WAKEFIELD – To kick-off our new ‘Big Closets, Small Planet’ podcast series, host Michael Schragger of the Sustainable Fashion Academy sits down with Greg Stillman of the Plug and Play Tech Center and Rogier van Mazijk of Fashion for Good to get some independent insight on what are the hottest environmental fashion innovations and business ideas right now.
“If you’re anything like me and you pay attention to that intersection between apparel and sustainability, you are likely mesmerised by all those periodic announcements about breakthrough ideas, these technologies aimed at transforming our industry,” said Schragger as he introduced Stillman and van Mazijk. “Some days you’re reading about the use of a new material, or better yet a way to trace the origin of our clothes using blockchain technology, or artificial intelligence,” he noted, so what is the best way for innovations to be prioritised and introduced?
Listen to the full podcast here.
Stillman said that’s exactly what Fashion for Good has been doing over the past couple of years since its launch supported by the C&A Foundation: “So-called incremental innovations or even big innovations from existing players are likely to be well-identified and have a chance of success, but someone coming from a garage, someone coming from an adjacent industry, they really need a voice, a place at the table.
“That’s essentially what Fashion for Good does, it literally sits them down at the table next to a potential brand partner and off you go to try and make a business development arrangement,” he noted.
In this 45 min podcast Schragger takes a deep dive into a sea of innovations coming through related to the fashion sector, and asks of those currently on display, which are making the most waves? Van Mazijk said: “I really like the chemical recycling space, it’s really a space that everyone is watching and it is currently developing ‘MVP-ready’ innovators that are currently in the phase of first pilot, first implementation, which is getting to numbers and volumes that will really be a stepping stone towards transforming the industry.”
He added: “I’m very hopeful that something will come out of the 10 – 15 innovators that are currently in maturity there.”
If you need help orienting yourself to the field of the latest sustainable apparel innovation, then this podcast is essential listening for you.