Check out our FAQ

Upcycling is the practice of using existing materials in their current form for a different and ideally improved purpose.

Recycling would mean we would take the material, grind it up into fibers, have it re-woven into new thread and then into new textiles and then use thoserecycled textiles to make new products.

Not at this time. Our products are available on our website, at select markets or retailers around the region and directly at our shop when we host Misfit and Sample Sales. Follow us @publicthread for updates.

We love collaborations! Let us know if you have an idea or just want to start brainstorming. Do you want batches of our products for an event? Or co-design a new product? Want to upcycle your banners/signs/billboards into products you can use?

There are so many options - let's discuss!

We love it. Fill out the form above and let us know what you need, how many, due date (please allow 8-12 weeks for custom orders) and any parameters you have (need specific colors, style, custom tags, etc).

Yes! We have a lot of material, colors, styles, samples and ideas. Custom colors, tags, design modifications, different materials, and much more.

We will let you know what everything costs up front and walk you through the whole process.

So happy you are here. We can only do what we do because of our amazing manufacturing partners! We would love to hear from you on what surplus and scrap material you have, how much of it, and what ideas you may have for re-incorporating it back into your supply chain thru upcycled products.

Let's talk! Fill out the form above to get started.

Fantastic. Its a very useful and fun skill to have. We are starting Learn to Sew classes in early 2024. Sign up for our newsletter and follow us on social @publicthread for more info on classes and upskilling opportunities.

We'd love to help! Fill out the form above to let us know and stay tuned for our Fundamentals of Industrial Sewing Classes we offer in partnership with GRCC that give you a full scope of what its like to sew for employment. Classes beginning again in early 2024.

Let's create together. Please contact us when you have a full idea for a product and share as much as you can about what you want to make.

You are the best. Let us know and we'll plug you in - we have a lot of different ways for you to engage!

We work with post-industrial textiles. "Post-Industrial" means leftover from the manufacturing process to make furniture, shoes, clothing and other sewn products. The materials are "new" and unused. In our community we work with heavy duty industrial fabrics, upholstry fabrics, vinyl, nylon, wool, foam backed materials, wovens, 3D Knit mesh, leather, webbing/straps, hardware, thread, billboard vinyl, signs, banners and much more.

We partner with local manufacturers across West Michigan to keep their and our carbon footprint lower. Please note: we do not take used clothing, home goods or other used/worn materials at this time.

Our address is 446 Cesar E Chavez Ave SW, Unit 213 (2nd Floor), Grand Rapids, MI 49503We are in a large, old manufacturing building just south of the corner of Wealthy St. / Cesar Chavez. Enter the large parking lot just South of the intersection and follow the Public Thread signs.

It depends - we make products in small batches. If its available on our website we have the products made and ready to ship.

If we are working on larger batches those can take 8-12 or more weeks depending on the customizations, complexity of the product, production jobs in the queue and more. We can rush jobs for a fee too - whatever your needs are let us know and we'll work to make it happen.