Shamini Dhana, GCB.D, CCB.D

🌍 Exciting news! Apparel Impact Institute (Aii) has just announced the newest round of Climate Solutions Portfolio (CSP) grants, part of the $250 million Fashion Climate Fund aimed at unlocking $2 billion in blended capital for industry-wide decarbonization. These grants provide essential funding and support for scalable, science-based solutions that help the fashion industry reduce its environmental impact.🌱 This round of grantees – Pozzi, Grant Thornton, and Amphico – are tackling unique supply chain challenges with innovative technologies, offering measurable greenhouse gas reductions. Collectively, these projects have the potential to save over 24,000 tCO2e within their first year of implementation! 💡 Highlights include: * Pozzi's advanced heat recovery system for the textile wet processing sector * Grant Thornton's innovative approach to energy conservation in the lubricant industry * Amphico's cutting-edge color-mixing technology for textiles, creating vibrant fabrics with reduced environmental impact A huge congratulations to these trailblazers for their commitment to a sustainable future. Learn more about their projects and how Aii is driving decarbonization efforts across the industry #Sustainability #ClimateAction #Decarbonization #FashionIndustry #ApparelImpactInstitute #InnovationForImpact #CSPGrantees #SustainableFashion #Decarbonization

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California just made a groundbreaking move toward a sustainable future with The Responsible Textile Recovery Act of 2024! This exciting Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) legislation mandates businesses to take a proactive role in the recycling and responsible disposal of textiles by requiring textile producers to establish and manage systems for collecting and recycling their products. Key aspects include: -Producer Responsibility: Producers, including manufacturers, distributors, and retailers, must develop a stewardship plan to collect, recycle, or properly dispose of textiles that consumers can no longer use​. -Stewardship Programs: Producers can create individual programs or join collective stewardship organizations to handle their recycling obligations. -Collection and Recycling Infrastructure: Businesses are encouraged to facilitate the repair and reuse of textiles. -Regulatory Compliance: The California Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery (CalRecycle) will oversee the implementation and compliance of these programs. Similar bills will soon be seen in other states, therefore at Collective Circularity, we're here to help businesses easily navigate this evolving landscape. Our expert team provides comprehensive recycling solutions that ensure compliance with EPR regulations while promoting sustainability and circularity. Together, we can make a real impact! Join us in revolutionizing recycling and making our nation a leader in environmental responsibility. Let's turn waste into resources and build a sustainable tomorrow, today! #SUSTAINABLEFUTURE #SUSTAINABLEFASHION #GREENINITIATIVE #TOGETHERFORCHANGE #TEXTILETOTEXTILE #CIRCULARECONOMY #WEARTHECHANGE

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Had a great conversation with SustainCERT during Climate Week NY 2023. Excited to announce that we will be back in NYC in September to launch and workshop our "Brand & Retailer Sustainable Finance Playbook." The playbook will bring together brands, retailers, suppliers, banks, development banks, and philanthropies to defragment and align various ways to invest in decarbonization, creating demand for suppliers to take on critical factory efficiencies, upgrades & improvements. Join us in creating a more sustainable future for the fashion industry. Check out this interview from last year's Climate week NYC with SustainCERT #ClimateWeekNYC #SustainableFinance #FashionIndustry #Decarbonization

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What Laurel Mintz and Fabric VC are doing to change the current and long-standing suboptimal standards of venture capital is truly inspiring. The VC industry has historically been dominated by a narrow demographic, often overlooking the incredible potential that diverse founders bring to the table. Laurel's work is a breath of fresh air, showing that by supporting a wider range of voices and perspectives, we can achieve more innovative and successful outcomes. Her dedication to fostering an inclusive environment where all entrepreneurs have the opportunity to thrive is not just admirable, but necessary for the future of business. As a woman entrepreneur myself, I understand the challenges that come with navigating a landscape that hasn't always been welcoming or equitable. That's why I am so grateful for leaders like Laurel, who are not just talking about change but actively making it happen! #DEI #Entrepreneurship

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Remake's VP of Advocacy Emily Stochl is featured in California Apparel News alongside fashion sustainability leaders reflecting on the progress we've made to address human rights and climate justice in the fashion industry: "Disasters like the Tazreen and Ali Enterprises factory fires in 2012 and the Rana Plaza factory collapse in 2013 were entirely preventable. In many ways they led to the International Accord, which today protects over 2 million workers in Bangladesh and Pakistan. After years of grassroots campaigning, the Garment Worker Protection Act passed into law in California in 2021, addressing the root causes of systemic wage theft in apparel manufacturing by eliminating the piece-rate system of pay and holding fashion brands jointly liable for workplace violations. This led to the introduction of the proposed federal FABRIC Act, which builds on its precedent-setting workplace protections with additional major incentives to accelerate responsible, domestic apparel manufacturing. Currently, the FABRIC Act has 380-plus business endorsements, nine Senate co-sponsors, 21 House co-sponsors, and its passage would mark another major milestone in the journey of sustainability in fashion." More here: https://hubs.li/Q02T5L9W0

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In this conversation, Thomas Poetz discusses the importance of sustainability in the textile industry and the potential of digital technologies to address sustainability challenges. He highlights the significant water consumption and CO2 emissions associated with analog processes and emphasizes the potential for digital processes to reduce water consumption and CO2 emissions by up to 95%. Thomas Poetz, FESPA, FESPA UK Association, FESPA Nederland, Fespa Belgium, FESPA France, FESPA ITALIA Associazione, FESPA ESPAÑA ASOCIACIÓN, FESPA Hrvatska, Magyar Szitanyomók Szövetsége - Federation of Hungarian Screen and Digital Printers -FESPA.hu

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Carbonfact (YC S21) has raised $15 million in Series A funding to help decarbonize the apparel and footwear industry. Calculating carbon emissions in fashion is complex, requiring over 100 data points per garment, from weight to energy usage in manufacturing. The sector struggles with this due to complex supply chains and increasing reporting demands. Founded by Marc LAURENT, Romain Champourlier 💚, and Martin Daniel, Carbonfact's carbon management software equips fashion companies with tools to measure, reduce, and report their products' emissions, aligning with regulations like the EU’s Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD). The software cleans and analyzes a company's data, filling in gaps with machine learning to produce reliable emission calculations, even from incomplete data. This enables brands to pinpoint high-emission processes, develop reduction strategies, and automatically generate reports for carbon disclosure. It not only tracks CO2-equivalent metrics but also monitors other environmental indicators like water consumption and French eco-labels, known in the industry as Product Environmental Footprint Category Rules (PEFCR). Carbonfact is already in use by over 150 apparel and footwear brands, such as New Balance, Columbia, Carhartt, and Allbirds, covering all their subsidiaries, suppliers, and products — with each client investing tens of thousands of dollars annually to use the platform. Congrats to the team on the Series A!

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California recently advanced The Responsible Textile Recovery Act of 2024, which aims to address textile waste through an extended producer responsibility (EPR) framework. The bill (SB-707, Newman) would require California producers to establish and fund a program that would incentivize textile reuse, repair, and recycling. In this Vogue Business article, Fibershed's Advocacy Coordinator Heather Podoll says: “There is a great deal in this bill that we are excited about. We are eager to see implementation of a textile recovery and processing program that [gives preference to] repair and reuse, and glad for the priority given to processing facilities closer to the point of collection to improve accountability and reduce associated emissions.” Fibershed has been advocating for strong environmental and social accountability to be codified in the proposed program. We hope this bill will not only improve textile recovery infrastructure and incentives but also support healthier textile systems overall, with accountability to the communities currently bearing the highest burden of our textile waste and its impacts. ♻️ Read more in this article by Rachel Cernansky. #ExtendedProducerResponsibility #ResponsibleTextileRecoveryAct #TextileWaste

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According to the Sorting for Circularity USA report, clothing accounts for over three-fourths of all unwanted textiles generated in households in the U.S. Learn more insights in Fashion for Good's report that our team supported at https://lnkd.in/dMJbeiJw. #TextileRecovery #CircularEconomy #SlowFashion #TextileRecyling​ ​

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Happy to share The Fashion Pact's latest: An Update on Progress, for which I wrote the foreword. We shouldn't pretend to have all the answers, but we do know that no single fashion company can deal with the big issues alone. Climate, biodiversity, sourcing, just transition, and so on. All of the issues we need to address, to get to the vision of a net-zero and nature-positive fashion industry, require companies across the value chain to work together. Collaborative leadership, instead of purely competitive leadership. In my view, reading this progress update should make us feel three things. Encouraged by the achievements so far. Impatient, because of the scale and speed of reform now needed. Emboldened to go faster and do more. Onward we go. #NetPositive

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Don't miss the Apparel Impact Institute 2023 Impact Report. We’ve set the ambitious goals of enabling the reduction of 100 Mt of CO2e from the apparel supply chain and unlocking $2 billion in capital by 2030, and as you’ll see in this report, last year was a time of significant progress toward these milestones. We: * Expanded the reach of our Climate Action Approach to 31 regions and completed carbon reduction projects with 300 producers. Unlocked $37,951,454 in blended capital. * Deployed our first Climate Solutions Portfolio grants. The five awarded solutions are forecasted, on average, to save 1,922.2 tCO2e per producer, per year. A more in-depth update on the grantees and their progress is available in the next section of this newsletter. * Nearly quadrupled our GHG emissions reductions over useful life in 2023 (1,676,078.77 tonnes CO2e) as compared to 2022 (475,279.50 tonnes CO2e). * Remained affordable: The average cost of Aii-driven solutions came in at just under $23 per tCO2e. As always, I express my gratitude to the Aii team as well as our partners and supporters for your steadfast commitment to strategically executing this crucial work. These achievements underscore the strength of collaboration in addressing the most pressing environmental challenges facing the apparel and footwear industry. While the fight to decarbonize apparel and footwear is far from over, we are encouraged by our 2023 results and look forward to continuing to decarbonize the industry - together. https://lnkd.in/gt8pi3sz

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At our Techonomy Climate West conference, Cofounder + CEO of Novoloop Miranda Wang joined Dan Costa to discuss "Breaking the Mold and Innovating Sustainably in Materials Science" ♻ Novoloop is an emerging leader in plastic circularity, transforming post-consumer plastic waste into the world’s first chemically Lifecycled™ performance materials. The venture-backed start-up has raised $26M to date and is building and scaling new technologies to reinvent the chemical value chain. Watch the full session here: https://lnkd.in/dTzUwF4g #TechonomyClimate #climate #climatechange #climatetech #climateaction

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California Takes a Stand Against Textile Waste! A groundbreaking new bill in California could revolutionize the fashion industry's approach to sustainability. The Responsible Textile Recovery Act shifts the burden of textile waste from consumers to producers, requiring them to establish a statewide system for recycling, reusing, and repairing their products. Read more about the act here - https://lnkd.in/g5SVj-aW Is this a move towards sustainability and circularity? This legislation aims to reduce the environmental impact of the fashion industry, which is a major contributor to global carbon emissions. By incentivizing manufacturers to adopt more sustainable practices, the bill could create a more circular economy and unlock new opportunities for green jobs. Earth.Org states that 92 million tonnes of textile waste end up in landfills each year and that the average US consumer throws away 81.4 lbs of clothing every year. some worrying statistics that desperately need addressing. As consumers, we can all drive this change by choosing sustainable brands and participating in circular fashion programs such as clothing rentals, subscription services as well as utilizing resale platforms, just to name a few. Will we see other lawmakers around the globe make similar changes? Let's work together to create a more sustainable future for fashion! #sustainability #fashion #recycling #circulareconomy #California

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Bloom labs picks up global fashion agenda's first trailblazer award! 🚀 Bloom Labs was recognized as the winner for its "pioneering breakthrough" in material science. It harnesses the value of natural waste by-products to create alternatives to textile and plastic materials. The New York-based startup uses bio-manufacturing, advanced protein engineering and molecular biology for its proprietary technology that plasticizes waste, regenerating it into "practical" pellets. Those pellets are then spun into fibers meant to mimic the properties of common fashion materials; soft like cotton, functional like polyester. And these "plug and play" pellets can be integrated into a manufacturer's existing production processes without the feedstock risks or environmental impact of petroleum. Check out the full article in Sourcing Journal 's Material Innovation Report https://lnkd.in/ebP4F4bn #nextgenmaterials #circularfashion #fashionrevolution #sustainability #sustainablefashion #vegan #veganfashion #veganleather #futureoffashion #materialinnovation #sustainablematerials #plantbased #plantbasedleather #plantbasedfashion

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Stephanie Downs, the founder of UNCAGED Innovations, one of our portfolio companies, has penned a compelling op-ed challenging the conventional view of leather as a 'natural' choice. She introduces innovative alternatives that promise sustainability without sacrificing quality. A must-read for anyone interested in the future of sustainable materials. Dive into her insights and join the conversation on redefining 'natural' in our industries. #SustainableMaterials #Innovation #VentureCapital Read her op-ed here: https://lnkd.in/gUtu4-F6

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California’s SB 707, also known as the Responsible Textile Recovery Act of 2024, is setting the stage for a major shift in how brands and consumers approach textile waste. Here’s the breakdown on what it means: 📜 The Basics: SB 707 requires clothing and textile producers to establish recycling and recovery programs for their products. This means brands will be held accountable for the end-of-life of their products, from collection to recycling, keeping more textiles out of landfills. 🌍 Why It Matters: With over 11 million tons of textile waste ending up in U.S. landfills every year, the environmental impact is massive. This new law pushes brands to take responsibility and promotes a circular economy, a huge win for sustainability. 💡 Opportunities for Brands: For early-stage companies and emerging brands, SB 707 offers a chance to lead in sustainability from the ground up. Implementing sustainable practices not only aligns with consumer demand but also positions brands for long-term impact and growth in a more regulated market. #SustainableFashion #SB707 #CircularEconomy #COStudios #EmergingIndustries #FashionInnovation

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New Article! It’s time to address the textile waste crisis♻ Christopher Wai, Founder & CEO at Sixone Labs, explains why existing recycling methods don’t adequately address the issue, and shares the novel approach that Sixone has developed to transform how textile waste is handled. Learn the science behind these innovations in this week's article!

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🌱🚀 Exciting News! Xefco, one of our portfolio companies, just secured A$10.5 million in funding to revolutionize the textile industry and reduce emissions! 🌎💡 With their innovative water-free textile finishing and dyeing solution, Ausora, Xefco is poised to make a significant impact. Their technology not only preserves precious resources but also cuts energy consumption and costs. Plus, it's already gaining traction with leading apparel brands like Zara and The North Face. At Investible, we're committed to backing visionary companies like Xefco that are driving positive change. This investment reaffirms our belief in their potential to transform industries and tackle pressing environmental challenges. #ClimateTech #SustainableInvesting #ImpactInvesting #MandiriInvestibleGlobalClimateTechFund 🌿📈

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