From flax to fabric: how Converge helped spark a sustainable textile venture

Converge, located at Heriot-Watt University, is Scotland’s leading company creation programme for staff, students, and recent graduates across all Scottish universities. Operated from Heriot-Watt University’s campus, Converge has trained over 800 aspiring entrepreneurs, supported over 425 businesses, and helped raise more than £450 million in follow-on funding—delivering an 80% three-year survival rate. Through its collaborative network of academic and industry partners, Converge empowers diverse, high-potential ventures tackling global challenges.

Fantasy Fibre Mill: A Heriot-Watt success story

A shining example of Converge’s impact is Fantasy Fibre Mill, an innovative enterprise co-founded by Heriot-Watt MSc Fashion and Textile Management graduate, Rosie Bristow, and designer-software engineer Nick Evans. Driven by Rosie’s experience working on an organic farm, Fantasy Fibre Mill aims to revive local flax cultivation and close critical gaps in the UK’s fibre-processing infrastructure. By growing, processing, and spinning natural fibres within the UK, the company is pioneering a regenerative “farm-to-fabric” model that reduces environmental impact and promotes ethical production.

Converge win and funding

Fantasy Fibre Mill’s commitment to sustainability and circular fashion secured the 2023 Create Change prize at the Converge Awards, yielding £30,000 in cash and £9,750 in in-kind business support. This award has accelerated the development of the company’s micro-mill in East Lothian, where Rosie and Nick are reconstructing and innovating traditional flax-processing machinery—essential for a domestic flax supply chain to thrive.

Impact

Through Converge and Heriot-Watt’s entrepreneurial ecosystem, Fantasy Fibre Mill is already demonstrating how local, responsibly made textiles can transform the fashion industry. Beyond creating jobs and strengthening rural economies, the venture offers a blueprint for sustainable, low-carbon apparel. Rosie’s and Nick’s endeavour encapsulates the spirit of Converge: real-world innovation that fuses academic expertise, industry need, and a commitment to ethical, environmentally conscious solutions.