Modern Fabrics leads the way celebrating EARTH DAY’s 50th anniversary

During the Covid-19 crisis, volunteers around the globe are virtually gathering their clean up efforts in honor of this golden anniversary of Earth Day, while a family owned, award winning fabric store, Modern Fabrics, has been steadily leading the way to a greener earth for thirteen years. Their efforts have brought them acclaim, winning 2018 Recycler of the Year from the Wipe Out Waste Ambassador Program.

Being eco-conscious is not just a business model for Ewa Powell, owner of Modern Fabrics, it is her happy place. “I moved to NC specifically for hiking. I love hiking. If I had the choice for a different career, I would be a hiking guide. Whenever I feel like quitting it all, that’s what I want to do, I want to run away and hike the Appalachian Trail and forget everything. The happiest I feel is hiking alone in the mountains, with my dog. So when I think about Earth Day that’s what I think about. I think about the beauty of our natural earth. That’s what Earth Day is about. The earth is our ultimate mother. The hard thing about caring about the earth is that we do not see the impact that we’re making. It’s hard to have people see the importance of earth day because they don’t see the earth changing, but it really is. Our company saves the earth one roll at a time, one yard at a time. Every yard you buy is one yard less that will pollute the earth.“

The push for a greener, clean earth has always been at the heart of Modern Fabrics mission. Since 2007, James and Ewa Powell, owners of Modern Fabrics, have been transforming trash to treasure, from the early days of dumpster diving to rescue excess fabrics, to becoming exclusive buyers at top outlets. “We’re no longer driving around in our Subaru begging for fabric,” James says. “We’ve forged long-term business relationships and positioned ourselves as a company that wants, and gets, the best fabrics.” 

 Modern Fabrics comes between luxury residential and commercial furniture manufacturers and the landfill, diverting 15,000 pounds of discarded fabric and leather from the waste stream every month, and 180,000 pounds of industrial waste from the landfill every year. The fabrics are meticulously identified and categorized, noting the textile brands, patterns, colorways, collections, and origin, making it easier to find fabrics by specific designers, patterns or past favorites. These brand new, non-recyclable fabrics are collected from all around the United States, sold at a 50 to 75 percent discount through their website www.modern-fabrics.com, and their 3,000 square-foot shop in Charlotte, NC, run by Deborah Worthy. The luxury fabrics are immediately ready to be upcycled and reused for furniture, pillows, craft or interior design projects. During the Covid-19 stay at home order, the store is open by appointment only. Contact Ewa for your appointment today.

Ewa talks about 50 years of Earth Day and what it means to her.

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