Fashion for Good announced seven new innovators selected to participate in its 2022 Asia Innovation Program.
Chosen by Fashion for Good brand and manufacturing partners during a hybrid digital-in-person event in Mumbai from a group of global innovators, the nine-month program provides the participants with tailored support to help them scale, matching the innovators with relevant industry partners to drive piloting, implementation and investing activities. The selected innovators joining the Fashion for Good 2022 Asia Innovation Program are Picvisa, Gaiacel, AN Herbals, Fermentech Labs, Sodhani Biotech, Vaayu and UKHI Hemp Foundation.
“We are extremely excited to kick off our third year in Asia and continue to generate tangible impact in the region with the addition of these seven new innovations,” Priyanka Khanna, head of Asia eExpansion at Fashion for Good, said. “By providing them with a platform to learn and grow, and connecting them with leading industry players, the program offers an opportunity to drive the implementation of their solutions in the supply chain at scale.”
Focusing on processing, one of the most impactful steps in the value chain, this year’s selection of innovators are developing technologies with the potential for positive disruption within this area in the Asia region.
AN Herbals, Fermentech Labs, Gaiacel and Sodhani Biotech are developing solutions in dyeing, pretreatment and finishing from plant, forest and agricultural waste using technologies such as bioprocessing, nanocellulose and microorganisms. The remaining innovators present innovations in raw materials, impact and end-of-use, with UKHI Hemp Foundation exploring alternative materials from hemp, Vaayu tracking carbon impact through the value chain and Picvisa enabling the recapture of value from existing materials.
As with previous selections, these innovators receive bespoke support based on the immediate requirement of each innovator to scale, as well as exposure to corporate partners and industry ecosystem players vital to their continued growth and development. The seven new innovators mark the fourth selection of innovators to participate in the Asia Innovation Program since establishing a presence in Asia in 2020, which has supported a total of 28 innovators through the program.
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Fashion for Good is a global platform for innovation. At its core is the Global and Asia Innovation Program that supports disruptive innovators on their journey to scale, providing hands-on project management, access to funding and expertise, and collaborations with brands and manufacturers to accelerate supply chain implementation.
To activate individuals and industry alike, Fashion for Good houses an interactive museum dedicated to sustainable fashion and innovation to inform and empower people from across the world and creates open-source resources to action change.
Fashion for Good’s programs are supported by founding partner Laudes Foundation, co-founder William McDonough and corporate partners Adidas, C&A, Chanel, Bestseller, Kering, Levi Strauss & Co., Otto Group, PVH Corp., Stella McCartney, Target and Zalando, and affiliate and regional partners Arvind, Birla Cellulose, Norrøna, Pangaia, Reformation, Teijin Frontier, Vivobarefoot, Welspun and W. L. Gore & Associates.