The Social Hub and Makers Unite join forces to make a social impact

Amsterdam, 19 January – The Social Hub is proud to announce the start of its long-term collaboration with Makers Unite, a social enterprise on a mission to train and support talented creative ‘newcomers’  that have migrated to the Netherlands. As an official partner, Makers Unite will now supply all textile items for The Social Hub's shops across all 16 locations, as well as teamwear for more than 800 employees across Europe. With an order of more than 30,000 items – the largest to date – this collaboration has allowed Makers Unite to take the next step on their ambitious journey: setting up a new atelier in Istanbul. Today, The Social Hub proudly presents the Better Wear collection. From t-shirts and hoodies to caps and tote bags, every item has been co-created to reflect the beliefs of both Makers Unite and The Social Hub – creating a more inclusive society for all.

Together, we create a better society

The Social Hub rebranded in late 2022. Previously known as The Student Hotel, it now has a name that puts ‘Social’ at the centre of its identity, reflecting its position as a hybrid hub that connects guests and the local community. This long-term collaboration with social enterprise Makers Unite is the first project that endorses The Social Hub’s new mission and values.

“We put social impact at the heart of everything we do. Now more than ever there's a need for genuine connection and positive change, we believe, together we create a better society. Our partnership with Makers Unite is a great example of the values we share at The Social Hub. Positive social impact for our community is our main goal. We aim to find like-minded people and businesses to join forces with and help to bring our vision to life. Finding a textile production partner with a core social mission was imperative for The Social Hub, and the Makers Unite vision resonated with us,” said Charlie MacGregor, CEO and Founder, The Social Hub. 

Better Wear collection 

The Social Hub and Makers Unite have designed a series of textile items including t-shirts, sweaters, bucket hats, caps, socks and tote bags. The products are for sale at The Social Hub shops across Europe, available for locals, visitors and long-term guests to purchase. A teamwear range has also been created as part of the collaboration, which will be worn by community hosts. The objective behind the new collection was to create a beautifully designed, meaningful clothing range that’s better for people and the planet. This is achieved through ethically sourced materials, fair wages and an inclusive design. Back in 2016, Makers Unite even held its first gathering as an activist movement at The Student Hotel Amsterdam City, so teaming up simply made sense. Since then, Makers Unite have supported over 270 newcomers with a six-week talent development program called Creative Lab. The collaboration with The Social Hub made it possible for Makers Unite to take the next step on their ambitious journey, setting up a new atelier in Istanbul. The atelier is run by their own team and already supports five newcomers, adopting the same fair, positive ethos as their team in Amsterdam.

Thami Schweichler, Managing Director & Co-Founder, Makers Unite: “The collaboration with The Social Hub for the Better Wear collection is a meaningful milestone in our story. This order enabled us to double our operations and it opens the possibility of impact on a large scale through employment. It reflects our hard work and vision of newcomers and locals who believe in a society where we are all included and proudly accepted for who we are and where we come from. We hope that this collection becomes a conversation starter across the whole of Europe and brings the word forward of a world that we all want to live in.”

The future is now

Beyond the launch of the Better Wear collection, these two purpose-driven companies are exploring new ways to collaborate and drive further positive change.

“We’re proud to launch this first collection with Makers Unite as part of our impact journey. Next to our Better Wear collection, we're also excited to intensify our relationship and engage our community through initiatives that align with both our social missions. In the upcoming months we'll start with a clothing repair workshop that we'll roll out to all locations. Collaboration is one of the key pillars of our sustainability strategy, and by doing so with Makers Unite as well as our other (social) impact partners we believe we can create meaningful, and lasting impact,” said Amber Westerborg, Director of Sustainability and Impact, The Social Hub. 

Impact facts & figures: 

·        5 ‘newcomers’ got work out of this collaboration.   

·        31.729 textile  items were ordered

·        More then 800 people walk in this  new fairly produced clothes all across Europe spreading the story.

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For the editors    For interview requests, image requests and other press inquiries, please contact:  Bibi Timmerman   Bibi.timmerman@thesocialhub.co   M: +31 (0) 610780750

About Makers Unite  

Makers Unite is a textile-based creative agency with a big social mission: to support newcomers with access to the Dutch creative industry. This is achieved through sustainable textile production collaborations and creative projects.