One thing is crystal clear for the Council of Fashion Designers of America (CDFA) and the Swarovski Foundation: the future of fashion depends on change.
With that in mind, Sci-Lume Labs was crowned the inaugural recipient of the CFDA x Swarovski Foundation Re:Generation Innovation Fund. As the winner, the former H&M Foundation Global Change Award finalist will receive a $30,000 grant as well as six months of tailored mentorship alongside access to a network of international industry insiders.
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Founded in 2021 by chemist Oliver Shafaat, Sci-Lume Labs exists to make drop-in and retail-ready materials in an effort to curb the world’s seemingly ceaseless petrochemical plastic consumption habits. The Oklahoma City startup develops Bylon—what the former Spiber researcher has penned as “the truly circular apparel fiber without compromise.” The thermoplastic polymer can allegedly plug into existing synthetic fiber manufacturing facilities and is 100 percent recyclable and biodegradable upon end-of-life.
“Sci-Lume Labs’ development of Bylon—a circular fiber made from agricultural waste and scalable through existing infrastructure—is the type of innovation the fashion industry needs,” Jakhya Rahman-Corey, director of the Swarovski Foundation, said. “Through initiatives like the Re:Generation Innovation Fund, we are proud to champion solutions that bring us closer to a more responsible and regenerative future.”
The 2025 CFDA x Swarovski Foundation Re:Generation Innovation Fund builds on the collaborator’s educationally-minded endowment—the Re:Generation Innovation Scholar Award—which “blends scholarship with fellowship” for students pushing fashion’s buttons forward. Since 2021, three students—including Bailey Adams of the Fashion Institute of Technology as well as Izzy K and Evren Nelson, both of Parsons School of Design—were collectively awarded $90,000 to “to defray the high costs of senior year tuition and thesis expenses,” per the program.
Now evolved into a grant and mentorship program for early-stage businesses, the fund is designed to “help founders kickstart their ventures, advance their missions and connect with mentors and community to move fashion toward a more innovative future.”
“In today’s rapidly evolving fashion landscape, we’re proud to champion forward-thinking, innovative businesses–especially those advancing material solutions—through our partnership with the Swarovski Foundation,” Steven Kolb, CEO of the CFDA, said in a statement. “The Re:Generation Innovation Fund marks an exciting new chapter in that shared commitment, providing both financial resources and mentorship to help these innovations scale and create tangible impact.”
The Re:Generation Innovation Fund’s selection committee comprised TômTex’s Uyen Tran, O.Studio’s El Lewis, Carhartt’s Gretchen Valade, Emmelle Design’s Mi Jong Lee, Oeko-Tex’s Lucy Murphy, Under Armour’s Leighton McDonald and consultant Dana Davis, alongside various CFDA and Swarovski Foundation representatives throughout. The finalists (though Sourcing Journal could not confirm who or what that included) were invited to participate in virtual interviews, providing additional insights to support the committee’s final selection.
“As we approach 2030, the urgency to reimagine how industries like fashion operate has never been clearer; many textiles still rely on petrochemicals, fueling microplastic pollution and environmental degradation,” said Rahman-Corey. “At the Swarovski Foundation, we are committed to advancing creative talent to promote sustainable livelihoods and reduce inequalities.”
Sci-Lume Labs will present its work during the CFDA x Swarovski Foundation showcase later this fall.
