PARIS, April 20 -- At the Nona Source showroom in northern Paris, designers pick through luxurious textiles with ornate names: curly alpaca, geometrical macrame guipure, silk diamond cloque Jacquard.

What makes them really exotic, however, is that they all come from "deadstocks" - the leftovers designers discard when they have finished with a roll of fabric.

Until recently, it was common for deadstocks - like unsold clothes - to be burned or buried. At best, they gathered dust in storerooms.

Ever conscious of its image, luxury giant LVMH set up Nona Source three years ago, selling deadstocks at a sizeable discount to up-and-coming designers.

"I realised there were what we call 'sleeping beauties' in the depots, magnificent fabrics tha...