NTU Fabric Shop
NTU’s Fabric Shop, located in the Bonington building at City Campus, is dedicated to supporting students in fashion and design courses with affordable, accessible materials. Under the guidance of Hannah Wilson, Senior Technician in the Nottingham School of Art and Design, the shop offers a wide range of fabrics, patterns, accessories, and mannequins to fuel creativity. Aligned with NTU's sustainability goals, the shop is increasingly focused on sustainable practices, helping reduce environmental impact while promoting responsible resource use to students.
Sustainable practices for students
The NTU Fabric Shop is committed to offering students both high-quality materials and sustainable choices whilst reducing waste.
One of our core principles is to help students buy or take only what they need, minimising excess and reducing waste. Whether you need just a small piece of fabric for a project or a full roll, the shop's flexible approach means you won’t end up with leftover materials you can’t use. This approach encourages mindful purchasing and ensures that every piece is utilised efficiently.
We prioritise reducing waste by cutting Calico fabric in-store. Previously, this fabric was sent to external companies to be cut and packaged in plastic, adding unnecessary waste and environmental impact. This method helps to eliminate plastic packaging and transportation waste while maintaining cost-effectiveness for students.
We’ve expanded our fabric offerings to include sustainable options that are not only eco-friendly but also innovative. These fabrics include materials made from banana fibers, milk, hemp, bamboo, and even recycled plastic bottles. We collaborate with suppliers like Whaleys Bradford Ltd and Discovery Knitting, who ensure the fabrics are responsibly sourced with clear certifications on their environmental impact. This means students can feel confident that their material choices align with sustainable values.
Unlike many commercial fabric stores that charge for samples, NTU's fabric shop offers free fabric samples to help students assess the suitability of materials for their projects. This service allows students to make informed decisions before committing to a purchase, reducing the chances of waste from unsuitable materials.
To help students reduce fabric waste while learning, we offer mini mannequins for free daily hire - half the size of a standard mannequin. These smaller mannequins are perfect for practicing pattern cutting and design work, allowing students to use less fabric during their projects. This approach encourages mindful consumption, whilst providing affordability to students as they refine their ideas.
Making savings, reducing waste and giving back
The NTU Fabric Shop’s is committed to supporting students financially and collaborating with partners in the local community to widen access to arts.
We regularly receive donations of deadstock from companies, providing students with a wide range of fabrics and trims. These donations are available at a reduced price or free of charge to students, ensuring access to high-quality materials without the high costs. Some premium fabrics may incur a small fee to reflect their market value (which can be as high as £150 per metre). This small charge also covers the costs of transport, staff resources and processing whilst ensuring fair and responsible use of materials.
We have received donations from:
- Davison Highley
- Paul Smith
- Ted Baker
- Fred Perry
- Erdem
- Wax London
- Harris Tweed
- Romo
- Roger Watson Lace
As part of NTU’s commitment to enriching society, we share excess materials with local schools, non-profits, and community groups. For example, we have provided donations to Gedling Play Forum (a non-profit resource-sharing centre), local schools such as Oakwood Academy, Nottingham College, and Sheffield Hallam University. By distributing materials to these groups, we support the wider community while minimising waste.
We make every effort to recycle and repurpose materials, ensuring little goes to waste. For example, donated fabric has been used to cut pieces for student manufacturing sessions. Any offcuts produced have then been repurposed in screen-printing workshops and for sewing inductions, where even the smallest remnants of fabric contribute to student projects.
The fabric shop promotes a culture of sharing through our Freecycle bin, located in the workshops. This bin allows students to donate any unused materials and share resources with others. It’s a fantastic way for students to recycle materials they no longer need, making them available for those who can use them, and fostering a collaborative spirit in the creative community.
Looking ahead
We are always striving to improve our sustainable practices and reduce the environmental footprint of our operations. The NTU Fabric Shop is continuously exploring new methods to further promote sustainability and innovation in design.
We’re working towards a future where paper patterns are phased out in favour of digital patterns and plan to invest in a fabric shredder which will allow us to process fabric scraps and offcuts into smaller fibres that can be used to create new textiles.
Nottingham School of Art and Design
The work of NTU's Fabric Shop contributes to a materials exchange project within Nottingham School of Art and Design. Find out more about the school and their facilities