Bobbi Ray

Bobbi Ray sells sustainable, stylish children's clothing. The store also offers a mending and upcycling service.

Bobbi Ray is an initiative of Anke, a mom who, in her search for quality second-hand clothing, decided to start a platform of her own. She herself calls it a place to "create, digitally or in real life, where there is a place for second hand, for 'responsible new', for upcycling, for repairs, for buy-back and for sociability". She started a webshop and her sister does the repairs and upcycling for the store. For that, she has her own workshop: haa-sewatelier (www.haa-naaiatelier.com)

Clothing often contains harmful substances and a lot of water is used in its production. Moreover, clothing is usually thrown away as soon as it no longer fits. And with children this can happen very quickly. Therefore Anke went looking for sustainable, high quality clothing that has as little impact on the environment as possible. She set up a webshop, for which her sister Hilke designs clothes, but where she also sells clothes from other sustainable brands. In addition, the sisters together established a repair garage where they repair and upcycle clothing. Meanwhile, Anke no longer buys clothing, but almost the entire new collection is upcycled from discarded adult clothing or second-hand.

What is the most important thing to look for in secondhand clothing, according to Anke? The purity of the brand and fabric. The clothes should be soft and easy, while being able to take a beating. In her store, customers can bring in such clothes or have them repaired and, of course, buy them. In addition, Bobbi Ray works with a buy-back system. This means that parents who have bought children's clothes in the store can return them when they no longer fit. Depending on the condition of the clothes, they receive an amount for them. In this way they always get a second life. In addition to their own brands, they can also bring in any children's clothing that is too small to sell. The brand does not matter. In the store there is a lot of second-hand clothing.

If a garment is too damaged to sell, Anke and Hilke look for ways to upcycle the fabric. For example, a pair of broken jeans for adults can be turned into a pair for children.

Every first Saturday of the month, the store in Deurne is open continuously from 11 am to 5 pm. At other times customers can make an appointment to have a look at the collection. Purchases from the webshop are delivered in the wide region around Deurne with a cargo bicycle.