Make-a-Thek Kickoff Meeting
Fab City Foundation and partners launch a new three-year project aimed at driving sustainable practices in craft and fashion
This month, we launched an exciting new European Horizon project. The consortium gathered in Brussels for the official kickoff, marking the beginning of a three-year journey to transform public libraries into hubs for craft, fashion, and circular innovation.
Make-a-Thek brings together a diverse group of partners to develop a framework for modular makerspaces in libraries across Europe. These spaces will make crafts and fashion more accessible to local communities, promoting circular design solutions and sustainable business models.
The Make-a-Thek consortium includes an inspiring mix of organizations: Global Innovation Gathering, Zentrum für Soziale Innovation, Public Libraries 2030, Fashion Revolution Germany, European Crafts Alliance, OpenDot, Institute for Advanced Architecture of Catalonia/Fab Lab Barcelona, Ukrainian Maker Association, and Fab City Foundation.
Our kickoff meeting started with a tour of Muntpunt Library in central Brussels, home to our partner Public Libraries 2030 (PL2030). Its media lab offers a creative space for the community to connect. The library also provided the space for our co-creation sessions.
Next, we visited Permeke Library in Antwerp, the city’s largest and a key community hub. Seeing how people of all ages, from children to the elderly, felt at home there was inspiring. A highlight was their youth library, a warm, welcoming space designed to engage young people through tailored programs and activities, co-organised by its community. With its commitment to expanding access and outreach, Permeke embodies the values behind Make-a-Thek.
On day two, we visited Green Fabric, a makerspace just outside Brussels specializing in textiles and circular making. Its founder, Valentine Fruchart, a Fabricademy alum, has collaborated with local makers to create open-source textile machines, including a wool-spinning machine and a circular knitting machine. However, like many makerspaces, Green Fabric faces challenges in engagement and community reach — precisely what Make-a-Thek aims to provide support on.
Our Vision: A New Role for Libraries in Circular Fashion
Make-a-Thek is about reimagining public libraries to include hubs for social, open, and circular innovation in craft and fashion. Our key objectives include:
- Expanding access to technology and knowledge to support the green transition, empowering citizens to become prosumers.
- Building sustainable connections between craft and fashion communities, makers, circularity experts, and local library users.
- Blending traditional skills with digital and maker technologies to drive innovation in craft and fashion.
- Accelerating the green and circular transition in the cultural and creative industries, with a particular focus on fashion.
What’s Next? Key Outcomes to Expect
Over the next three years, Make-a-Thek will develop tangible solutions to bring circularity into wider communities. Our expected outcomes include:
- Open-access educational resources on circular design and craft preservation.
- Real-world pilot implementations that empower individuals to become active prosumers.
- A co-designed, modular makerspace framework to help public libraries integrate maker practices.
- A dynamic, interconnected network fostering collaboration across Europe, and beyond.
By leveraging the power of makerspaces in libraries, Make-a-Thek will help democratize access to skills, tools, and knowledge, shaping a more sustainable and inclusive future for craft and fashion.
