New York Gov. Kathy Hochul chose New York Fashion Week as an opportunity to show her continuing support for the industry.
On Wednesday, she revealed that a consortium of six universities, businesses, farmers and nonprofit organizations had been selected to manage New York’s Fashion Innovation Center.
The consortium, led by the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, will be headquartered in the capital region in Albany, and will include the Fashion Institute of Technology, Hudson Valley Textile Project, Field to Fiber, SUNY Morrisville and Made X Hudson.
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Together, these companies will work to build “a smarter, more sustainable fashion industry,” the announcement said.
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“As the fashion capital of the world, New York is working to develop innovative ideas that help make this industry more sustainable,” Hochul said in a statement. “We’re stitching together a team of experts at the Fashion Innovation Center that will help develop a smarter, greener fashion industry here in New York. From the farmers who produce raw materials like linen and cotton to the universities educating the next generation of designers, New Yorkers from across sectors are working together to advance innovative solutions and build a more sustainable industry.”
Hochul revealed the formation of the Fashion Innovation Center in September 2022 to advance the production of New York State-produced smart and sustainable textiles such as hemp, flax, wool, and other materials to be used by the fashion industry. The goal is to drive collaboration between the state’s agricultural community and the fashion industry and work together to support farms, reduce environmental waste and improve sustainability.
Right now, there is a lack of collaboration between New York’s agriculture community and the fashion industry, the governor said. The Fashion Innovation Center gives leaders from across these sectors the opportunity to work hand-in-hand to develop innovative ways to support New York farms, reduce environmental waste, and improve sustainability within the fashion industry.
Empire State Development’s Division of Science, Technology and Innovation selected the consortium and awarded it a five-year, $8.95 million NY Works grant for the reimbursement of costs related to the establishment and operation of the center.