The story of the MESDALG shirt, upcycled

The MESDALG shirt meets a very specific need: to add to our catalog a very light shirt for the summer which complements the first two shirts that we offer, the RAICHO shirt, which also exists as a shirt and the PERDIZ shirt.

When working on this 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 shirt. The team then turned to another solution, just as interesting from an eco-design point of view: 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 worrying reality is that of dormant stocks, or “dead stocks”.

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, cancellations of orders, or even 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 non-met specifications such as colors, weights, prints, and technical properties. Despite popular belief, the majority of these fabrics are new, available in large quantities and sometimes stored for several years . Surprisingly, dormant stocks account for up to 12% of overall textile production each year.

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

Faced with this waste, the upcycling of these existing materials presents itself as an ecological and economical solution, offering a second life to these textiles 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, best childhood friends, joined by Pauline in January 2022 , this cooperative has set itself the mission of fighting against industrial textile waste by awakening dormant stocks . Specializing in the collection of textiles, Feat coop focuses on a 150km radius around Lyon, a true hotbed of textile know-how. They collaborate with weavers, knitters and printers in the region, recovering stocks initially intended for various sectors such as clothing, outdoor, lingerie and furniture.

With 788 references and more than 270,000 meters of textiles, as well as a varied choice 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 be found a second life. Located in the heart of France's leading textile basin, Feat coop embodies an eco-responsible and supportive approach to promoting dormant stocks.

A little anecdote, which says a lot about the extent of dormant stocks existing in the region: the oldest textile in the Feat coop showroom dates from 1968 . This is a lovely pale pink fabric, which has been lying dormant for 56 years. It is therefore a well-rested fabric which 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 opportunity to discover in person the textiles recovered from their network of 20 industrial partners.

But that's not all, the merchant site, 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 references by cut or roll. For those who wish to view and touch the materials before making their choice, the cooperative offers the possibility of receiving free samples.

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

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

Traceability is at the heart of this collaboration. Feat coop obtains all the necessary information on textiles, from their composition and weight to the original price, the cause of 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 the product sheets, thus ensuring customers total confidence in their purchases since the value chain has been carefully traced from knitting and weaving to the ennoblement of textiles. In addition, Feat coop relies on material certifications to guarantee their authenticity and quality.

Hugo, Product Developer at Lagoped, strengthened this collaboration by following 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 lasting partnership with brands sharing the same values. It is a true give-and-take exchange, where each party brings mutual 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 to combating industrial textile waste.

The upcycled fabric was intended for ready-to-wear: elastic and made of 100% cotton, this fabric was made in Pakistan, while its finishing was carried out in France. However, the origin of the raw materials and the place of spinning remain unknown. The manufacturer, located in the Rhône, has put this fabric on standby due to color non-compliance with previous specifications. This was a boon for Lagoped, who saw in this sleep fabric the perfect opportunity to create a light and summery shirt.

Made in Portugal, the lightweight shirt features 7 stylish buttons and a discreet chest pocket, adding a practical touch to its aesthetic. To guarantee its durability, it is advisable to take care of this shirt: washing at 30°C, ironing at low temperature and avoiding dry cleaning are recommended.