Five innovations for a sustainable fashion industry

Since 2015, KTH has been a partner in the non-profit organization H&M Foundation’s Global Change Award, named the Nobel Prize of sustainable fashion. Five innovative and ground-breaking ideas that can contribute to a more sustainable fashion industry share a 1 million euro grant and each earn a place in the tailor-made innovation accelerator, where KTH Innovation plays an important part.

“There is huge potential for new technology and solutions to create a more sustainable fashion industry and the Global Change Award is right in the center of that shift, says Lisa Ericsson, Head of KTH Innovation. The Innovation Accelerator is key to setting the winning innovators on the right path, and we’re glad that our expertise at KTH plays a vital role in that journey”, says Lisa Ericsson, Head of KTH Innovation.

This week, the winners were meant to come to Stockholm and KTH to begin their one-year journey in the accelerator program, but due to the current situation the program has moved online, something which has worked surprisingly well given that the winners are scattered all over the world, says Lykke Westgren, Business Development Coach at KTH Innovation.

This year, Global Change Award received 5,893 entries from 175 countries.

These are the winners of Global Change Award 2020:

Incredible Cotton by GALY (Brazil). Using biotechnology to create lab-grown cotton.

Feature Fibres by Werewool (US). Creating fabrics from protein DNA with natural colours, stretch and other features.

Tracing Threads by TextileGenesis (India). Tracking sustainable fibres through transparent and reliable blockchain technology.

Zero Sludge by SeaChange Technologies (US). Separating and cleaning wastewater to eliminate toxic sludge in landfills.

Airwear by Fairbrics (France). Converting greenhouse gas into sustainable polyester.

Read more about how KTH works with the Global Change Award here.

See more of the winners on globalchangeaward.com

Text: Lisa Bäckman