Approved Textiles, a newly-opened fabric shop is the first South Philadelphia has seen in 40 years and it embraces the humanity of fashion, writes Kiersten Tate for Billy Penn at WHYY.

In 2020, when owner Matthew Addonizio lost his job as a woodworker, he decided to deepen his pursuit of a personal passion and started making clothes.

“I have just a small handmade clothing line that I make myself, but I was really concerned about where the fabric was coming from and what’s the origin story of the materials that I’m working with,” he said.

At Approved Textiles, the main audience is people who are into slow fashion. This refers to a movement that combats the mass production of inexpensive, trendy clothing by large corporation.

The rise of fast fashion and mass production has coincided with the trend of fabric stores that has clothes on South Fourth Street over the past four decades.

As a result, this area — also known as Fabric Row — has transformed from predominantly Jewish-owned family businesses that coexisted with other textile stores to a mix of textile stores, restaurants, and shops that specialize in other items.

The addition of Approved Textiles has added excitement to the neighborhood.

Read more about how Approved Textiles operates and reactions on its addition to Fabric Row at Billy Penn at WHYY.

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