Material World: H&M’s Global Change Award Edition

March 20, 2025 12:00pm

The "just transition for the green economy" panel at the GCA launch summit in Mumbai, featuring Cliodhnagh Conlon, Director Consumer Sectors & Supply Chain at BSR; Indumathi, Waste Entrepreneur at Dry Waste Collection Center; Nalini Shekar, Co-Founder at Hasiru Dala; and Anish Malpani, founder of Ashaya. Courtesy of the H&M Foundation

Material World is a weekly roundup of innovations and ideas within the materials sector, covering news from emerging biomaterials and alternative leathers to sustainable substitutes and future-proof fibers. This week’s Material World is centered around the H&M Foundation’s Global Change Award.

The H&M Foundation

Anant Ahuja, Claire Bergkamp, Walden Lam, Danica Kragic, Miles Kubheka, Linda Greer and Helena Helmersson. The H&M Foundation

The H&M Foundation’s Global Change Award (GCA) was founded 10 years ago to accelerate innovation in the industry to decarbonize fashion. Of the 476 ideas (submitted by 62 nominators from 69 countries across six continents), the GCA’s “expert panel” will now screen and score the top 20 ideas, with the final winners to be announced in May.

“The expert panel plays a crucial role in selecting the GCA winners. Their expertise, knowledge, and insights help us identify the ideas with potential to scale and make a real impact,” Annie Lindmark, program director at the H&M Foundation, said. “I’m confident that together, we’ll discover the bright minds who can reimagine the future of fashion and support in decarbonizing the industry.”

One of those panelists includes Anant Ahuja, director of ESG and sustainability at Shahi Exports and co-founder and CEO at Good Business Lab.

“There are several critical areas where innovation requires immediate action, particularly in decarbonization, next-generation materials and overproduction. Equally important is driving progress in equity and worker well-being, ensuring a just transition for all,” Ahuja said. “I see immense value in the work of innovators who think beyond traditional constraints. Their outside-the-industry perspective has the potential to unlock transformative breakthroughs that could fundamentally reshape how textiles are produced and consumed.”

Other expert panelists include Claire Bergkamp, CEO at Textile Exchange; Linda Greer, environmental scientists and impact advisor; Miles Kubheka, CEO at Wakanda Food Accelerator; Danica Kragic, professor of computer science at KTH Royal Institute of Technology, board executive and advisor; Helena Helmersson, board professional, advisor and former CEO of the H&M Group; and Walden Lam, CEO and founder of Unspun and GCA alumni.

“No single person or company can transform the industry alone. It’s a collective effort,” Kubheka said. “And the sooner we recognize that every piece of the puzzle matters, the faster we can move towards a truly sustainable future.”

This year’s GCA finalists cover four categories: sustainable materials and processes, responsible production, mindful consumption and wildcards. The resulting 20 ideas address these challenges within the industry, with solutions ranging from bio-powered textiles generating electricity to “community-driven hubs” for circularity.

Sustainable Materials & Processes

*These are “ideas in low-energy materials, sustainable energy practices, new and recycled fibers and alternative wet processes, treatments and finishes,” according to the H&M Foundation.* Courtesy

Brilliant Dyes

Mohammad Redwanur Rahman’s Brilliant Dyes is developing a non-toxic, biodegradable alternative to synthetic dyes using Phycocyanin, a natural pigment from the photosynthesis performing cyanobacteria. The United Kingdom-based startup’s low-cost, energy-efficient extraction process wants to make sustainable dyes more accessible and commercially viable.

Decarbonization Lab

Mohammad Abbas Uddin’s Decarbonization Lab for Textile Process Innovation is a dedicated research and development space for low-emission dyeing, finishing and material treatment. The Bangladesh-based lab explores low-carbon techniques to “disrupt” outdated practices and promote sustainable production methods instead.

Nordic Blue

Ditte Hededam Welner’s Nordic Blue developed an enzymatic method for eco-friendly denim dyeing. The Denmark-based company wants to “produce denim with a clean conscience,” focused on reducing environmental impact and improving the industry’s working conditions.

CircularFabrics

Josephine Mayer, Miguel Chacon-Teran and Ruben Serrano’s CircularFabrics developed Nyloop technology to recover nylon from blended textile waste. The German startup’s method minimizes waste and reduces reliance on virgin materials by creating a sustainable, recyclable nylon supply.

Pneedles

Joshua Attat’s Pneedles turns plastic waste into buttons. The Nigerian firm’s approach reduces plastic pollution and increases reliable employment for waste pickers while promoting sustainability by turning discards into useful elements.

Renasens

Jade Bouledjouidja’s Renasens uses waterless, clean technology to recycle blended textile waste into raw materials without depolymerization of the fibers. The Swedish startup’s scalable process avoids water, chemicals and high energy to turn waste into a resource.

Reselo

Henrik Otendal’s Reselo turns forest waste into 100 percent biobased rubber. The Sweden-based company’s rubber allegedly saves as much as 92 percent of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions compared to synthetic rubber, suitable for various applications, including footwear and outdoor gear.

RubyLab

Jo-Anne Godden’s RubyLab recycles stretch textiles previously destined for landfill. The Spanish startup’s process cuts GHG emissions while spinning out new fiber-to-fiber polyamide textiles.

Sequinova

Clare Lichfield’s Sequinova replaces traditional plastic sequins with more eco-friendly alternatives. The UK-based company’s sequins are instead made from biobased materials, which break down naturally and curb microplastic pollution.

Tera Mira

Jeanne Begon-Lours and Lucy Dain-Williams’ Tera Mira wants to transform the industry with a biobased alternative to synthetic elastane. The UK-based startup taps seaweed cultivation to mitigate future plastic pollution with sustainable manufacturing instead.

A Blunt Story

Chandni Batra’s Uncrude by A Blunt Story is a plastic-free sole material comprised of agricultural waste and other biobased materials as well as recycled components. The India-based innovation addresses the footwear industry’s reliance on crude oil, promoting instead sustainable solutions that benefit all players throughout the supply chain.

Responsible Production

*The GCA defined this category as “innovations in energy efficiency, waste management, traceability, on-demand and renewable energy.”* Courtesy

Thermal Cyclones

James Parkin and Chris Benson’s Thermal Cyclones is developing and designing novel heat pumps to replace gas and oil steam boilers. With a reported potential to cut energy consumption by 75 percent, the UK-based company’s innovation is relevant to the decarbonization conversation within industrial heat processes.

DecoRpet

Youbing Mu, Xiaobo Wu and Shuang Su’s DecoRpet development method can recycle PET plastic at lower temperatures. In turn, the China-based company’s process yields high-quality, recycled PET and “paves the way” for transforming old textiles into new products.

FiberFlow

Lena Strobl and Ludwig Morgenstern’s FiberFlow technology mechanically separates blended fabrics into pure, still-high-quality fibers. The Germany-based firm’s process, therefore, helps recover valuable materials that are traditionally difficult to recycle.

Pulpatronics

Chloe So and Barna Soma Biro’s Pulpatronics developed a “revolutionary” metal-free and chipless RFID paper tag, laser printed using carbon-based materials. In turn, the UK-based innovators have made these tags cheaper and recyclable with a substantially reduced environmental footprint compared to traditional RFID tag production.

Mindful Consumption

*These are H&M’s possible winners for “solutions that extend garment lifecycles, enable circular business models and reshape demand.”* Courtesy

Loom

Daisy Harvey’s Loom connects individuals and brands with designers who can upcycle unworn pieces into bespoke designs. The UK-based company’s tech-powered platform simplifies upcycling, ultimately reducing textile waste in pursuit of a circular future.

NaCRe

Francesco Stellacci’s NaCRe has “unlocked the secret,” per the GCA, to breaking protein materials down to their building blocks. By transforming wool and silk into amino acids, the Switzerland-based team can then turn these amino acids into high-value proteins.

The Revival Circularity Lab

Yayra Agbofah’s Revival Circularity Lab is a community-driven hub for “reimagining” circular solutions for textile waste in Ghana’s Kantamanto Market. The Ghana-based initiative upcycles waste materials that “empower” local artisans while reducing environmental impact.

Wildcards

*The GCA’s “unexpected, game-changing ideas that could accelerate industry-wide transformation,” per the foundation.* Courtesy

Electric Skin

Catherine Euale, Sequoia Fisher, Nada Elkharashi and Paige Perillat-Piratoine’s Eectric Skin wants to reshape the wearable electronics space using bacteria. The multi-city-based group developed a self-powering biomaterial to harness air humidity to generate energy without external sources.

SiSource

Ruchika Kuthari’s SiSource is a digital registry bridging the gap between textile, agriculture and food value chains. The India-based idea tracks environmental and social metrics, supporting CSR and ESG goals that ensure sustainable practices are at the forefront of production.