Fashion

H&M Foundation announces winners of Global Change Awards 2020


H&M Foundation has named the five winners of its annual Global Change
Awards, an initiative launched in 2015 which aims to find and support
companies driving sustainable innovations in the fashion industry.

The winners were selected from a total of 5,893 initial entries from 175
different countries by an expert panel and will now share a grant of 1
million euros.

They will also take part in a one-year Innovation Accelerator Programme,
run in cooperation with Accenture and KTH Royal Institute of Technology, to
further develop their technologies and connect them with leading companies
in the fashion industry.

Five winners of Global Change Awards 2020 announced

Taking the top prize of 300,000 euros was Galy, a Brazilian but US-based
firm which uses biotechnology to create lab-grown cotton called Incredible
Cotton.

Next, US company Werewool received 250,000 euros for its Feature Fibres
which are made from protein DNA with natural colours, stretch and other
features.

Indian company TextileGenesis was awarded 150,000 euros for tacking
sustainable fibres through transparent and reliable blockchain technology
called Tracing Threads.

US company SeaChange Technologies received 150,000 euros for its Zero
Sludge technology which separates and cleans wastewater to eliminate toxic
sludge in landfills.

French company Fairbrics was awarded 150,000 euros for Airwear, a
technology which converts greenhouse gas into sustainable polyester.

Karl-Johan Persson, board member of H&M Foundation and former H&M CEO
said in a statement: “H&M Foundation supports the fight against the
coronavirus, and at the same time we continue to support entrepreneurs and
innovators for long-term sustainability. Every year I am amazed by the
ideas submitted to the Global Change Award.

“The innovations are in themselves challenging the way we think about
fashion. We need to leave the old, linear ways of thinking behind, and move
faster towards a planet positive and sustainable model. The winning
innovations will help our industry reinvent itself and hopefully inspire
others to also find new solutions.”

Since its launch in 2015, the Global Change Award has granted 5 million
euros to 25 sustainable innovations.

Photo credit: H&M Foundation



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