About us
We are LMB.
With over four decades of pioneering experience, we stand at the forefront of the textile reuse and recycling revolution across the UK. Our mission is to build partnerships that foster sustainability, empower local communities, and champion technological innovation in the textile recycling field.
We partner with Local Authorities, charitable organisations, and fashion brands, providing trusted solutions for textile and footwear collection, reuse, and recycling.
Our approach is driven by a commitment to maximise the lifecycle of each garment. We channel pre-loved clothing into the hands of the people who will value it the most. When a garment reaches the end of its useful life, we transition it into our multiple recycling avenues, ensuring the maximum potential value is realised.
We currently process in excess of 1000 tonnes of textile waste every month through our facilities in East London and Suffolk. As we accelerate towards a future where sustainability and technology develop hand in hand, LMB remains your steadfast partner, dedicated to not only embracing change but also shaping it.
Values
LMB are committed to maximising the value of textiles that exist in the world today. We play our part by developing new practices and collaborating with others to create innovative solutions that will enable us to transition to a more sustainable clothing world.
People
Community is at the heart of our values. From our educational programmes for schools, to our close partnerships with local social enterprises, we prioritise people at every point in our business. Taking a hands-on approach to education and community incentives, we’re building recycling into the everyday for our community.
One of our long-standing partnerships has been with the Ministry of Justice. For over twenty years we have worked with the prison and probation services to provide recycling workshops within prison establishments, and employment for people on release.
As a result, we’re actively reducing reoffending, and providing new opportunities for those incarcerated and their families. Working closely with the Ministry of Justice, we’re committed to providing the training and support for offenders to develop the necessary skills for green jobs within the emerging circular economy.
Planet
Our goal is to keep textiles in circulation, extending their impact beyond their first lifecycle. Repurposing materials and providing alternative solutions enable us to actively decrease the amount of textile waste ending up in landfill.
Solution
We operate textile reuse and recycling solutions for Local Authorities, brands and charities. With our highly flexible system we can create tailored solutions for each of our partners, creating more efficient programmes that maximise resource recovery.
Evolution
1978
The seeds were first sown for LMB when Lawrence M Barry was working for his father's company, T.P Moore. The company specialised in recycling ship ropes from London's dockyards.
Lawrence quickly realised that old clothes had huge potential for new value, and started his own business in 1984. In the advent of the affluent eighties, people had started to discard clothes not just because they were old and tatty, but simply due to shifting fashion trends.
1990
During the 1990’s LMB emerged as pioneers in textile recycling, introducing textile banks to the streets of towns and cities in the South East of England. The initiative achieved instant success, providing people with the means to engage in recycling long before household paper and plastic recycling became commonplace.
1993
As living standards increased in the UK, so did the quality of donated clothing. This transformation enabled LMB to cultivate diverse reuse markets both within the UK and internationally.
1997
The success of the business was recognised when the company was awarded the prestigious Queens Award for Export in 1997.
2020
In 2020, our sister company Reskinned was established. Reskinned provides a one-stop takeback solution for clothing brands, driving transformation within the fashion industry. LMB's role involves overseeing recycling capabilities, facilitating the momentum towards circularity in the clothing sector.