i-did

From textile waste to recycled felt and circular products

i-did gives discarded textiles a new life by turning old clothes and corporate uniforms into recycled felt, all inside their own factory in The Hague. No dyes, no shortcuts, just the real colours of the waste that comes in. And behind it all? A mission that’s as much about people finding their place as it is about rescuing textiles.

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Corporate uniforms and textile waste transformed into recycled felt bags and interior products by i-did | Waste Alchemists

About the alchemists

Meet i-did’s founder, Mireille Geijsen (left) who started the company in 2009 after seeing how difficult it was for her highly educated Kurdish friend to find work in the Netherlands. That experience sparked a powerful question: “Why aren’t we using work as a tool for social inclusion?” Joined by director Michiel in 2012, i-did shifted from slow fashion to tackling the massive mountain of textile waste. All of this while still staying true to the mission of creating dignified, meaningful jobs for people distanced from the labour market. Today, i-did combines social impact, circular design, and creative problem-solving into one powerful, purpose-driven factory.

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textile recycled into new products

job seekers

started a guided program

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water saved by recycling textiles

About the waste

Textile waste is everywhere and it is estimated that in the Netherlands alone throws away around 330 million kg of clothing every year. That includes branded workwear, uniforms and post-consumer clothing that pile up in warehouses, sorting centres, and bins. Companies can’t donate uniforms because of identity fraud risks, and most discarded textiles aren’t recycled at all. So i-did offers to transform that textile waste for these companies.

About the process

At i-did, everything happens in-house. They start by receiving textiles from clients and assessing quality, colour and fibre potential. The clothing is shredded and felted in their own factory, without any dyes, chemicals, or shortcuts. The colours you see in their creations are simply the colours that went into the machine. The final step happens in the atelier, where team members (many using a sewing machine for the very first time) stitch, assemble and bring every piece to life. It’s circularity, craftsmanship, and empowerment all together.

About their creations

The recycled felt becomes bags, organisers, laptop sleeves, acoustic panels, lamps, and custom pieces for companies who take responsibility for their own waste. The designs are created either from i-did’s own collection or developed collaboratively with their clients. One special item remains close to Mireille’s heart: the “Mireille Bag”, the very first prototype she made at home when no one believed recycled felt could ever compete with “new” materials.

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The circular commitment check

When a company sends in its discarded uniforms, curtains or textiles, the story doesn’t end there. i-did only accepts the waste if the company also commits to buying back the circular products made from it. Suddenly waste isn’t just something to get rid of, but something the business must take responsibility for. And that responsibility transforms into value.