FabBRICK is a revolutionary new building material created from recycled fabric. Its creator, the French architect Clarisse Merlet, decided to use textile waste to develop a resistant, lightweight, ecological, and aesthetic brick. 

The 27-year-old Merlet took an alternate career path, rather than the typical one, deciding not to join an architectural firm. After earning a master’s degree and driven by her keen interest in decoration, she chose to join the growing number of professionals dedicated to green building and ecological construction ventures. 

Garbage for some, bricks for others  

Considering the importance of recycling and all the current interest in zero CO2 emission buildings, and knowing the tons of textile waste produced by the fashion industry each year -an estimated 4 million tons in Europe and 17 million tons in the United States- Merlet decided to take advantage of these resources. Her idea was to provide an alternative to the market for new construction materials that would reduce the demand for natural virgin materials and make use of resources that had already been extracted. 

This is how FabBRICK was born, a brick made of recycled fabric and ecological glue that responds well to fire and is resistant to humidity, aside from being a good insulator of heat, cold, and even sound. 

These bricks made of fabric, which are already being used to build partition walls, decorative structures, and even furniture, are lighter than traditional bricks, making them easier to transport and install. Additionally, they are also incredibly strong and durable. 

As far as structural construction is concerned, this is not yet a usable material. However, Merlet is working on it and hopes that it can be done in the future. 

Nothing is lost, it’s only transformed  

Since its creation, FabBRICK’s approach has attracted the attention of fashion giants and internationally renowned brands committed to the environment. So, it doesn’t come as a surprise that Levis, Decathlon, Galeries Lafayette, Aigle, Vinci, Printemps, Mini, and Paris Design Week are among its customers and suppliers of raw materials for her bricks. 

In the future, FabBRICK aims to set up a factory in each region or country that produces textile waste, thereby contributing to the reduction of the substantial amounts of carbon dioxide (CO2) generated by textile industries around the world.