Over the past twelve weeks, the inaugural batch of start-ups was housed at Fashion for Good’s hub in Amsterdam, where they followed a robust curriculum including mentorship and training by Kering and C&A senior management, deal flow sessions with potential strategic partners and links to investors. Through this holistic programme, the Accelerator aims to ensure that the innovators’ solutions are market-ready. In addition, select start-ups are eligible to receive between $25,000 to $75,000 in funding to support the scale-up of their sustainable innovations. Marking their graduation, the first batch of start-ups presented their developed business models to an audience of investors and corporate partners at a Demo Day event held in Amsterdam last week.
Following this successful inaugural edition, a second batch of start-ups will join the Plug and Play—Fashion for Good Accelerator in September. From over 200 applicants and a shortlist of nineteen, ten start-ups from around the world – representing varied fields and backgrounds – have been awarded a place in the Accelerator: Carcel, Circular Systems, Colorifix, Ecofoot, Eon ID, LiteHide™ by LeatherTeq, Nature Coatings, Norman Hangers, We aRe SpinDye® and A Transparent Company. The Accelerator’s partners will work with these start-ups to improve the textile industry’s approach to water use, energy use, waste, chemical use and labour practices during the Accelerator’s second twelve-week programme.
Click to download official photographs
Click to view the Accelerator Programme overview video
A new pilot with Fashion for Good partner BESTSELLER in collaboration with innovator Biophilica aims to test and validate the leather alternative Treekind® as a replacement for conventional footwear materials.
Today, Fashion for Good launches the Home-Compostable Polybag Project, a pilot to test alternatives to conventional single-use polybags.
Since the investment has been made by the Good Fashion Fund, Pratibha Syntex Limited has installed new spinning equipment, solar panels, a continuous tumble dryer, and made enhancements to effluent treatment, with impact results surpassing 50% savings in all key areas.