The Endery is an innovative knitwear project based in Brooklyn and Lima, Peru and co-founded by Ellen Saville and Kelly Phenicie. The Endery upcycles and recycles leftover yarn from clothing production to create sustainable women’s fashion. The CFDA spoke with Saville, co-founder & creative director, to discuss why The Endery was born, what their design process looks like and the importance of continuing the life cycles of the clothes we own.

How did The Endery begin? What was the problem that The Endery was initially solving in the fashion industry and how has this evolved over the years in business?

The Endery began in 2019 as a project to utilize craft to tackle the issue of waste in our corner of Peru. The two of us had both been working in textiles in Peru for a good number of years and we were both aligned in wanting to address the huge amounts of leftovers in fashion production; in a colorful and playful way. Kelly owns a knitting factory in Lima, and with our expertise and passion for lowering the impact of the industry – The Endery was born! Over the years, we’ve consistently wanted to use waste in innovative ways through craft, which has led up to develop knitting patterns, tools, and mending resources.

How does The Endery source local artisans in Peru to manufacture the designs we see being sold online today?

As the in-house brand of a knitting manufacturer, we are blessed to have close proximity to not only inspiring materials, but also the talented hands of some of the most skilled craftspeople in the world. We find that balancing both social and environmental approaches has allowed us to build a unique and handcrafted product with a high-impact story.

What does the design process look like when working with already existing colours and fabrics?

It’s definitely trickier than you would imagine! A lot more sourcing and gathering small amounts from different locations during the design process, and then for production quantities can be limited and you really have to tap into what’s available and be very flexible. Sometimes the color you have your heart set on isn’t available, or there is only a little! So design really starts with leftovers and thinking creatively within these confines.

What brands have you collaborated with in the past? How do you choose which brands/designers to partner with?

We were recently thrilled to work Jonathan Cohen, and very excited to explore a new technique for us – embroidery – all in deadstock and repurposed materials.  He really loves working with existing materials and we loved bringing his collection to life. We also have an ongoing collaboration with Lindsay Degen, a knitwear designer, and did an accessories collection for Anthropologie a few years ago. We’re open to brands who have a passion for responsible manufacturing – and of course a love for color!

How does The Endery empower individuals to continue the life cycles of their own garments?

At The Endery, we’ve really leant into all aspects of the garment lifespan. This includes how you wash, care and store your knits, as well as how you increase the individuality and longevity of what you own. We became very obsessed with visible mending during the pandemic, which led us to develop our own mending kit for repairing your clothing, and our own e-learning course, which you can access on the Domestika website.

Watch The Endery’s promo video for their previous collaboration with Anthropologie here.