The global platform Fashion for Good has chosen 13 new start-ups for this year’s Accelerator Programme via a virtual selection day.
Due to the current circumstances surrounding Covid-19, Fashion for Good has held its very first virtual selection day, hosting the international audience of corporate partners and innovators through an online webinar.
Overall, 21 innovators pitched their ideas to Fashion for Good corporate partners and advisors and 13 innovators were then selected from the group to begin the Accelerator Programme immediately.
The selected innovators of the seventh batch are: Bear Fiber, Dryfiber, Econic, Fairbrics, Full Cycle Bioplastics, Galy, HydroCotton, Imogo, Nrel, NTX Cooltrans Technology, Oritain, Officina +39: Recycrom and Tinctorium.
“Despite changing circumstances, our important work for innovation continues,” says Katrin Ley, managing director, Fashion for Good. “For the first time, we hosted our selection day virtually.
“As such, we are excited to welcome 13 innovators into our programme, representing the most disruptive solutions in the areas of raw materials and wet processing.”
As with previous programmes, the seventh batch of innovators will receive tailor-made mentoring, guidance on impact assessments, access to industry expertise and market validation from founding partner Laudes Foundation (formerly C&A Foundation) and programme partners including Adidas, C&A, Chanel, Bestseller, Galeries Lafayette Group, Kering, Otto Group, PVH Corp, Stella McCartney, Target and Zalando, as well as affiliate partners Archroma, Arvind, Norrøna, Vivobarefoot and Welspun, to catalyse the implementation of their innovations at scale.
Previous selection days have been hosted in the Fashion for Good headquarters in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, where corporate partners, innovators and key industry players convened for an extensive day programme consisting of industry and pilot project-focused workshops and panel discussions, keynote speakers, presentations and, of course, pitches from shortlisted innovators.
In addition, the event provides an opportunity for guests to gather together with other professionals from across the industry, meet face-to-face and network during the lunch and post selection day drinks. The virtual selection day attempts to capture the same experience online, hosting multiple workshops and panel discussions and providing scheduled times for open discussion.
With more than two years’ experience in running Accelerator and Scaling Programmes, Fashion for Good has increased the duration of the Accelerator Programme to better cater to the needs of the selected innovators, allowing them the time and means to develop their innovations and businesses further. The extended programme provides more opportunities with programme mentors and bespoke coaching, better preparing them for growth and eventual widescale implementation.
Bear Fiber – US
Bear Fiber is developing a novel biotechnological cottonisation process and manufacturing platform for fibre production with hemp that uses less water and energy. The cotton-like hemp fibre and yarns can be easily spun with cotton to produce textiles and finished garments.
Dryfiber – US
Dryfiber provides a PFC-free durable water and oil-repellent textile finish, which is completely water-bourne and can be applied through traditional finishing processes.
Econic – UK
Econic provides an innovative catalyst technology that facilitates incorporation of waste CO2 as a raw material into polyols, replacing up to 50% of traditional oil-based feedstocks. Waste CO2 is cheaper than oil-based raw materials, plus offers enhanced product performance and environmental benefits.
Fairbrics – France
Fairbrics provides a novel process to create ethylene glycol (a component of polyester) from waste CO2. The resultant chemical is identical both chemically and practically to petroleum-based ethylene glycol.
Full Cycle Bioplastics – US
Full Cycle’s patented technology converts waste streams such as inedible food waste, agricultural by-products and used paper/cardboard into polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA) bioplastics that degrade in the soil and the ocean.
GALY – US
GALY engineers cotton in labs through the multiplication of cells directly into the cotton fibre, removing steps of traditional cotton farming. As a result, they can grow cotton without the use of pesticides or fertilisers, using considerably less water.
HydroCotton – UK
HydroCotton grows sustainable cotton in a transparent way. HydroCotton is developing a technology for cotton agriculture that reduces water and fertiliser by 80%, while also being grown in an insecticide-free environment.
Imogo – Sweden
Imogo’s Flex Dyer consists of multiple steps including a spray application unit, used for both dyeing and finishing, and a proprietary fixation machine. The technology results in significant environmental and monetary savings due to the reduced number of dyeing and finishing processes required and increased accuracy.
NREL – US
NREL works on the development of a polyurethane for carbon capture, reuse, and sequestration. It uses microalgae as a feedstock to explore the production of various products for polyurethanes, polyurethanes, and plastic composites, to name a few.
