New look for remnant shop

A LONG-established fabric retailer is gearing up for the 21st Century with a radical re-brand.

A LONG-established fabric retailer is gearing up for the 21st Century with a radical re-brand.

The Remnant Shop - which was established 65 years ago and now trades in Felixstowe and Colchester, supplying a wide range of materials for people to make their own clothes, curtains and soft furnishings - has been relaunched as Fabric8.

But while insurance giant Aviva recently spent a reported �10million on rebranding its Norwich Union business in the UK, Fabric8 owner Robert Bamberger has created his business's new identity on a budget of just �10,000.

“The business began during the Second World War when the emphasis was on make do and mend, and the wartime generation were doing just that with clothes, curtains and soft furnishings,” he said.

“Nowadays with new clothes from India and the Far East so cheap, very few people do more than sew on a button or stitch a hem to save buying new.

“Our customers today are the people who love working with materials, who want something different from what you can pick up ready-made, and want the thrill of creating something unique.”

Mr Bamberger added: “With any family company you agonise on changing your name especially when you're a local shop that's been known for at least three generations.

“The acid test, though, is whether you would choose the old name if you were starting the same type of business now.”

Val Crampin, who manages the Felixstowe branch, added: “It is important to take the plunge. Our town is growing with new people moving in every day. Fabric8 sums up what we do now, and the name will appeal to customers who wouldn't otherwise think about popping in or visiting our website.

“Most people will take to our new name quickly but no doubt some older customers will call us The Remnant Shop for many years to come.”