Built by creators, for creators

The Creative Lab

Leading Platform Supporting
Sustainable Creators in
Fashion, Design & Art

The Creative Lab is an Amsterdam-based platform supporting sustainable creators in fashion, art & design. Founded in 2022 by creators Roos Koks and Marijn Stouthamer, it was born from the need for a place where creators could meet, share their work, and connect with their audience.

60 +

Creators on our Platform

10 ×

Events per Year in Amsterdam

500 +

Creators in our Growing Community

  1. (01) Pop-Up Markets
  2. (02) Entrepreneural Masterclasses
  3. (03) Fashion Show x AFW
  4. (04) Pop-Up Store
  5. (05) Live Model Painting

Our Events

The Creative Lab makes conscious, local, and unique shopping more accessible while helping sustainable creators grow. Through physical events—mainly in Amsterdam—we create spaces where independent creators can showcase their work, reach an audience that values conscious shopping, and become part of a growing creative community.

OUR STORY

Every creator was operating on their own small island—working from home, selling online, and rarely meeting others.

The Creative Lab started because we experienced the same challenge ourselves. As creators, we missed a place where we could meet like-minded creators, present our work, and build genuine connections with our audience.

So we began transforming big venues across Amsterdam into vibrant pop-up markets, bringing together sustainable creators in fashion, art, and design under one roof. A place where they could meet, connect with their audience, and inspire one another—while enjoying good music, drinks, and bites. It wasn’t just a market, but a celebration of creativity and the people behind it. What started as a single event quickly grew into a creative community.

Today, The Creative Lab is representing more than 500 creators through pop-up markets, stores, educational events, collaborations, our fashion show x Amsterdam Fashion Week, and our online platform. Everything we do is driven by one goal: making local and sustainable creativity more visible, accessible, and connected.

Our values

  1. 1 Sustainability

    We believe sustainability takes many forms. From handmade collections and upcycled designs to carefully curated vintage, we champion creators who offer a thoughtful alternative to fast fashion and mass production. By supporting independent creators, we encourage conscious consumption and celebrate products made to last.

  2. 2 Creativity

    We celebrate originality over mass production. Every piece on our platform has its own story, shaped by the vision, craftsmanship, and creativity of the person behind it. We believe creativity deserves to be seen, valued, and shared.

  3. 3 Local Impact

    We believe strong creative ecosystems are built through local connections. By bringing creators together at our events across the Netherlands and supporting small businesses across Europe through our platform, we create opportunities for collaboration, shorten supply chains, and make sustainable shopping more personal and transparent.

  4. 4 Accessibility

    We believe choosing local and sustainable should be easy. By bringing independent creators together in one physical and digital space, we make it easier to discover unique products and shop directly from the people behind them. We work with creators who set fair prices that reflect the time, skill, craftsmanship, or thoughtful curation behind each piece.

  5. 5 Community

    We believe creators thrive when they grow together, not alone. That's why we create spaces where makers can meet, exchange knowledge, collaborate on new ideas, and support one another. Whether at our pop-up markets, educational events, or creative gatherings, we believe meaningful connections are just as valuable as sales.

Our founders

  • Roos Koks

    Co-founder The Creative Lab & Founder ROOS

    Besides co-founding The Creative Lab, Roos founded her handmade bag label ROOS in 2020 in Amsterdam. Through this label, she transforms sustainable materials and deadstock fabrics into timeless crossbody bags and accessories. She made every piece herself for five years on her sewing machine, and has since been supported by a small atelier in Portugal.

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  • Marijn Stouthamer

    Co-founder The Creative Lab & Founder Marijn’s Hoedjes Enzo

    Alongside co-founding The Creative Lab, Marijn also launched her own label, Marijn's Hoedjes Enzo. Since 2022, she has been carefully crocheting colourful accessories, mostly headwear—from her signature balaclavas and beanies to bold, fluffy statement hats. Every piece is handmade, one stitch at a time, embracing the slowest form of fashion!

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"Behind every piece is a creator worth celebrating. We are here to tell their stories."
OUR MISSION

Our mission is to make local, sustainable shopping more accessible while supporting independent creators in growing their businesses. We help small creative brands and makers gain visibility, build community, and find new opportunities.

Through our events and platform, we give creators the tools they need to turn their passion into a sustainable business—helping them grow into confident, successful creative entrepreneurs.

Our Webshop

After three years of hosting physical events, we’ve launched The Creative Lab webshop. What started as a long-held dream has grown into a platform where independent creators can continue to sell and grow beyond physical events, and where customers can discover and shop their work 24/7.

Our webshop is a curated space for sustainable, handmade, and thoughtfully curated creations by emerging creators. More than a marketplace, it is a community built around creativity, craftsmanship, and connection. Every piece is sold directly by the person who crafted or carefully curated it, creating a direct connection between creator and customer.

Each creator shares their own story, sets prices that reflect their craftsmanship, and fulfills every order themselves. This ensures that every purchase has a direct impact—supporting independent creative businesses while offering something meaningful, high-quality, and full of character.