A new technology that converts leftovers from winemaking to fully vegetal leather has won the largest slice of a EUR1m (US$1.1m) grant backed by Swedish fashion giant H&M.
The initiative from the charitable arm of global fashion retailer H&M is aimed at spurring ideas to accelerate the shift from a linear to a circular fashion industry.
Other winning projects include a carbon-binding nylon made from biomass and solar energy instead of oil; a technology that breaks down old denim into fine particles and turns it into a colouring powder to dye new denim or make prints on other textiles; a digital thread that facilitates recycling of clothes; and an idea that turns cow manure into biodegradable textiles.
“I congratulate all five winning teams,” says Karl-Johan Persson, board member of the H&M Conscious Foundation and CEO of H&M. “They have the potential to help reinvent the fashion industry, enabling products and resources to have more than one life. Winning the Global Change Award gives you a boost through funding, coaching, industry access and validation that you probably can’t find elsewhere. If you want to help reinvent one of the largest industries in the world, this is the place to go.”
Winners of the Global Change Award will also get help to develop their ideas over the next year from H&M Conscious Foundation, Accenture and KTH Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm, Sweden. The programme will help the winners develop their ideas, focusing on three main areas; circular economy, innovation and fashion industry connection.
The Italian team behind ‘Grape Leather’, will receive the biggest grant of EUR300,000. It is developing a new technology that uses leftovers from wine production to produce fine vegetal leather and eliminates the need for oil to make synthetic leather. The fact that the grape skins and stalks are used for something good, instead of combustion, is an extra plus.
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By GlobalDataIn second place, EUR250,000 is being awarded to a solar textiles project that uses only water, plant waste and solar energy to produce decomposable nylon. The nylon also binds greenhouse gases into the material, contributing to a zero-emissions world.
In joint third place, each securing EUR150,000, are the final three projects.
Joint US/UK project ‘Content thread’ is developing a digital thread that facilitates recycling of clothes. Weaving a tiny RFID thread with a digitalised “ingredients list” into the garment will ensure the recycling process becomes much more efficient and less will go to waste as it becomes clear what materials the garment consists of.
Meanwhile, the Australian team behind ‘denim-dyed denim’ breaks down old denim and turns the fine particles into a colouring powder to dye new denim or make prints on other textiles. This method reduces both water and energy used for production, as well as reuses old denim instead of it going to waste.
‘Manure couture’ is also researching a biodegradable textile derived from the valuable cellulose in cow manure. The significant reduced release of methane gas and substances that pollutes soil, water and air, is an added bonus.
