Interview

Triggered by the logging of 1500-year-old trees, activist-minded Nicole Rycroft, who can also deliver physiotherapy, decided to channel it towards protecting the world’s forests, species, and climate by founding Canopy. The passionate, solutions-driven tree-hugger ‘Cano-pal’ team today straddles four continents as it aligns to transform unsustainable supply chains and advance forest conservation and community rights. In a free-wheeling conversation, the founder and executive director shares how Canopy works with 1,000+ global brands to drive transformative action to eliminate the use of Ancient and Endangered Forests in packaging and textiles while scaling NextGen solutions, and also the route that India needs to follow to achieve its potential.

Zurich-based Gherzi Organisation, incepted in 1929, is a global textile management consulting and engineering company, that has since emerged as a leader for strategic development and expansion of companies in the textile industry, from production to retail. Its services range from engineering of new factories to strategy consulting as also corporate finance. Leading its global team is Giuseppe Gherzi. Gherzi talks India, what ails its textile sector and what can it do to capture the opportunities that exist.

1994. Pioneers yet outliers in an industry focused on conventional resources, a materials science company, developing and commercialising circular economy technologies using industrial and consumer waste streams from the fashion, food, and forestry sectors, is today hoping that consumer awareness and regulatory pressure will trigger collaborations between scientists and designers, leading to responsible material solutions. The face of the Tex2Tex RPET division and COO of Vancouver-based Earth Protex, Samuel Goldstein shares a journey that began decades before sustainability or material science would become buzzwords.

Working at the intersections of farming, leather and fashion, Alice Robinson and Sara Grady founded British Pasture Leather (BPL) to reshape entrenched perceptions of leather and forge the disconnection of this natural material from its source: farms, land and animals. The co-founder duo share how they embarked on their remarkable journey from field to fork and fashion.

Worn-out jeans, old woollen sweaters, polyester textile waste and recycled linen is what Goor-based Blue Loop Originals uses to craft a high-quality second life for discarded clothing. With the mission “Worn to Reborn”, its Dutch Founder Ron van de Wiel started Blue Loop in 2013 when he realised that 640 million pairs of jeans are discarded annually in Europe. Texfash talks to the man to know more.

Pili has a mission—it produces decarbonised alternatives based on renewable resources for sustainable industrial applications. Pili President Jérémie Blache explains how Pili uses hybrid processes combining industrial fermentation and organic chemistry to manufacture sustainable, high-performance colour ranges for the textiles industry.

Taiwan-headquartered Creative Tech Textile Co Ltd has pioneered the transformation of discarded oyster shells into advanced sustainable textile solutions leading to its signature brands—Seawool and Smawarm. Founder Yeh-Shun Wang (Eddie Wang) shares how through decadal inspirations and learnings his company is doing its bit to shape a greener and more sustainable future for the textiles industry.

US-based deeptech innovator Tandem Repeat, a climate-positive smart textiles company, has developed Procell, a revolutionary patented fermentation microbial process that transforms proteins into valuable products, including fibres and nonwovens which are a less toxic alternative to plastics. Leading inventor and Penn State Huck Endowed Chair of Biomaterials Professor Melik Demirel simplifies the tech and his plans for the future.

Research, experimentation, and countless iterations. Persistence, collaboration, and innovation, and then 2020 where it all began. The priority at the next-gen material science company, Balena, that develops high-performance biopolymer materials, is to continue disrupting the materials industry by innovating and developing cutting-edge circular materials to replace hazardous, non-compostable plastics currently used in various industries. Chief Executive Officer David Roubach talks products and the journey this far.

Reppatch is a dynamic community of over 50 brands and artists worldwide, dedicated to transforming waste into unique, high-quality products. With a focus on upcycling and slow production, Reppatch collaborates with corporate partners to creatively repurpose their waste, turning environmental challenges into innovative opportunities. Passionate entrepreneur and Founder Nil Karul shares how she combines her professional expertise with her lifelong interest in upcycling and creative reuse.