The Apparel Impact Institute has given out the first grants for its Climate Solutions Portfolio, which awards $250 million to “de-risk and accelerate proven decarbonization solutions” in the fashion industry, the nonprofit announced Tuesday.
Five recipients were selected:
- Precision Development, which creates a leaf color chart meant to reduce fertilizer in cotton cultivation;
- Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ), which will focus on installing a solar system in Bangladesh to drive renewable energy adoption in the country’s textile and apparel sector;
- Made2Flow, which makes software for data gathering and validation across supply chains in the fashion industry;
- BluWin, which hopes to reduce adverse effects of the fashion, textile and footwear industries on the climate using a direct-to-manufacturer approach, and is in the process of being rolled out in facilities in Bagladesh;
- PwC, which will implement its Cleaner Production System in Tier 2 and Tier 3 suppliers in India and Bangladesh.
Along with the grants, Aii launched an online platform meant to be a public resource for fashion industry stakeholders interested in boosting their decarbonization efforts, including brands, retailers and manufacturers.
The grants are funded by philanthropic contributions from donors including H&M Foundation, H&M Group, Lululemon, PVH Foundation, Target and the Schmidt Family Foundation.
“Our aim is to provide a tool for the industry to easily identify credible opportunities for carbon reduction with science-based solutions,” Kurt Kipka, Aii’s chief impact officer, said in a statement sent to Fashion Dive. “This platform will allow for greater industry transparency and provide accurate data and metrics, resulting in funding to support these innovations on a global level. Beyond connecting solutions to funding, the CSP registry will also provide a mechanism for mature companies to connect with stakeholders, regardless of grant status.”
The project has a carbon reduction goal of 100 million tonnes by 2030.
In the latter half of 2024, Aii will seek grant recipients that focus on thermal energy and energy storage, according to the release.
