Tilli enters receivership to scale its textile repair business internationally

Tilli, the company that coordinates a network of 1,200 European textile repair and alteration workshops, was placed in receivership at its own request on September 17, 2025, according to FashionNetwork.com. When contacted, its founder, Beryl de Labouchere, explained the company’s situation: through this process, it is seeking a way to scale up to an industrial level.

Launched in 2016, Tilli saw its revenue grow to €550,000 in 2024, up from €300,000 the previous year. With a staff of eleven, the network has also doubled its number of workshops over the past year, connecting customers in need of textile repairs and alterations. The platform now operates in England, Italy, Spain, Belgium, and Switzerland. Tilli currently collaborates with major international brands, including Zara, Etam, American Vintage, and Ba&sh, and aims to support its clients’ expansion into the U.S. market.

“Business is still growing,” said the founder. “But we realize that to fully reach our potential, bring as many people on board as possible, and become the European leader, we need acceleration at an industrial scale. It was with this in mind that we entered receivership, which is simpler for a buyer, to begin discussions.”

An acquisition offer reviewed by FashionNetwork.com has been submitted by Bleriot Reekom Factory, a company based in Aulnay-sous-Bois (Seine-Saint-Denis) that specializes in the upcycling and reconditioning of textiles and furniture. “Several other offers are currently being drafted,” added de Labouchere. Ideally, the buyer will be a player already operating in the field, able to rapidly increase order volumes and elevate Tilli to a new level.

Tilli’s customer portfolio includes a mix of fashion brands and retailers such as Cartier, Zapa, Soeur, Zadig&Voltaire, Tara Jarmon, Flotte, Madura, Asphalte, Faguo, Maison Lemoine, Bonjour, and Montagut — along with second-hand platform Vestiaire Collective and department store BHV Marais.

Expansion in Europe and the United States

In addition to its 1,200-workshop network, which generates 250,000 services annually, Tilli offers a strategic SaaS (software-as-a-service) platform. This subscription-based tool enables brands to integrate a search widget into their websites, helping customers find nearby textile service providers. Workshops retain 70% of the service price, with the remainder funding Tilli’s operations.

Aside from this referral service, 10% of Tilli’s revenue is generated through the direct shipment of products to remote workshops when no nearby provider is available.

“All the partner brands that we have — and those joining us now — want to expand in Europe, and for some of them, very quickly in the United States. That’s another reason we’re looking to have an industrial player at our side: we need financing to accelerate, and on our own, that would take too long,” said de Labouchere, citing cash flow challenges. “When you’re first in a market, you have to invest to build everything. And initiatives to shift consumption, like ours, take time.”

In a market where competitors with distinct models, such as Prolong, Save Your Wardrobe, Sojo, and Les Réparables, are gradually emerging, Tilli has observed a surge in interest in textile repair — particularly in France, where the “repair bonus” covers part of the cost of services.

“Previously, our business was 30% repairs and 70% alterations. Now we’re at 50/50,” said the founder — a sign that demand for textile repair services is continuing to grow.