coop can be proud to offer a complete solution to valorize dormant stocks and make these textile treasures accessible to professionals.

Lagoped, committed to the durability and quality of its clothing, has chosen to partner with Feat coop to ensure sustainable sourcing of already existing, high-quality local textiles. This partnership also allows Lagoped to guarantee its customers complete traceability of its textiles, including their origin, composition, technical data sheet, and much more.

Traceability is at the heart of this collaboration. Feat coop obtains all the necessary information about the textiles, from their composition and weight to the original price, the reason for the stock, the production date, and even the history of the stock. This transparency is reflected on the Feat coop website, in its showroom, and on product sheets, thus ensuring customers complete confidence in their purchases since the value chain has been carefully traced from knitting and weaving to the finishing of the textiles. Additionally, Feat coop relies on material certifications to guarantee their authenticity and quality.

Hugo, Product Developer at Lagoped, strengthened this collaboration by taking one of the training courses offered by Feat Coop as part of the ambassador project. This project, which brings together eight brands including Lagoped, is based on a sustainable partnership with brands sharing the same values. It is a true give-and-take exchange, where each party mutually provides benefits to help each other's development.

We warmly thank the Feat coop team for their support during our first months of partnership and congratulate them for their commitment against industrial textile waste.  

The upcycled fabric was originally intended for ready-to-wear: stretchy and made of 100% cotton, this fabric was produced in Pakistan, while its finishing was done in France. However, the origin of the raw materials and the spinning location remain unknown. The manufacturer, located in Rhône, put this fabric on hold due to a color non-compliance with a previous specification. This was a boon for Lagoped, which saw in this dormant fabric the perfect opportunity to create a lightweight summer short-sleeve shirt.

Made in Portugal, the lightweight short-sleeve shirt features 7 elegant buttons and a discreet chest pocket, adding a practical touch to its aesthetic. To ensure its durability, it is recommended to care for this lightweight shirt: wash at 30°C, iron at low temperature, and avoid dry cleaning.