DyeRecycle has developed a technology that enables the reuse and recycling of dyes directly from textile waste for use in the dyeing of new fabrics. A patented solvent is used allowing for reduced chemical, water and energy usage, and the decoloured fabric/fibres can feed into recycling processes allowing new end of use streams. Founded in 2020 

Refiberd offer an integrated automated sorting and chemical recycling technology to deal with blended post-consumer textile waste. By utilising a combination of spectroscopy, machine learning and image processing for sorting and custom cellulose dissolution for chemical recycling, Refiberd’s technology can reduce material waste to landfill and lower CO2 emissions. Founded in 2020. 

Modern Synthesis has developed a high performance petrochemical and latex free bacterial cellulose based composite to replace conventional Polyurethane and conventional leather. Their patent-pending ‘microbial weaving’ process employs bacteria to a cellulose-based composite material that is naturally biodegradable or closed-loop recyclable, with reduced emissions compared to PU leather. Founded in 2019 

Rubi turns industrial CO2 emissions into drop-in cellulose pulp for MMC alternatives utilising a cell free, enzyme based direct biochemical process. Through mimicking the process of trees, Rubi’s technology can achieve cradle-to-gate carbon-negativity and produce output for use in existing textile mills. Founded in 2020. 

Ever Dye has developed a novel dyeing process with biobased pigments including a proprietary pretreatment, that allows for dyeing at room temperature on cellulosic yarn and fabric. The process utilises less energy than conventional dyeing and no use of petro-chemicals, and is also faster than traditional methods. Founded in 2021. 

Kintra has developed a biodegradable and recyclable polyester alternative from a novel, properietary version of poly butylene succinate (PBS) derived from renewable feedstocks. The fibres are designed to be digested to CO2 and water within a wastewater facility, and fit recycling schemes or industrial compost at their end of use. Founded in 2018.

IDELAM’s technology enables delamination of multi-material products or waste, such as jackets and footwear, through processes utilising supercritical CO2. The disassembly of such products allows for more effective recycling and reuse of substrates. Founded in 2019. 

Premirr Plastics have developed a continuous flow-through (CFT) system to recycle PET materials into a BHET monomer that can then be used to manufacture PET products containing recycled content. The technology enables closed-loop polyester textile recycling, both reducing textile waste and reliance on petroleum-derived virgin PET. Founded in 2015. 

Gaiacel has developed a novel dyeing innovation to make industrial rope and slasher dyeing processes sustainable and cost-effective. Their patented nanocellulose hydrogel along with dye particles sticks to textile surfaces and eliminates the need for multiple dipping, indigo reduction and additional chemicals, making the process less water and energy intensive compared to conventional indigo dyeing. Founded in 2022.

PICVISA is an innovative technology based company that designs, manufactures and supplies optical sorting and separation equipment to recover and grade textiles and can be fully customised to the clients needs, by its composition and colour. They add value by automating the entire process of sorting using Artificial Intelligence, conveyer belts and robotics to eliminate human error and delay. Founded in 2000.

Vaayu is the world’s first automated carbon-tracking software for retailers, enabling businesses to reduce their footprint by providing accessible, real-time data to drive carbon-reduction at scale. By integrating with point-of-sale systems, such as Shopify, and leveraging proprietary AI and machine learning technology, Vaayu draws insights from production, sales and logistics to deliver a tangible solution in the fight against climate change and a more sustainable future for retail. Founded in 2021.

Alchemie Technology has developed clean-tech dyeing and finishing processes which are enabled by its unique digital fluid jetting technology. The process is currently focused on polyester and will soon be available for natural fibres such as cotton. Alchemie’s digital manufacturing solutions for dyeing and finishing deliver significant reductions in environmental impact: reducing wastewater, chemistry and energy consumption.

AnamXR builds virtual immersive B2B sell in and DTC gamified retail experiences that improve inclusivity and amplify sustainability narratives whilst having significant environmental impacts such as reduced sampling, (air) travel, retail stores and returns. The AnamXR platform uses their proprietary technology in combination with game engine technology to achieve 3D realism and optimal user experience which are accessible anytime, anywhere from any device.

Biophilica transforms garden and park waste into TreekindTM – a leather alternative that is compostable, plastic-free, estimated carbon neutral, and recyclable as green waste or into new TreekindTM material.

eCO2Dye has developed solutions for pretreatment and dyeing of natural and synthetic fibres in supercritical CO2​ offering a complete package from process, equipment, dye specification to a colour database. The process uses no water and significantly reduces chemistry and energy use and only uses already existing CO2 that gets recycled after use.

Lignopure provides a platform technology developing a 100% plant-based leather alternative made from industrial side-stream lignin and natural rubber, making it a biobased and inherent biodegradable polymer. The multiple applications include apparel, furniture, automobile leather or polyurethane alternatives.

Living Ink is a biotechnology company transforming waste-algae material into a bio-based carbon black that can replace petroleum derived carbon black. The pigment is jet black, UV stable and has the potential to be carbon negative. Living Ink has integrated the pigments into a variety of ink formulations and has tested the pigment in a variety of other materials ranging from plastics to polyurethane foams.

Made2Flow uses machine learning-based solutions to gather data directly from production partners and validate it based on multiple sources. The data is then benchmarked and translated into environmental impact indicators such as CO​2,​ water, biodiversity, energy. This way it helps consumers make informed decisions and it gives brands oversight over their supply chain impact hotspots enabling them to reach their science based targets.

MTI-X Ltd. is an advanced materials and processing technology company which developed MLSE® (Multiplexed Laser Surface Enhancement) systems to digitally pretreat and finish both natural and synthetic textile materials. It uses significantly less energy, chemicals and water than conventional pretreatments, and safe and inert gases.

OSM Shield’s ZERO chemistry solution is a non-PFAS high performance durable water and oil repellency technology which is free from all perfluoro alkyl compounds. It can be applied using traditional application methods on all fibre types, but the focus is on cotton and polyester.

Perfitly is a cutting-edge AR/VR-AI based size recommendation and visualisation platform for fashion e-commerce – helping brands reduce returns. Online shoppers try on clothes using their custom digital body double to find their perfect fit and look, all from the comfort of their home.

RESCOLL offers a thermal-debondable separation technique for different applications in the fashion industry. They use debondable adhesives and primers that provide strong bonding during the use-phase; however, once thermally activated, they allow for easy separation – enabling further reuse and recycling of material components.

Stony Creek Colors creates a plant-based indigo that can replace petrochemical based synthetic indigo dyes. They optimise indigo production in a (non-GMO) closed loop process which has the potential to be carbon negative. In addition, they are working with small-scale farmers and helping them to switch from tobacco to indigo which can provide them with a more stable income stream and keep prime farmland in agricultural production.

The Hurd Co. engineers fibre pulp made from 100% agricultural waste feedstock to be converted into viscose alternatives. The zero waste AgriloseTM process uses less water and significantly less energy than conventional man-made cellulosic fibres.

traceless materials develop home compostable films, rigid materials and coatings that are 100% bio-based, derived from agricultural residues and are competitive in price and quality. Because they fully degrade in the environment, products made from traceless materials can substitute plastics in many products that potentially end up in the environment, and thus contribute to solving global plastic pollution.

Polaris works on the development of a polyurethane for carbon capture, reuse and sequestration. They use microalgae as a feedstock to explore the production of various products for polyurethanes, polyurethanes, plastic composites to name a few.

Swatchbook is a cloud platform revolutionising the exploration, visualisation and sharing of materials. The platform enables suppliers to upload their materials along with other metadata and pricing details for brands to further explore, discover and visualise materials, sharing them with other stakeholders for further use.

PoshaQ is a computer vision AI startup focused on product discovery and sales conversion within the fashion and retail sector. They provide retail and warehouse automation, data intelligence and cataloging, and quality control with image processing.

Phool upcycles floral waste from temples and mosques in India with their ‘flowercycling’ technology to make a florafoam that is a 100% biodegradable, compostable, high-performing and inflammable alternative to Styrofoam as well as a bio-leather called Fleather also made from the flower waste.

Nordshield provides anti-mould, anti-bacterial, anti-viral and insect repellency finishes based on natural resources (waste from the forestry industry), which are free from heavy metals. Easy to apply both during production and as a post-treatment, products retain the anti-microbial effect even at extremely high temperatures and after more than 60 washes.

Aquaporin is a cleantech company dedicated to solving global challenges of water pollution and scarcity. Their solution is an energy-efficient industrial water filtration technology mimicking biological membranes, capable of recovering up to 95% of clean water for reuse.

Chlorohemp Agrotech is working towards commercialising the hemp value chain in India by developing large scale fully integrated hemp processing units and applying cutting edge biosciences to develop an effective research database on Indian Hemp varieties. Hemp requires far less input than cotton, grows like a weed, and the fabrics are antibacterial, strong and breathable making them desirable for both summer and winter.

Demeta is a Green Chemistry company specialising in the development of new high-performance materials and chemicals. DEMETA is currently developing bio-based pigments and dyes not only as viable alternatives to current petro-based material, but also more performant in terms of properties and safer in terms of toxicity.

Deven Supercriticals is an innovation driven company dedicated to supercritical CO2 based processing, offering an efficient single step dyeing as well as finishing technology for man-made, natural and blended textiles. Their innovative supercritical CO2 based dyeing allows the use of traditional dyes, improved dye utilisation, easy scale-up and less than half the batch time needed in current supercritical CO2 dyeing processes.

Graviky is a material innovation startup that turns end-of-life carbon emissions into industrial grade materials, helping manufacturers produce more sustainably and creating a more positive impact on climate. Emissions are recycled into products such as screen-print and inkjet inks, dye stuff and transfer inks that could be used in apparel and packaging applications.

Greenhope is a social technology enterprise manufacturing biodegradable technologies to address hard-to-recycle items that are too small, contaminated, not economically viable, or destined for landfills. Their Ecoplas bioplastic sources starch from local farmers and turn it into sustainable packaging for apparel, food, and non-food applications.

MYCL is a biotech startup collaborating with global fashion brands to replace animal leather with low-impact leather from mycelium. MYCL is also empowering local communities by promoting gender equality with the 200 farmers in their value chain, 50% of whom are female.

Quantum Polychemics leverages jute (a bast fibre) bio-polymers with tunable properties and practical applications to meet the growing demand for plastic-alternatives in textiles and packaging. Their current application has been used to make multiple products like their Sonali bio-bag, surgical aprons and personal protective equipment.

t-hues began with a collaboration between Dynawash (an industrial apparel dyer) and SLINTEC (a nanotechnology research institute) that saw the creation of a natural dye produced from tea waste from Unilever. t-hues can offer a sustainable dye with a wide range of colours and a reduction in the carbon footprint

WiseEye provides intelligent solutions for automating the inspection processes along the fashion and textile supply chain. They specialise in computer vision, image feature extraction, pattern recognition and deep learning technologies to automatically and instantly detect and grade the defects on woven and knitted textile materials reducing loss and wastage due to faulty textiles by 90%.

As a homegrown leader in Indian recycled plastic products, Lucro produces high quality, innovative and recycled plastic waste to remake products, ultimately seeking to close the loop and make plastic sustainable. Lucro caters to big industries including retail, FMCG and automotive, exporting their products to the US and Europe.

KB Cols wants to change the landscape of dyeing in the fashion industry by focusing on harnessing the true potential of Biotechnology. Through the exploration of various renewable resources, KB Cols extract natural colours that can be applied in textiles and other applications.

BANSS technology makes bamboo and agri-waste based granules that are alternatives to plastic, are certified home compostable, and can be drawn into textile fibres and fabrics that have fashion, medical and industrial applications.

Bagrotec initiates and executes various sustainable bamboo processing projects for textile fibre production. Using a proprietary process, bamboo is mechanically processed before enzymes are applied to naturally produce organic bamboo fibre.

An Herbals has a patented circular herbal dye extraction, herbal dyeing and bioprocessing technology, that converts waste from the forest, food and ayurvedic medicine industries to dyes that are non-toxic with self-binding, antiviral, antimicrobial, antifungal, anti odour, UV resistant and mosquito repellent properties for up to 50 washes in all textiles. Founded in 2019. 

huue (formerly Tinctorium) produce natural, pre-reduced Indigo dyes that are a drop-in replacement for synthetic Indigo, free of impurities with the same performance as synthetic Indigo.

Fermentech Labs is addressing the disposal of agricultural and forest residues, such as straw, peels and pine needles, through a patented biotechnology using microorganisms. They convert organic waste, otherwise destined for incineration, into industrial enzymes that are used for textile bio-polishing, desizing and bio-scouring and by utilising these sustainable feedstocks, support farmers to have an alternative income stream. Founded in 2017.

Recycrom is a dyestuffs range made using recycled, used clothing, fibrous material and textiles scraps made from cellulosic fibres. The dyestuff can colour any cellulosic and natural fibre as well polyamide.

Oritain wants to be the most trusted company in the world at scientifically proving origin. It provides traceability through an innovative combination of forensic science and statistics. It believes that in order to know where something truly comes from, you have to test the product itself.

Cooltrans Technology employs low-carbon, environmentally friendly inkjet and gravure printing technology and eco-friendly dyes for textile printing, renders delicate and vivid prints to textile fabrics.

Imogo focuses on sustainable production processes, primarily in the textile industry. Their innovative new processes for dyeing textile materials that can dramatically reduce the wasteful use of water, chemistry and energy in the textile dyeing process.

Materra builds agile farming systems to empower more sustainable cotton supply chains. Their work focuses on better infrastructure, better farm management and radical transparency to work towards climate-resilient cotton agriculture.

Sodhani Biotech produces non-toxic chemical free natural dyes and colours from plants, plant waste and microorganisms. They produce 16 natural dye extracts using optimised extraction processes that have resulted in better yields, a wider range of shades, better water solubility and good colour fastness for printing and dyeing applications. Founded in 2018. 

GALY engineers cotton in labs through the multiplication of cells directly into the cotton fibre, removing steps of traditional cotton farming. As a result they can grow cotton without the use of pesticides or fertilisers, using considerably less water.

Full Cycle’s patented technology converts waste streams such as inedible food waste, agricultural by-products and used paper/cardboard into Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA) bioplastics that degrade in the soil and the ocean.

UKHI Hemp Foundation is a farm-to-market company, producing more than five hundred products from hemp, including hemp textiles, papers, bioplastics, composite, food products and medicines. They improve farmer and artisan livelihoods by training them to cultivate hemp and produce fabrics with higher hemp content using improvised fibre extraction processes. Founded in 2019.

Fairbrics provides a novel process to create ethylene glycol (a component of polyester) from waste CO2. The resultant chemical is identical both chemically and practically to petroleum-based ethylene glycol.

Econic provides an innovative catalyst technology that facilitates incorporation of waste CO₂ as a raw material into polyols, replacing up to 50% of traditional oil-based feedstocks. Waste CO₂ is cheaper than oil-based raw materials, plus offers enhanced product performance and environmental benefits.

Dryfiber provides a fluorine-free durable water and oil repellent textile finish which is completely water-bourne and can be applied through traditional finishing processes.

Bear Fiber is developing a novel biotechnological cottonisation process and manufacturing platform for fibre production with hemp that uses less water and energy. The cotton-like hemp fibre and yarns can be easily spun with cotton to produce textiles and finished garments.

TextileGenesis is a blockchain traceability system specifically created for the apparel sector that focuses on sustainable fibres such as wood-based fibres, organic cotton and organic wool. Consumers can scan the barcode with their mobile device to see the various steps that were taken to create the product.

PurFi rejuvenates pre-consumer textile waste back to virgin quality fibres virgin quality products from corporate waste streams to create a closed loop solution. The technology can process cotton, PET, cotton/poly blends as well as separate out elastane.

JSP Enviro treats common effluents with Microbial fuel cells technology. The technology treats effluent water that can be reused, simultaneously producing energy thereby reducing the need for external energy, making it a self-sustainable waste-water treatment.

InfiniChains is a leading end-to-end track and trace solution using blockchain, AI and Cloud Computing to help brands and manufacturers to digitise sustainability practices. Through real-time data, efficiency and storytelling, they bridge the fragmented gaps between the different sustainability systems of farmers, manufacturers and brands.

Indra Water has developed affordable, fully automated wastewater management treatment and packaged re-cycling solutions. The process is capable of a variety of water treatment through novel innovations in electro-coagulation, electro-chemical oxidation, two-phase solids separation, disinfection, distillation and pollutant monitoring hardware.

Descatuk has developed a process of fibre extraction and yarn creation from grass to produce a fabric that has a similar look to linen but a lighter touch. Grown in the highlands of India, the wild grass needs neither water nor pesticides. Descatuk also has a positive impact on livelihoods by providing fair job opportunities for locals​.

BlockTexx turns textile waste into a resource, stimulates the production of new products and meets consumers demands to reduce the environmental impact of our everyday clothing.

AltMat (previously Canva Fibre Labs) uses a mixture of mechanical, chemical and enzymatic process to produce industrial fit fibre and yarn made of agri-waste such as hemp and banana waste sourced directly from farmers and hemp producers.

Smartex uses a combination of IoT sensors and AI/machine learning software for the real-time inspection and detection of defects in fabric production. The technology helps textile manufactures improve production yields reducing defective production down to 0%.

Cadel Deinking removes printed ink and labels from plastics and through mechanical recycling can produce high quality, high recycled-content pellets. The de-inking technology produces pellets of similar quality to that of new plastics and can be used in the same applications as new material.

Cocoon Biotech has developed a bio-technology platform designed to produce a bio-compatible silk protein. Their platform dissolves raw cocoon silk, post-consumer silk waste and supply chain waste into a liquid protein solution, from which fibre, liquids and gel materials can be produced.

Frankie Collective is dedicated to reworking excess products into high-demand streetwear styles. Vintage garments and overstock that would otherwise end up in landfill are salvaged and reworked into contemporary items.

PreSize is a 3D body scanning technology that uses any smartphone’s camera input to find the best fit to the users’ individual body. Unlike other smartphone fit solutions, PreSize is completely web-based and uses a video of the consumer to estimate key points of the body, ensuring a higher level of accuracy in measurements.

Based in Germany, RE-NT offers a circular, white label rental service and online platform. Consumers have access to the latest fashion which they can rent and brands can still engage with their audience without having to deal with operations and logistics.

Resortecs produces a dissolvable stitching thread for easy repair and recycling of garments. Used in attaching trimmings, such as zippers, buttons and fasteners, the threads are aimed at garment repair, recycling and reusing materials from unsold stock and dissolve when exposed to heat

Returnity creates custom designed, reusable and recyclable shipping packaging for individuals and businesses, providing a sustainable packaging solution for a better customer experience and engagement.

Sozie’s approach to sizing is to use real-life consumers to produce fit and style feedback for garments that match the potential buyer’s size and body type. “Sozies” are given 24 hours to find garments in retail stores and report back with photos, style comments and experience in fit. In time, a library is produced and shoppers can instantly browse content from consumers that match their body type

Spintex, a spin out from the University of Oxford, manufactures pure and strong silk fibres. Fibres are spun from water-based silk solution, partly sourced from pre-consumer waste streams, amongst others. The technology platform can create bespoke, next generation fibres and materials.

The Fabricant is a digital fashion house leading the fashion industry towards a new sector of digital only clothing – wasting nothing but data and exploiting nothing but imagination. The Fabricantspecialises in photo-real 3D fashion design and animation which can be used in digital fashion editorial.

Pure Waste Textiles produces ecologically sustainable and premium quality recycled fabrics and yarns.

Checkerspot designs high performance materials at a molecular level with technology at the nexus of biology and chemistry.

FastFeetGrinded seeks to make footwear circular by collecting and recycling used shoes into new shoes. Together with retailers, they collect used shoes that are then sorted and deconstructed into their component parts. These material streams are manufactured into new products like playground flooring but also feed back into the footwear manufacturing supply chain

Dimpora has invented a novel waterproof membrane material. Current waterproof membranes use toxic chemicals that bioaccumulate in the natural environment.

Infinited Fiber Company is on a mission to harness cutting-edge technology and make circularity in textiles a reality. Its breakthrough innovation can turn any cellulose-rich raw material – think worn out clothes, cardboard, or wheat or rice straw – into unique textile fibers with the natural look and feel of cotton. Impurities, like polyester or elastane, are cleaned out in the process. The technology has been validated by leading textile brands and is ready to be scaled up. Infinited Fiber Company won the Europas 2020 Hottest Sustainability Tech Award, and was listed on the Global 50 to Watch by Cleantech Group in 2019. In 2016 they were selected into WWF’s Climate Solver network.

The Renewal Workshop takes damaged inventory and returns and processes them into Renewed Apparel, upcycling materials, or feedstock for recycling. Data is collected and shared with partners to help them improve design, production and impact. The Renewal Workshop operates a zero waste circular system that recovers the full value out of what has already been created to help brands reduce waste, recover value, and profit in recommerce.

Is a digital marketplace where companies can exchange excess materials and products. EME matches materials with their highest value reuse option, enabling companies to turn their waste into wealth, combatting unnecessary landfill, incineration, and overproduction.

&Wider is looking to help bridge the data gap on working conditions in global supply chains. &Wider calls workers on their mobile phones through their cloud platform to generate insights about their working conditions and wellbeing for buyers and employers.

Indidye has developed a new, low environmental footprint, dyeing method for their natural plant-based dyes. This new process uses sound waves to bind natural dyes to cellulosic fibres. Indidye’s technology uses less water, creates no wastewater, is biodegradable, and requires less energy than a conventional dyeing process. Indidye also produces a dye stuff and is developing a cellulosic fibre – both of which are 100% biodegradable.

Indigo Mills Designs is revolutionizing the Indigo dyeing process by making it more sustainable, more economical and faster. This patented state-of-the-art foam dyeing process produces zero water discharge and minimal dye waste all while producing deep indigo colours that the fashion industry loves.

VeChain is a blockchain-enabled product management platform. Using blockchain technology to secure product data enables retailers and manufacturers to easily collect, manage, and share data across the supply chain.