This five-year project, spearheaded by Fashion for Good, is expected to gain momentum with H&M Foundation as the financial contributor.
Future Forward Factories was launched in June 2025 with the support of anchor funders, including Laudes Foundation, Apparel Impact Institute and IDH.
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The initiative focuses on creating open-source blueprints personalised to regional needs for near net-zero manufacturing on a large scale.
These blueprints will be developed through physical demonstration sites combined with digital toolkits. They will provide suppliers, brands, and investors with a roadmap for an environmentally responsible, socially just and economically viable transformation.
H&M Foundation innovation, research and demonstration head Christiane Dolva said: “Future Forward Factories is not about running yet another headline pilot, it is about tackling the reasons adoption so often stalls.
“Too many good solutions end up in the pilot trap. By co-developing solutions directly with manufacturers and taking on the early risk, philanthropy can help break that cycle and unlock approaches that actually work at scale. What excites me is that this gives suppliers real tools, real examples and a real business case for change, that’s how transformation becomes possible, and replicable.”
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By GlobalDataTier 2 processes in the textile industry are one of the major sources of emissions, but suppliers often struggle with obstacles such as high initial costs, inconsistent standards, and unclear technological directions.
Future Forward Factories aims to dismantle these hurdles by collaborating directly with manufacturers to co-develop solutions, validate them in actual production environments, and openly share results.
The project also prioritises fairness, aiming to ensure that workers, local communities, and suppliers all experience improved conditions and environmental benefits.
In Gujarat, India, a new demonstrator facility is set to be established in partnership with textile manufacturer Arvind Limited.
This site will focus on cotton fabrics and is expected to demonstrate a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions of up to 93% and conserve about 60 litres of water per kg of fabric produced.
Arvind vice chairman Punit Lalbhai said: “At our Gujarat facility, we are showing that significant reductions in emissions and water use can be achieved while maintaining commercial viability — setting a blueprint that other suppliers can follow.”
The Future Forward Factories initiative is designed to encourage widespread uptake within the industry by showcasing practical examples and sharing knowledge freely.
Key targets of the H&M Foundation initiative
- Creating seven open-source blueprints that others can use to create near net-zero emission factories
- Building seven demonstrator facilities that will operate with significantly lower emissions and use less water
- Supporting over 60 suppliers to either fully or partially implement these blueprints in their operations
- Installing more than 100 pieces of low-impact technology in secondary-level textile facilities.
This strategy is led by the suppliers themselves, ensuring it aligns with the actual challenges they face.
Additionally, the initiative incorporates a framework for a fair transition, guaranteeing that environmental strategies also enhance labour conditions, safeguard community interests, and create fresh economic prospects.
H&M Foundation encourages other philanthropic entities and financial institutions to join forces in expediting this systemic shift.
