Building on a renewed five-year strategy, Fashion for Good selects ten new innovators for its 2024 programme to receive tailored support validating their technologies.
It facilitates partnerships with relevant industry stakeholders to drive technology validation, impact assessment, and investment activities.
The selected innovators joining the 2024 Innovation Programme include:
- Algreen Ltd: specialises in co-developing alternative materials from algae and
biobased sources that can replace fossil-based products such as PU. - Balena: focuses on creating partly biobased polymers for footwear outsoles.
- Epoch Biodesign: enzymatic recycler of PA66 and PA6 textile waste.
- Fibre52: provides a bio-based solution replacing traditional bleach
prepared-for-dyeing and dye processes. - Gencrest BioProducts Pvt Ltd: works with various agri-residues to
convert them into textile-grade fibres using their enzymatic technology. - HeiQ AeoniQ: HeiQ AeoniQTM is a continuous cellulose filament yarn with
enhanced tensile properties. - Nanollose - Nullabor: NullarborTMLyocell is developed from microbial
cellulose which is converted into pulp to produce a lyocell fibre with
their partner Birla Cellulose. - Regeneley: pioneers advanced shoe sole recycling technologies by separating and recycling EVA, TPU, and rubber components found in footwear.
- Samsara Eco: specialises in enzymatic recycling of PA66 and PET textile waste.
- Seff Fibre: produces ‘cottonised’ fibres and hemp fabric blends using a patented HVPED process.
Katrin Ley, managing director of Fashion for Good said: “We are thrilled to unveil this year's cohort of ten new innovators for our Innovation Programme. These groundbreaking technologies epitomise our steadfast commitment to embedding new technologies within the fashion industry."
The announcement comes at a time where alternative fibre producers are
struggling with demand challenges.
Last week Spinnova detailed potential job losses, a restructure of its management team and a new focus on technology sales in an effort to turn around the company after FY sales and profit sank with the news coming mere weeks after the collapse of
alternative fibre peer, Renewcell.
Renewcell filed for bankruptcy at the Stockholm District Court due to a lack of sufficient financing and not enough interest in recycled fibres from the wider fashion industry.
While Nicole Rycroft, Canopy’s founder and executive urged the fashion industry bring Renewcell's recycled fibre operations back online as well as enable other ventures that are ready to scale circular materials.
Rycroft described Renewcell filing for bankruptcy due to insufficient funding as a “sobering moment” for the global fashion industry.