In Amsterdam, global fashion sustainability initiative Fashion for Good has announced 15 start-ups to participate in its 12-week accelerator program.
Eight of the 15 start-ups aim to use renewable raw materials to improve the sustainability of fashion supply chains. Algiknit produces a textile fiber made from kelp that is dyed with natural pigments. BioGlitz produces biodegradable glitter made from eucalyptus tree extract, while Flocus uses kapok fibers to produce yarns, fillings and fabrics. Frumat creates vegan leather from apples. Mango Materials produces biopolyester; Orange Fiber manufacturers fabrics from byproducts of the citrus industry; and Paptic produces renewable packaging materials made from wood fibers. Provenance Biofabrics produces a leather equivalent by engineering the self-assembly of collagen molecules
Other winners include Circular.Fashion, a software company looking to improve the circular nature of the fashion industry; Good on You, a mobile app that provides ethical ratings for fashion brands; and
PlanetCare, which has developed a filter for washing machines that captures microplastics and prevents them from ending up in waterways.
The accelerator program’s curriculum includes mentorship from partners and scale-up support.
Fashion for Good was launched by C&A Foundation and convenes brands, producers, retailers, suppliers, non-profit organizations, innovators and funders to “reimagine the way fashion is designed, made, worn, and reused.” Other partners include Kering, Adidas, Galeries Lafayette, Target and Zalando.