home for new business

With over 50,000 square feet of facilities spread over 10 buildings, The Trampery Fish Island Village is a new hub for fashion and innovation in the Hackney Wicks Fish Island development and housing scheme, situated beside the Hertford Union canal in London’s lively East End.

Providing subsidized, low-cost studios and workspaces for emerging and growing fashion businesses, the project offers 63 studios ranging from 150 square feet to 2,000 square feet, dedicated co-working spaces, and a manufacturing facility where tenants can collaborate and share equipment. There is room for over 500 people to work on the site every day.

For independent small businesses trying to challenge the way the fashion industry operates, it can be daunting, says Genia Mineeva, founder of sustainable accessory brand Been London, who moved into the studio at The Trampery Fish Island Village in March 2021. So being part of a community of fellow innovators this amazing thing has been one of the best things to happen to us.

Our first step as a brand making accessories entirely from waste coincides with The Tramperys Sustainable Fashion Accelerator [which supports new sustainable businesses]. The group we belong to have all become very good friends and are now next-door neighbors here at The Trampery Fish Island Village.

It’s not just studio space that we get here. We hang out, we learn from each other, we share our ups and downs, and most importantly, we collaborate. It’s a support network we can only dream of.

It is the latest location in The Trampery’s ongoing coworking space project and aims to build a community of shared innovation and collaboration, and bring entrepreneurial buzz to Hackney Wicks’ new Fish Island development.

Other businesses that have become home to The Trampery Fish Island Village include women’s footwear brand Ancuta Sarca, clothing label Petit Pli, and children’s clothing resale business Dotte (see below for more).

The Trampery concept was founded by CEO and social entrepreneur Charles Armstrong in 2009, when he opened the first co-working space in east London. Today, The Trampery is an independent workspace provider, operating a portfolio of locations across London offering a mix of private studios, co-working spaces, venues and hospitality. As a certified B Corp business, The Trampery’s stringent environmental and ethical accreditations embed social and environmental impact into all of its activities.

Starting in the 1990s, Hackney Wick and Fish Island emerged as one of London’s most important creative hot spots, says Armstrong. Many feared that this energy would be lost by the redevelopment of the area after the 2012 Olympics. Now, Fish Island will continue to thrive as a creative hub for decades to come. I’m excited to welcome a new generation of sustainable fashion innovators to this inspiring campus.

Trampery Fish Island Village was realized with the support of a 2.26 million grant from the European Regional Development Fund, and a 617,000 grant from the Mayor of London’s Good Growth Fund, with matching funding from development housing provider Peabody.

The project is the anchor campus for the Fashion District, which supports fashion innovation in east London. The Fashion District is delivered with partners including the Mayor of London, the London College of Fashion, the London Legacy Development Corporation (LLDC) and the British Fashion Council.

Some of the businesses that already call The Trampery Fish Island Village home:

Ancut Sarca

Romanian-born designer Ancuta Sarca debuted his first footwear designs at London Fashion Week through talent incubation platform Fashion East in 2019, and now counts some of the most prominent luxury clothing retailers as wholesale stockists.

The eponymous brand creates sustainable hybrid footwear from upcycled, deadstock and used fabrics. This place is known for repurposing and recycling old sneakers into stylish shoes and heels.

Focusing on circularity through the reuse of existing fabrics, Ancuta Sarca is one of the latest brands to join The Trampery Fish Island Village, which is moving in January 2023.

instagram.com/ancutasarca

Never London

Launched via Kickstarter in 2020 by Genia Mineeva, Been London is an eco-friendly bag and accessories brand based in The Trampery Fish Island Village since 2021.

Innovative and sustainable materials are the key to this business. Pineapple leaf and apple peels are converted into vegan peels; discarded skins are reused and reused; and plastic waste is recycled into coatings and hardware.

All products are manufactured in east London by a zero-waste design process that uses only square and rectangular panels to minimize material waste.

been. london

Petit Pl

Founded in 2017 by aeronautical engineer Ryan Mario Yasin, Petit Pli is an apparel and accessories brand that uses patented folding technology throughout its designs, all of which are now designed at Hackney Wick.

The pleating system means that Petit Pli garments can grow both ways to fit multiple sizes in one garment.

For children’s clothing designs, which are separated into ages 0-1, 1-4, and 4-9 years old, the pleated design saves clothing waste, because clothes grow as children get bigger and taller, so they can be worn for longer.

shop.petitpli.com

sabina

Operating from The Trampery Fish Island Village since November 2019, Sabinna is a brand of women’s clothing, accessories and home appliances. It describes itself as ethical, innovative, and woman-led.

It uses sustainable alternatives throughout its collection, such as organic cotton, viscose deadstock and natural dyes. All goods are produced in small factories in London, Portugal and Italy.

sabinna.com

Wear Problems

Designer Gemma McAllister has a background in fashion design and disability services, and combined her passion for both in the launch of Wear Matter.

This new brand creates inclusive clothing for people with disabilities and those who don’t.

It is moving to The Trampery Fish Island Village in October 2022.

wearmatter.com