A digital system that aims to close the loop on every garment has won the largest slice of an EUR1m (US$1.12) grant backed by Swedish fashion giant H&M.
The initiative from the non-profit H&M Foundation, 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 Sane Membrane by dimpora (Switzerland), Sustainable Sting by Green Nettle Textile (Kenya), Clothes that Grow by Petit Pli (UK), and Lab Leather by Le Qara (Peru).
“The winners of the Global Change Award prove that it’s possible to improve the environmental impact of the fashion industry,” says Karl-Johan Persson, board member of the H&M Foundation and CEO of H&M. “They are a true inspiration and great partners to any fashion company that wants to contribute to protecting the planet and our living conditions.
The German team behind the Loop Scoop project, circular.fashion, will receive the biggest grant of EUR300,000. The group is developing a digital system that provides a circular model where clothes and materials are used and reused over and over again. The solution informs designers how each choice of material, design, and production affects the environment. The garment information is then saved as ‘digital ID’ that consumers can scan to learn how to handle, reuse, update and recycle their fashion. The ID also facilitates proper handling at the recycling plant.
“In five years, our idea will have increased the use of fibre recycling and multiple reuse possibilities tremendously. We envision that 150m circularity.ID’s will be out on the market, ensuring that each circularly designed garment will be regenerated to high-quality fibres after use,” says Ina Budde, co-founder of circular.fashion.
In second place, EUR250,000 is being awarded to Swiss team dimpora for its Sane Membrane project, a biodegradable and mineral-based membrane for outdoor wear.
In joint third place, each securing EUR150,000, are the final three projects.
These include a new process that uses microorganisms to create vegan biodegradable leather for the fashion industry, growing nettles to create sustainable fashion fibres and opportunities for farmers in Kenya, and Petit Pli that develops children’s clothing that expands with the child, while reducing environmental impact.
In addition to the financial grant, all winners also get access to a one-year innovation accelerator programme provided by H&M Foundation in partnership with Accenture and KTH Royal Institute of Technology, taking them to Stockholm, New York, and Hong Kong. The programme also gives access to virtual coaching sessions during the year.
