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🌱 Ep 20. Ecosystem Builders Transforming Fashion from the Inside Out with Amy Tsang, Georgia Parker and Helen Lax (x Fashion District)
151 Plays12 days ago
Special episode: No Ordinary Cloth x Fashion District
Guests:
- Amy Tsang, Head of Europe at The Mills Fabrica
- Georgia Parker, Innovation Team at Fashion for Good
- Helen Lax, Director of Fashion District London
This is the 5th in a series of episodes in collaboration with Fashion District - a dynamic hub for fashion innovation in East London, connecting fashion technology, business, and education to support startups with innovation networks, affordable spaces, business guidance, and investment opportunities.
This episode of No Ordinary Cloth podcast features an insightful discussion with three prominent ecosystem builders in the fashion and textile industry: Amy Tsang, Georgia Parker and Helen Lax. They delve into the crucial role of ecosystem partners in driving innovation and sustainability within the industry.
The conversation covers various aspects of supporting startups, including common challenges faced by innovators, such as funding, scaling production, and navigating the complexities of the fashion industry.
The guests highlight the importance of collaboration and alignment among different stakeholders to accelerate the adoption of sustainable solutions. They also stress the need for greater alignment with policymakers to drive meaningful change in the industry.
The episode explores the role of ecosystem builders in supporting startups through various stages of growth, from incubation to scaling. The guests share insights on impact measurement and the importance of founder wellbeing as well.
Looking ahead, the guests envision an even more critical role for ecosystem builders in facilitating industry-wide collaboration, addressing knowledge gaps, and helping stakeholders navigate the complex landscape of innovation and sustainability in fashion and textiles. The episode concludes with personal anecdotes about cherished textile items, highlighting the emotional connections we form with clothing and the potential for long-lasting, quality garments to be passed down through generations.
Key Topics Discussed:
- The role of ecosystem builders in driving innovation in fashion and textiles
- Common challenges faced by startups in the fashion industry
- Programs and support offered by The Mills Fabrica, Fashion for Good, and Fashion District London
- Building successful fashion innovation ecosystems
- Emerging technologies and trends transforming the fashion industry
- The importance of collaboration between ecosystem partners
- Funding and investment opportunities for fashion startups
- Measuring impact and success in fashion innovation
Fashion District London l Fashion District Festival 2025
Mili Tharakan: Linkedin l Insta l Buy me a coffee
Contact me: No Ordinary Cloth
Recommended listening:
Ep 18. Investor Insights for Fashion and Textile Startups
Ep 12. Strategies and Ecosystems for Fashion / Textile Startup Success
Cover art: Photo by Siora, Photography on Unsplash
Music: Inspired Ambient, Orchestraman
Recommended
Transcript
Introduction to No Ordinary Cloth Podcast
00:00:08
Speaker
Welcome to the No Ordinary Cloth podcast where we explore innovations bubbling away at the intersection of textiles, emerging tech, sustainability and craft. I'm your host, Millie Tharakin, a textile researcher and innovator.
Role of Ecosystem Builders in Fashion Innovation
00:00:22
Speaker
We have a supercharged episode today where we're going to focus on the crucial role of ecosystem builders in driving innovation and sustainability in the fashion textile industry.
Partnership with Fashion District London
00:00:32
Speaker
I'm bringing you this in partnership with Fashion District London, a pioneering initiative backed by the Mayor of London, London College of Fashion, the University of the Arts London, the British Fashion Council and the yeah UK Fashion and Textiles Association.
Challenges for Startups in Next-Gen Materials
00:00:46
Speaker
We know it has been a tough season for startups in the next-gen materials sector. There has been challenges in scaling, a slowdown in investment. But I believe now more than ever, we need to come together as a community and figure out how to move forward despite these challenges.
00:01:02
Speaker
And today we're going to discuss all of these and how ecosystem and networks play a key role in helping us get unstuck so we can radically transform our industry together.
Guest Introduction: Leaders in Fashion Innovation
00:01:12
Speaker
And joining me today is a power packed lineup. Three exceptional guests who are shaping the future of textiles and fashion.
00:01:19
Speaker
They know the ins and outs of the fashion innovation space like nobody else. Firstly, we have Amy Tsang, head of Europe at the Mills Fabrica, a leading innovation platform that connects innovators in lifestyle and agri-food tech with capital connections and expertise.
00:01:36
Speaker
She also curates flagship industry events, gathering key ecosystem players, and shining the spotlight on groundbreaking innovations by startups. Amy has been instrumental in expanding the Mills Fabricas operation in the UK and driving innovations across Europe.
00:01:51
Speaker
Next, we have Georgia Parker, Innovation Director of the Validation Team at Fashion for Good, the global platform for collaborative innovation in the fashion industry. Georgia has a strong background in business and sustainability, having worked with brands like Adidas and been part of the Ellen MacArthur Fellowship Programme.
00:02:09
Speaker
Lastly, we have the lovely Helen Lacks, the Director of Fashion District London, a dynamic hub for fashion innovation in East London, supporting startups with innovation network, affordable spaces, business guidance and investment opportunity. Helen is the queen of ecosystem and network building, and she was previously the Regional Director of Arts Council England and has led community programs to bring public sector transformation in local government.
Shaping the Future of Textiles: Guest Roles
00:02:36
Speaker
This episode is an absolute must listen for all textiles and fashion startups as it's packed with insights on how ecosystem partners can provide the necessary resources, networks and expertise to help your business thrive.
00:02:51
Speaker
Their very purpose is to help you guys succeed. So you don't want to miss on what they have to say here. So let's join them now to explore the power of ecosystem partnerships and how they are shaping the future of our industry.
00:03:06
Speaker
Helen, Georgia, and Amy, it's an absolute pleasure to have you joining us today on the No Ordinary Cloth podcast. I'm really excited because the knowledge and experience we have in this room today between the three of you is quite mind-blowing. And I really mean that because I feel like you have a 3D view of the entire fashion ecosystem in a way that very few people have that. And that's really powerful. And I can't stress enough about the critical role that you play in driving innovation in fashion and textiles and shaping its future.
00:03:35
Speaker
So your organizations are really at the forefront of fostering collaborations and bringing systemic changes to a vast and complex industry. I feel the world needs more ecosystems like these um so that we can make those changes happen faster.
00:03:49
Speaker
And I'm sure the listeners are just going to soak up all that you have to say. Let's dive right in and explore your work and how it's shaping the future of fashion and textile. To get us rolling and also for the listeners to just get used to each of your voices since they can't see you, ah we'll start with an easy one.
00:04:05
Speaker
Quick introduction. If you could just tell us your name, the organization you work with, the role you have there and why you love this job. Amy, can we start with you? Hi, I'm Amy. I'm head of Europe for the Mills Fabrica.
00:04:19
Speaker
And what I love most about my job, I mean, there's many things, um so I'll try and keep it yeah as soon as possible. But one thing is just the kind of sheer variation of tasks and projects.
00:04:32
Speaker
So kind of one moment I'm meeting with innovators, the next I'm kind of overseeing our innovation exhibitions, building partnerships with brands, retailers and manufacturers. I'd say that is ah one of the key things I love about my job.
00:04:45
Speaker
How about you, Georgia? Hi, I'm Georgia. I'm the innovation director of the validation team at Fashion for Good. And what I love most about my job is Amy stole my one, which was variety. But I think um I've been there now seven years and no two years have been the same. And I think for me, that's what I love is the passion and the enthusiasm of the people we get to work with.
00:05:09
Speaker
And the fact that we essentially get to make up projects and initiatives and try and bring them to life and I'm inspired by both the team internally but also all the external stakeholders that i engage with each day.
00:05:23
Speaker
And Helen how about you? So I'm Helen Lacks and I'm Director of Fashion District and I work out of London College of Fashion yeah UAL. And I would say I enjoy meeting startups the most if I had to hone in on something.
00:05:40
Speaker
I love to listen to them and understand really what they're working on. And the reason is because then I can kind of work through what are the themes, what are the changes that we might bring to this industry. And to be truthful, that's what inspires me.
00:05:56
Speaker
the the thought that we can, between us all, bring innovations to the industry that that will eventually change it. So that's what I enjoy the most. Absolutely, Helen. That's what all three of you do. And that's what we want to hear more about. To get started now with the big questions. All three of you work so closely with
Common Challenges for Fashion Startups
00:06:15
Speaker
startups.
00:06:15
Speaker
ah You've seen them over so many years. What are some of the common challenges and hurdles that are faced by startups, as well as what are the brands saying as well? What are their challenges? Amy, would you like to take that one?
00:06:27
Speaker
From the startups kind of perspective, i would say two key things are funding and scaling production. And also, i think some of the challenges that startups face is really connecting and speaking to the right people.
00:06:45
Speaker
within those organizations so the potential clients or partners that that they want to work with and I'd say from the brand's perspective is really identifying which areas that they need to focus on in order to achieve their sustainability goals and targets and then of course doing the research and outreaching to those innovators you can help them reach these and another thing I'd say is influencing and also educating internally i think is a big hurdle too Georgia, what are some of the hurdles that you've seen with manufacturers?
00:07:19
Speaker
Yeah, I think oftentimes manufacturers have the hardest job out of all. You might have a startup and a brand who have done like an early stage validation, maybe even at like pilot scale.
00:07:31
Speaker
And then you bring it into the supply chain and the parameters totally change, right? The expectations of what a manufacturer needs to be able to run it on their pilot line is often quite a big jump up for those startups in terms of the capabilities that they have and oftentimes you might have a startup who's really strong within their own area where they're really technical but actually maybe their expertise on like the textile supply chain isn't as well developed and I think that's actually where manufacturers play a really important role of helping with that
00:08:08
Speaker
iteration of like the material or the dye stuff in the applications within the actual supply chain and I think for them what they also require is that line of sight from the brands as Amy said you know them being really focused on what it is they want and so if the manufacturer is investing that time that they know that it will be worth it in the end because there will be that commercial pull through from the brands too.
00:08:35
Speaker
Absolutely. That's really interesting for the brands to be focused because they can try everything at an early stage and it's difficult for manufacturers to know which one of them they'll stick with for the for the long term. Helen, your thoughts?
00:08:47
Speaker
and Interestingly for me, i deal with very different stage startups, you know, from those that have literally just got a concept. And often, interestingly, the barrier for them is Understanding their own skill set and the reality and the purpose of their concept and actually if it's actually wanted or needed by the industry. So sometimes there's a bit of realism with the early startups that we kind of try and help them understand, you know.
00:09:19
Speaker
Quite often, if they're very creative, a a designer type startup, then they need to understand the other side of their brain. So, you know, that business side. And for them, that's a real barrier because they're not going to get any further unless they actually do apply a wee bit of business savviness.
00:09:36
Speaker
Quite often, if they're a techie, then they don't necessarily know or have access to the fashion industry networks because they come at it through a techie point of view. And if they're sciencey, I suppose, they quite often need access to funds that will help them over a period of time develop the application because it takes them a little bit longer generally than those that are more techie.
00:10:04
Speaker
So that the different needs of the startup is really what drives me in terms of what their barriers are. You know, access to manufacturers, absolutely. access to brands, absolutely. And then for some of them, the investor networks, they've got no clue where to start with that. And if they're a little bit developed, but not that developed, the investor will say to them, well, you've got no traction, so come back later.
00:10:30
Speaker
And all these barriers are in in place. And quite often, if they don't get over them, then they fail. Helen, to continue on with you, can you tell us a bit more about what programs and activities Fashion District provide to help startups get over these hurdles?
00:10:46
Speaker
Sure. I mean, we we have an all year round networking type of solution for people where they can literally just email us and we'll try and do our best or we'll bring them together in networks. But the particular activity that we run, we run a business program.
00:11:02
Speaker
which isn't so much an accelerator, it is a business programme, but it's specifically looking at how they can build sustainability into their business and taking a 360 degree view, I suppose, on the things that they could improve on in their business in order to be more sustainable, whether that is around if they're designers, whether that's around the materials they use, or where they're sourcing those materials, or the ethics, I suppose, of um their supply chain.
00:11:30
Speaker
And then it looks at the business side in terms of, you know, the the finance, the comms, And one particular thing that we try and focus on is their well-being.
00:11:40
Speaker
And because if you're a founder, you have got to think about how you look after yourself. Are you self-aware about what you're good at, what you're not so good at and how you can fill in those gaps?
00:11:51
Speaker
So it's that kind of all round support on the business programme. The highlight of our year, I suppose, is an activity project. which is our innovation challenge.
00:12:02
Speaker
And we focus on a certain sector, we encourage startups to apply. Yes, there is prize money at the end. But actually, the important thing is that they get exposure into and industry networks, and it helps them nudge their innovation on in that way.
00:12:20
Speaker
um And they get a few quick fire, I suppose, development sessions to help them think through the industry reality of the solution that they're trying to bring to the market.
Support Programs from Fashion District London and Fashion for Good
00:12:31
Speaker
So those those are the main things we do, I suppose, for um for those startups. And I've attended one of those sessions and I can see how much, um how valuable those are to the startups and they all come away just learning so much and buzzing from it. Georgia, could you tell us a bit more about Fashion for Good and who you serve?
00:12:51
Speaker
So Fashion for Good has now supported over 185 companies since we started eight years ago. And what we really want to do is identify what are the key areas that they want to focus on in terms of their goals and their strategic roadmap and then build out support areas associated with those goals so if we say okay what are your top three goals for 2025 one of them might be fundraising and then we would work with our investments manager to try and unlock connections and opportunities in that space the second one might be traction with brands or manufacturers
00:13:34
Speaker
And we would focus then on orchestrating either a pilot where there's one innovator and multiple partners or what we call our collaborative projects where there's multiple innovators and multiple partners.
00:13:45
Speaker
But it might also be on like marketing and communications or business strategy. We have an amazing network of I think it's 40 plus mentors who also work with us. And if it's an expertise that we don't have in house, then we would look to connect them with those relevant mentors.
00:14:02
Speaker
I think a big part of it is just helping them to tighten up. I think Helen touched on this as well. What their narrative is, like what is the problem that you're solving for? and your solution very clearly articulated, and what is your strategic roadmap, and I think helping them feel confident to say no to stuff. I think sometimes when you're a startup,
00:14:27
Speaker
And you have an opportunity to talk to these different brands and different manufacturers. You're maybe trying to be everything to everyone. And actually, as Amy also mentioned, you know, helping the brands of like, is this actually top priority? And if it's not, maybe that's not worth pursuing for the innovator and they should focus on other leads.
00:14:47
Speaker
Because oftentimes they're these very small teams that are very resource constrained. And if you try and chase after every path, then actually it's probably not productive. So that's also a big part of our work.
00:15:01
Speaker
I mean, Helen mentioned they support startups very early in the stages of just even just an idea sometimes. What's the best time they should approach Yeah, a little bit later, I'd say probably TRL 5 and above.
00:15:13
Speaker
I think through the projects and pilots that we're looking at, we do want them to have like a degree of material available that we can then run these validation pilots.
00:15:24
Speaker
That would focus on tech and impact validation. And I think also the offerings that we have, you get more out of it if you're maybe at that next stage in your process. And obviously, there's so many amazing different initiatives out there that I think it's also good to support.
00:15:41
Speaker
make sure we're all focused on where we're strongest too as organizations. Absolutely. Amy, could you tell us a bit more about Mills Fabrica? The Mills Fabrica, we take quite a holistic approach in supporting startups and the in this industry as a whole.
00:15:56
Speaker
So we have our investment fund, we have co-working spaces, we have partnerships. And also um I'd say something that's quite unique and to the Mills Fabrica is something called Fabrica X. So this is our innovation gallery and concept store.
00:16:12
Speaker
So this is a space that's really designed ah to showcase these cutting edge innovations. not only to the industry, but also to the public as well. and i know you're going to touch on this a bit later on, but ah when it comes to consumers, you know, they're very important part um of the puzzle as well.
00:16:32
Speaker
So in addition to that, we also host industry events. So we kind of use these to convene key ecosystem ah players to discuss kind of pressing topics and talk about what change needs to happen quicker.
00:16:46
Speaker
In terms of the audience, this would include innovators, other investors, brands, manufacturers, and really taking and the opportunity to shine a spotlight on these innovators you can make real change.
Radical Change and Collaboration in Fashion Ecosystems
00:17:01
Speaker
happen.
00:17:01
Speaker
And then lastly, it's about forming kind of meaningful partnerships with brands, manufacturers and facilitating collaboration between them and the startups. Amazing. I know both Mills Fabrica and Fashion for Good, you're both involved in startups from around the world, brands from around the world. Is that right?
00:17:20
Speaker
Yes, that's right. Yes, that's correct. Fashion District London is focused on just startups in London. Is that right? Or is it startups across the UK that you engage with? Well, interestingly, i mean, if it's in depth, I suppose it's more in London.
00:17:35
Speaker
But our innovation challenges, especially with COVID, to be truthful, went global. So we do get people apply ah from all over, all over the globe.
00:17:47
Speaker
And I think that's a really healthy thing because, you know, you you shouldn't be putting up territories. It's more about where is the innovation, where are the best ideas and how can we support that? You tend to find also that because things do run in themes, that quite often you can connect people that can help each other, whether that's, you know, wastewater in Brazil, which we had a startup doing that at one point.
00:18:11
Speaker
You can connect them to the right people in this country. Helen, I know you've got a great background in building communities and really successfully bringing about programs that have transformed local governments and you've built several communities over your career.
00:18:26
Speaker
and And so that's really a strength of yours. Could you start by just telling us what the key ingredients are to building a successful ecosystem and bringing the right people together to sit around the table?
00:18:38
Speaker
Well, interestingly, radical change is what we're after, isn't it? Absolutely, yeah. With the startups, they're all doing great things, but in one way, and this doesn't take it away from their innovation, their innovation is generally tiny compared to what's needed to bring radical change.
00:18:59
Speaker
So our job as an ecosystem builder, I suppose, is to try and bring all those tiny things together to have greater application across the whole of the industry and try and pull in the main players that can actually really help but accelerate and drive those innovations forward.
00:19:19
Speaker
um And it's only when they are going to adapt these small innovations that actually we will bring radical change. So, I mean, if i the the softer things, I suppose, in terms of building a successful ecosystem, to me, are about participation and participation by all the characters and players within that ecosystem. And if if any of them don't participate or don't collaborate,
00:19:44
Speaker
then it means you've got a gap. You know, as you've said, I've built a few ecosystems in in my time. And quite often, you can fill that gap into a certain extent, but you can't necessarily affect the mainstream without them.
00:19:59
Speaker
If we apply that to fashion, it's really, really important that globally, our main characters, main players, the brands, the manufacturers, the big fashion houses, the governments, that they all play their part.
00:20:13
Speaker
Because, you know, we can build a really successful small ecosystem in a small place in the world. But if we want to drive radical change for the whole of the industry,
00:20:24
Speaker
we've We've got to scale that up as well as scale up the innovations. So my thought is that the potential impact of people participating is actually enormous.
00:20:34
Speaker
And we have to take on that responsibility at every level. And, you know, that's the only way we'll get the change. But in terms of kind of practical things, I suppose um it's not just sector participation that you need. It's the local authorities on the ground that can build it into their policies and their agendas.
00:20:54
Speaker
Because if you've got the right policies and agendas in place, then you will have more success in scaling up tiny innovations, you know. And if we think geographically, because in many ways, I'm able to think geographically as well as sector wide, because the district is a physical thing, then the impact we can have on the ground with real people, the potential for that is also enormous. We can affect people's lives.
00:21:23
Speaker
If in an innovation district, I suppose we are driving the economy. we're We're helping people improve their lives by learning new things or going on a skills programme.
00:21:35
Speaker
We can help with education in terms of providing the right skills and opportunities for young people to take up. you know It's that layer on layer on layer of an ecosystem that over time means that you can actually have greater impact. And fashion is a great thing to do that, along with fashion.
00:21:55
Speaker
the majority of the creative industries and the arts, because it does bring people together. But bringing people together with a purpose is what drives it. So I guess my message is that the ecosystem is both granular as well as global.
00:22:09
Speaker
And the really tricky thing for ecosystem builders is how you connect those two things. And Georgia, how do you make that connection between the granular and global?
00:22:21
Speaker
Yeah, i think so far, a lot of what I talked about was focused on how we're supporting the innovators. But I think really, as Helen touched on, you need this holistic approach. And two years ago now, just over, we kicked off our revised strategy that was really focused also on scaling and implementation. So a lot of the work we'd done up till that point was really around this like incubation, tech validation, impact assessments.
00:22:51
Speaker
But actually, we realized that often you got to that like pilot demo, you made some products and then what happened next. And oftentimes, although there were great intentions with the brands or the manufacturers with these innovators, they were struggling to then move it to that next implementation within their supply chain.
00:23:11
Speaker
So if you think of it like the innovation funnel, me and my team look after the start of the funnel, all of that, like um scouting due diligence, tech and impact assessments. And then my colleague Priyanka, her and her team look after that scaling aspect. And I think there a big part of their work is like what individual and collective levers are needed to help unblock some of the challenges that we face to implement these solutions.
00:23:39
Speaker
So about a month ago, we launched this report with BCG that's called the Executive Blueprint. And in there, it maps out that Through our modelling, we think that there might be the potential to have up to 12.5 million tonnes of next-gen materials within the fibre basket in 2030.
00:23:59
Speaker
And to make that happen, on an individual level, we need brands to commit and uphold demand, to really focus on having process efficiencies internally in terms of standardised specifications and joint R&D efforts.
00:24:14
Speaker
To have adequate financing in place to basically be able to invest in these long term partnerships, either through equity investments or maybe joint development agreements, looking at having this like centralised pot that the individual like business units can pull down on.
00:24:31
Speaker
And then on the collective side, thinking about. can we pull demand to try and get economies of scale through the supply chain so we just launched circ fiber club earlier this year with certain canopy and the aim was rather than circ having like five different agreements with five brands they have that through one agreement where they align on specification align on supply chain it's better for the innovator it's better for the manufacturer and it's better for the brand because they get favorable returns, both from finance perspective, but also hopefully from a performance and output perspective.
00:25:07
Speaker
And then thinking about like, rather than each brand asking for something slightly different, can we have shared fabric specifications as well, not only internally, but across different partners.
00:25:19
Speaker
And then finally looking at like what collective financing mechanisms there might be. So we also have an initiative called the Next Gen Transition Initiative, That's looking at how you can pull public and private funding to try and bridge that gap with the higher premiums whilst these materials get to economies of scale.
00:25:38
Speaker
And that's just on materials alone, right?
Innovation Adoption by Brands and Manufacturers
00:25:40
Speaker
There's so much work that also needs to happen through the supply chain, pulling through some of the like processing machinery technologies focused on decarbonisation, but always looking at that, like what can we do together to make it easier?
00:25:53
Speaker
across the board. But I think really what it comes down to are the individuals within these organizations. Like you can have all the frameworks that you have in the world, you can have all of these great ideas, but actually it's really the individual throughout the organization that needs to live and breathe this, right? You need it to come from the top, but also that then to be embedded across everyone's KPIs and everyone, not only in the sustainability and innovation teams, but across the whole org motivated and driving towards this.
00:26:23
Speaker
And really, at the end of the day, it is down to the different individuals, both the innovators, manufacturers, the brands, ecosystem partners like us who are making this change happen.
00:26:33
Speaker
Absolutely. And Amy, we've just listed the the various stakeholders that need to be at the table to make this radical change that we all need and want. What are some of the bottlenecks in sort of getting these people together and to also getting them to agree on that vision together? Because if we're we're all kind of pulling in different direction, we're not going to get anywhere.
00:26:55
Speaker
One key thing is about education, ensuring that kind of everyone within the industry really understands education. or has a deeper understanding about these solutions, these innovations and how they really work. And also hearing from the startup founders themselves and how the industry can best support them on the journey. So I think um there's more that needs to be done around education.
00:27:22
Speaker
And who who do you think might be missing at the table? ah stakeholder that you think we haven't quite kind of brought them together and they haven't joined the conversation. Do you think anyone's missing? I would say policymakers.
00:27:36
Speaker
I think they're quite important and to bring to the table. Yeah, sure. Helen, I see you nodding. um Anyone else missing at the table? Yeah, I mean, i think it depends which bit of the ecosystem you're looking after as to who's missing, if you know what i mean.
00:27:52
Speaker
Because sometimes it might be just because you don't know where they are.
00:27:59
Speaker
So I would say probably that sometimes it's about the appetite as well of that sector, that they're not at the table or they're they're too busy. They've got their head down. If they're a manufacturer, you know, they've got their head down just dealing with that production line. Or if they're a retailer, they've got their head down like selling stuff.
00:28:21
Speaker
yeah Yeah. So there's got to be a reason for them to be at the table. They've got to want to be there. I mean, from my point of view, the sector that we have least traction with are the brands.
00:28:33
Speaker
And when I say brands, I mean, obviously, I'm talking about the very, very large ones. And actually, they're the ones that could accelerate this change the most in industry.
Success Stories: Power of Collaboration
00:28:44
Speaker
But, you know, green shoots, because it's most definitely changing, And they now do have more of an appetite. So I see that. I see more of them at the table in the next two to three years. oh that's That's encouraging to hear.
00:29:00
Speaker
I feel like we focused a lot on the challenges and hurdles and bottlenecks. How about we share a success story that of a collaboration that your ecosystem, your programs enabled? Would you like to share an example of a startup to help us understand how these ecosystems work and the power of these ecosystems?
00:29:18
Speaker
Georgia. Yeah, I think it's a really good question. I was thinking about this. So I think I can share a startup and then maybe also an initiative. So I think on the startup side, already mentioned Cirque and this demand pooling. I think that's a really great example where back in 2020, we launched this project where we brought together brands, manufacturers, and some of the T2T cellulosic innovators, one of which was Cirque, and produced these t-shirts out through this project.
00:29:50
Speaker
Since then, obviously, Cirque have been focused on scaling their material and their technology. They've had so many great announcements of partnerships, both with brands and supply chain partners.
00:30:02
Speaker
And then this next iteration with this Cirque Fibre Club went live with us earlier this year. That's really focused on that, like at an industrial scale, how do we pull demand?
00:30:13
Speaker
So I'd say that's a great example of a company that we've been working with since 2018 that's gone through these different stages of our funnel and process to come out the other side.
00:30:25
Speaker
And then i think on the initiative side, We have conducted textile waste mapping in Europe, the US and India.
00:30:36
Speaker
And we also knew that there were lots of other projects that had gone on in like Vietnam, Bangladesh, wherever it might be. So last year, we actually decided that it would be useful to pull all of the amazing work with the ecosystem players had done and make this platform that had all of the textile waste data that is available on the platform.
00:30:59
Speaker
It's called World of Waste. And on World of Waste, you can basically see reports and assessments from Accelerating Circularity, from Global Fashion Agenda, from Fashion for Good, whoever has done these assessments. And I think that's also a really nice example of where we also need to make sure that we're aligned across these different ecosystem platforms and make it easy for people to access this information.
00:31:25
Speaker
Brilliant. Amy, an example from Mills Fabrica, a success story that you've had? can give an example of a success story relating to a startup. So one is with Modern Synthesis.
00:31:37
Speaker
So the founder is Jen Keane. And so they've developed a biotechnology process that works with bacteria to produce nanosellulose based materials that offer performance ah without plastics and also without animal inputs.
00:31:51
Speaker
So that's modern synthesis. And Jen Keane, who's the founder, we first discovered her all the way back in 2018. And this was through the Mills Fabricas partnership with saint st Martin's.
00:32:05
Speaker
So through this partnership, we essentially award one student with a three-month residency at the Mills Fabrica. and We award them with the cash prize as well to kind of support their project ah beyond university. and So from winning that award, Jen Keane was able to travel to our offices in Hong Kong and really kind of leverage the Mills Fabrica's ah facilities which helped kind of her technology mature in its early stages she then went on to set up her own startup and which is known as modern senses today so that's kind of quite um full circle um and it's amazing that we kind of discovered her right during her early days absolutely Helen I mean those examples are great because
00:32:54
Speaker
What I'm hearing from each other is quite often it's the way that we also as ecosystem builders work together that works for that startup. So an example I've got would be Matera, who I used to affectionately call the cotton boys a few years ago.
00:33:13
Speaker
And they started in a greenhouse in Essex. And, you know, their journey's been amazing. And they pivoted, i think, as well. But the great thing is where they get to a stage that they then get passed on. if I don't know if that's the right word, but to another ecosystem builder like Fashion for Good, who can actually help them.
00:33:35
Speaker
with um to settle their innovation globally in India, you know, and can connect them with the right brands to be able to make that more mainstream. And I guess my learning point from them is very much about ecosystem builders need to work closer together ourselves, not just um in our own little ecosystems, because that's where we'll help the startup, you know.
00:34:01
Speaker
And I got goosebumps with every success story you mentioned, because each of you play such a crucial part in that, you know, in their journey. And I also realized color effects is something that all three of you have interacted with another great startup. You know, they've kind of been with you at Fashion for Good between Mills Fabrica and Fashion for Good. They've been invested.
00:34:21
Speaker
ah in as well. They've come to Fashion District events to share their learning and their knowledge with new startups who are starting their journey. So it's it's just really lovely to see how the community grows. And it's sort of, again, as Helen mentioned, you're collaborating with each other and your boundaries start blurring as well.
00:34:39
Speaker
So Matera were actually, yeah one of the first ever of these like collaborative projects and pilots that I kicked off back, yeah, in 2020, I think it was. So also have a very soft spot for those boys. And I think I've got men I should say. I'm sure they won't mind.
00:35:02
Speaker
Yeah, and amazing to see how how far they've come and the Colorifics team as well, for sure. This is a slightly different question. Georgia, you've did chartered accountancy, I think. You're a founder of a startup. Amy, you have ah maybe technology finance background. You know, you've come into the fashion world from from a different side. And I've noticed a lot of startups that are coming into the fashion and textile world also come from other disciplines and industries like material science, biochemistry, software engineering.
00:35:32
Speaker
And I think it's a bit of a shock when they come into this this ecosystem and they're kind of moving away from their lab coats and attending the fashion show in Paris. How do you support them through that sort of transition and help them to really quickly get up to speed about this new industry they are a key part of and they need to plug into the system now and understand this this industry? Amy, would you like to share a bit about how you enable founders, especially from other backgrounds, to settle into this industry?
00:36:03
Speaker
Sometimes when we meet with kind of incredibly intelligent, I'd say more early stage and startup founders, like you just mentioned, a lot them have been working very hard in labs.
00:36:15
Speaker
you know Some of them are scientists and now they find themselves in the fashion world so I think the way that the Mills Fabrica can support is ah we have you know many conversations and meetings with the brands and kind of key organizations in the industry side and i guess through that kind knowledge and expertise we have we essentially um help guide these startups and and essentially coach them on how they can kind of better communicate to the industry and really kind of simplify what they do, and which is sometimes it's incredibly complex.
00:36:54
Speaker
yeah Simplify what they do um and speak in a language that these brands and other industry players will be able to better understand. Georgia? I think Amy hit the nail on the head I think it's taking something that's like quite technical and complex and maybe one part of that overall process and translating it into something that works for the audience that you're talking to and also helping them at the same time you might have something that's quite technical and complex within a particular area like material science but then you might have founders that maybe don't know what like fabric specifications are what color fastness tests are whatever it might be and so actually it's about like helping them understand what metrics the brand or manufacturer is looking at and ensuring that they're able to yeah speak that same language as the technical teams within the brands and manufacturers and then i think the next step happens
00:37:53
Speaker
Once that initial validation has happened and then it moves into the broader business, I think that's often the stage that a lot of the companies find the hardest. Because when you then start talking to the sourcing teams, they're talking about like volumes and price and gross profit margin and things like that. And then the companies are like, whoa,
Emerging Technologies and Trends in Fashion
00:38:11
Speaker
what? We've not been asked on any of this before. Like before we were asking on like technical specs and and then you get sourcing locked in and then you get to like the product development and the designers. And, you know, we had...
00:38:22
Speaker
yeah, we've had it where companies have met like the specifications on paper and then the designers feel it and they're like, oh, it's a bit hairy for us or, bit scratchy, right? And how do you quantify that? That's just like their personal preference and what the brand profile is.
00:38:38
Speaker
And so I think like, yeah, I think it's incredibly difficult for the innovators because they have to put these different hats on depending on what stage of the process that they're at. And I think that's where ecosystem organization like ours can really help, right? It's to help them prep and be ready for those conversations and to help try and smooth that transition through their scaling journey.
00:38:58
Speaker
Helen, anything to add there? Well, I'm thinking that what we try and encourage is for the startup, of the the the founder to think about what is the day to day activities or questions that their customer is is going through, you know, because it's only if they need it or and you need to understand what what they need it for and how they're going to apply it.
00:39:22
Speaker
And sometimes that's what we call industry reality um is not in the sphere of their experience. So and the best way they can do it is just like jump in and be in that place that that their product is going to be used.
00:39:40
Speaker
Whether that's on the production line, whether it's in the um design studio, you know, because it's got to be, real it's got to solve, ah it's got to make the pain point better, isn't isn't that the purpose?
00:39:52
Speaker
um Otherwise, no one's going to actually want their innovation. That's the reality. And now looking forward a bit, you see so many startups coming through your doors, start seeing patterns and signals of what what the future might look like. So could you share a bit about emerging technologies or trends or themes that you are starting to see which will transform the fashion industry and its landscape or what we can expect to see in the next five to 10 years?
00:40:18
Speaker
What is coming through the door? amy Yeah, I'd say a big area textile recycling technologies, which is what Georgia touched on before. And it's interesting because this morning I had a call and with someone from 2B Policy. So they're a consultancy firm that specializes in regulatory strategy and application.
00:40:40
Speaker
And they were telling me um about Textile to Textile Alliance that has just recently been formed and by some of the major textile to textile recyclers, which includes Cirque that Georgia mentioned before, Circulos, Sire and Reonup.
00:40:59
Speaker
This is definitely a key area of focus and I think it has the real potential to transform the fashion industry. georgia I think agreed when we did this like next gen material 2030 projections, the bulk of it is coming from textile to textile recycling.
00:41:19
Speaker
But in my validation world, I'm looking at like what needs to come beyond that. And I think. we see that actually there's a lot of work still to be done in the world of biosynthetics.
00:41:31
Speaker
You know, how can we leverage biofeed stocks and how can we increase the percentage of biocontent in these materials and how can we help navigate some of the challenges that we face to using these materials?
00:41:47
Speaker
So I think definitely textile to textile recycling and the infrastructure that's needed around that biosynthetics. But outside of that, We see that footwear is really like a big focus. It's quite nascent, really, compared with what's been going on in the apparel space.
00:42:04
Speaker
And a lot of our work over the past 18 months or so has been doubling down on looking for solutions within footwear innovation space so we have a project that just launched a couple of weeks ago um where we have 15 brands who are part of it and the focus is really on firstly mapping footwear waste in Europe secondly aligning on circular design guidelines for footwear and finally looking at end of use technology solutions in sorting and disassembly and recycling.
00:42:37
Speaker
So I think footwear is going to be a big focus and interesting to see like from a policy and legislation perspective, nothing really exists around footwear. So there's so much work to be done. And I think one of the big challenges is actually there was a lot in the news back end of last year about like the industry having missed targets and things like that. And so I think it's going to be interesting to see how the next couple of years pan out in terms of how some of these brands are able to meet their decarbonization goals or their, you know, fiber basket goals and how we can, and I've talked about that before, work collectively to help them to meet these goals.
Innovative Business Models for Sustainable Fashion
00:43:18
Speaker
And i think obviously legislation plays an important role, but actually for a lot of them, the intention is there. And sometimes it's just difficult because these are like complex technologies that you're embedding into existing supply chains and it takes time.
00:43:35
Speaker
So I think lots of exciting stuff on the table. The journey is definitely complex, but the shared commitment to next-gen materials and decarbonisation is stronger than ever, which we're really excited about.
00:43:48
Speaker
Helen? Well, I completely agree with all those things. I mean, I guess there's a couple of things where those things are focused around. And one is that whole obvious reduction of oil derived things and how we can produce without oil.
00:44:05
Speaker
And just by thinking about that, you then go down all sorts of different routes in terms of solutions for that. And the increase in bioalternatives is, you know, one of them. In terms of the recycling piece, I think that I agree that that's started off.
00:44:21
Speaker
But, you know, the the big challenge in this country is we just don't do it properly, do we, with textiles? It's just not solved. um but there are partners looking at that and trying to change that. And I think in the next five years, then hopefully the the depth of change that needs to happen from, you know, in your own house and what you do with your textiles all the way through to whether you're manufacturing it's is going to be solved, we hope.
00:44:49
Speaker
But then I guess my last point adding on to those two things would be around producing less and how to help people along the supply chain to produce less and be more efficient, produce less waste, make things more efficiently, you know, and the circular solutions, obviously. Yeah, I think that's a really good point, Helen, that I think sometimes we put textile, textile recycling as this like holy grail that will solve everything, but actually it's only a small piece of the puzzle, right? And a lot of the products that we make
00:45:24
Speaker
can't be recycled by the recyclers just because they have stricter feedstock requirements than these products are able to do and so I think I agree that we still need this like systems change at the start that is starting to happen but still requires more of a shift and that we shouldn't focus too much on we've got this perfect solution for everything because while it has many benefits it definitely doesn't solve all of our problems.
00:45:55
Speaker
And your point about footwear is absolutely key because you know in in fashion a lot of the investigation, I suppose, and exploration has already started.
00:46:07
Speaker
um and it has in footwear, but it's just not gone quite as broad. You know, the footwear suppliers, I suppose, are are getting their heads around it, but they're almost about to tread on the on the on the footprints of the fashion industry and learn from some of the things that's already been done. So I can see that that will expand. I think you're completely right on that one.
00:46:31
Speaker
Amy, coming to you, are you seeing any interesting technologies, tools that are being developed for the consumers? Because we've talked about one side of all the stakeholders on one side of of the conversation, but the actual people who are using the clothes every day, there's a big behavior change that's needed. Are you seeing examples of these and how are we educating them about the problem that we need to solve?
00:46:53
Speaker
There are a few. um They're not kind of incredibly new or recent. um I think some of them have been around for a few years. So, for example, one is called Sojo.
00:47:05
Speaker
and So they offer kind of clothing alterations. and repairs, you know, examples of re-commerce such as like Vinted, Depop, Bessier Collective, also with kind of rental and resale by rotation is interesting.
00:47:20
Speaker
But also it's good to see some brands that are kind of entering this space as well encouraging kind of repair and reuse and rather than, you know, buying things.
00:47:32
Speaker
brand new. So an example would be ah Patagonia's worn wear program. Yeah, those are a few examples I can think of. And any innovative business models that you're starting to see floating around, any circular business models that you think are exciting and can change things?
00:47:47
Speaker
Well, interestingly, right back at the beginning, we we talked about, you know, themes and trends and um and what we can see coming through. And this part of the jigsaw, I think, was started off a few years ago. And now we are seeing the the results come through more to the mainstream, which is really, really encouraging, I suppose. So, you know, the the whole resale, repair, rental is becoming more of a thing now. And in
00:48:20
Speaker
consumers heads or customers heads. But it it is ah it's a two pronged attack, because sometimes it's customers that are also driving brands to do things. And that's because that they want they they want to kind of buy things that they were, how how are they made, you know, they they know about this, they know about the ethics of where it's made.
00:48:41
Speaker
And that's driving some of the innovations from a tech point of view, like digital product passports and all those sorts of things. But i I think that in the main marketplace, the brands are beginning to think, well, you know, on my site, I need to offer the customer different options to buy, whether that's the widget. And there's a tech company behind that widget that...
00:49:05
Speaker
that brands put on their site so that they they can actually have something that's resale as opposed to the new item, or they can rent it instead of buy it.
00:49:15
Speaker
And you you need innovation behind those those tools for the brands to take up, which has happened. So it it is beginning to happen. I would say that the thing that's slightly behind those types of innovations is upcycling, mainly because it's harder to scale up, because if you're upcycling, you're It's a very specific garment, isn't it?
00:49:37
Speaker
So I think that's not had its moment yet. And there might be some mileage in working out how upcycling can scale up to more of a ah brand level as opposed to a customer level.
00:49:50
Speaker
One of the first things that we mentioned, you know, the challenges that startup face is funding. That's a big problem for every startup. What programs do you offer to help startups with funding and investments?
00:50:01
Speaker
Amy? So we do, yeah have an investment arm. um So our investment team is kind of spearheaded from our Hong Kong offices, where we're headquartered. have an investment and research team who are dedicated to kind of sourcing deals.
00:50:19
Speaker
a lot of the startups that we're essentially considering are often referrals from companies. accelerators, ecosystem players and also other investors. So we've built quite a strong network there.
00:50:32
Speaker
Globally, in terms of our fund, we typically invest in C to Series B stage um of startups. And Georgia? Similar to Amy, we do make...
00:50:44
Speaker
direct investments into some of our alumni and usually ticket sizes of up to 100k. So alongside the direct investments, we would also provide support if we're they're part of this like bespoke program with any fundraising efforts.
00:51:02
Speaker
helping them with their deck, helping them to really have an aligned narrative, helping them to be clear on what it is that they're asking for, and then connecting them wherever we're able to with the relevant investors that would be suitable for where they're at in their journey.
00:51:21
Speaker
But I think definitely what we're seeing is that investments, in hard tech and innovation within the fashion space is definitely tightening up back end of 2024 and even going into 2025. And I think this tightening of venture funding will also mean that there needs to be greater discipline around the innovators and startups.
00:51:43
Speaker
And only those that are really able to clearly articulate this is what our, and Helen talked about this earlier, right? What problem are we solving for? This is our product.
00:51:54
Speaker
This is how we can pull it through the supply chain. I think we'll be able to unlock that investment and also being able to manage cash.
00:52:05
Speaker
really effectively will also be really important and i I know they're not like frivolously spending it but I think really now more than I've seen ever before the like funding space is definitely much more like focused than it has been previously which means that I think innovators also need to be like laser sharp in their focus and their financial runway as well.
00:52:32
Speaker
But it also means that there's lots of opportunities for those innovators who are really ready and have their ducks in a row to capitalise on the market shifts while also adapting to the involving investor priorities.
00:52:47
Speaker
I think one of the comments we get a lot is that in the UK especially, we're great at innovating, but we really struggle to scale here. And a lot of startups are having to look to the US or maybe Europe or somewhere else to get that kind of funding to
Scaling Fashion Innovations in the UK
00:53:04
Speaker
come in. do you have any recommendations of mechanisms or support that we need to put in place here in the UK, especially to help businesses scale here?
00:53:14
Speaker
I think it's this joined up thing again. i think that it's being able, I mean, the the things that people tell me, I suppose. So Fashion District has an investor network, and we're always growing it. And a bit like Georgia was saying, we will try and, depending on the stage of the startup, we will try and broker that startup with the right scale of investor.
00:53:37
Speaker
Sometimes it is about research funds, though, or grants. And then... The thing that I've noticed is positively happening in the last two years is investors are coming together themselves because they're interested in sustainable fashion.
00:53:54
Speaker
And they're not necessarily interested in it because it's fashion. yeah They're interested in it because of the um the eventual, I suppose, funds they'll get back.
00:54:06
Speaker
because of sustainability. And a lot of that is driven by the whole legislation that's, you know, giving a bit of momentum at the moment. but But what's important is the joining up of those investors and getting more of a movement, an investor movement behind putting money into the right things that really will bring the impact.
00:54:27
Speaker
And, you know, to concern because the one thing I learned, I suppose, about investors is in many ways, they're not competitive. Because they don't need to be.
00:54:39
Speaker
So that's actually a really positive thing because it means you can bring different types of funds and equity together to support specific innovations. But I do feel that what we need to do is make that stronger in this country and get the ah a few willing investors around the table that are really, really, really interested in innovation in fashion.
00:55:05
Speaker
And they are out there. And I think that is beginning to happen. And I think maybe we have a good example here with the Good Fashion Fund. If I'm not mistaken, it's a partnership between Mills Fabrica and Fashion for Good and and a couple of others, of course.
00:55:18
Speaker
Is that right? The Mills Fabrica are one of our strategic partners. So Good Fashion Fund actually sits separately to Fashion for Good. So it's essentially their role is to provide like favorable financing for manufacturers who would want to implement a machine into their supply chain to basically have better rates than they might get through the bank or something like that.
00:55:42
Speaker
So it's quite focused on India, india Bangladesh and Vietnam are the countries that it's focused on. This is a big question a lot of startups ask and they need support with and that is the impact assessment. So maybe Georgia, you could take this. um How do you support startups to measure the impact of their technologies in the environment and society as this becomes a really important factor also for investors to gauge performance and success?
00:56:08
Speaker
And what are the different ways you measure impact? So if you think about measuring impact from an environmental impact perspective, Fashion for Good conducts screening LCAs in collaboration with the innovators who come through our program and projects.
00:56:24
Speaker
And we're looking at like some key metrics. So global warming potential, blue water consumption, eutrophication, ecotoxicity, acidification and land use.
00:56:36
Speaker
And the aim is with the data that we have available at this stage of the innovators journey, how can we align on what the base case should be and assess their impact compared with this base case?
00:56:48
Speaker
And that information that's information that then are useful for the innovator, also for our partners. I think what we see one of the biggest challenges is, is this like sometimes lack of alignment in terms of like the base case. And you'll often have like a company that's worked with a third party consultancy to conduct an LCA.
00:57:08
Speaker
And then you might have a brand who disagrees with what the base case was that that company then used. And so that's also our role is to try and get alignment wherever we can for the different like material categories. And obviously it's so variable depending on each technology, but really understanding like what are the parameters that we want to work within.
00:57:29
Speaker
And then for Fashion for Good in terms of how we measure our impact, It is also around, you know, like the the number of pilots and implementations that we see come through the supply chain. We track our impact metrics across waste, water and carbon emissions and thinking about how much like funding has been catalyzed.
00:57:50
Speaker
through our portfolio over the years that we've been working. So we have like, how can we ensure that overall our innovators are on track to have a lower impact than the material that they're looking to replace?
00:58:03
Speaker
And then thinking as fashion for good, what's our like ripple impact within the ecosystem? Amy, would you like to share with us how maybe you measure success um at Mills Fabrica in, you know, the efforts that you put into helping businesses grow, the innovation, what metrics or outcomes do you use to evaluate the impact your initiatives and programs have had on the broader industry?
00:58:29
Speaker
Maybe I can first start talking about our portfolio companies. so from the Mills Fabrica's kind of cute point of view, we're creating ah portfolio of innovations that can really generate planet positive impact.
00:58:44
Speaker
And ah we use our impact measurement framework, which is inspired by the planetary boundaries. And some of the key themes and metrics we consider are how these startups are reducing or avoiding greenhouse gas emissions, water use, land use change, and also microplastics and chemicals.
00:59:09
Speaker
And then in terms of how we measure success with the Mills for Abrica as a business, I think Helen mentioned before, sometimes it is tricky and to to do this, but some of the ways we are doing it ah is by tracking the number of connections we've helped facilitate our reach. So a number of those who have participated in our events.
00:59:32
Speaker
So in terms of attendance, engagement, but also online engagement too. Helen, I am so glad you ah brought up earlier about the wellbeing of the founder. That is so important because being a startup, an early stage startup, it's grueling. It's just sweat, blood and tears for years and you just don't see the light at the end of the tunnel.
00:59:56
Speaker
and And so I'm glad you brought that up and I'm glad Fashion District is working to to help founders be aware of themselves, their skills and and how to manage
Founder Wellbeing and Stress Management
01:00:07
Speaker
this. Can you explain a little bit further on what you actually do ah with startups and what your advice to startups would be who are listening in?
01:00:15
Speaker
Some of it is informal. So, you know, coming to a network and feeling that you will meet the right type of person can be a boost to you as a founder, you know, to help you in the next couple of months or whatever.
01:00:28
Speaker
And then it's as part of our business program, it's slightly more in depth. So it's helping them with tools and techniques, I suppose, that will make sure that they know that it's OK to do other things and it's OK to look after themselves, whatever their interests are.
01:00:46
Speaker
And our Evo Fashion program does very much focus on that. And what we tend to find is that they help each other. know They just naturally do.
01:00:56
Speaker
And we'll do little things like set up a WhatsApp group and things like that to connect people. And then it just perpetuates ah itself. But, you know, for startups, often they're trying to do everything all at once.
01:01:11
Speaker
And it's it's that mentality that I can't do everything all at once, and especially with the impact stuff we've just been talking about. So if they're trying to prove that they are you know so-called sustainable or they're reducing their footprint, then sure, you know as part of Evo Fashion, they can map out what it is that they need to prove and they can understand that journey, but they can't do all of it within three months.
01:01:40
Speaker
So it's a matter of them feeling in control, I suppose, of what they're trying to achieve over what period of time and that they're doing the best they can. And also with Evo Fashion, we focus on how to turn that into communications, you know, how to tell the story of the journey they're going to go on to their customer so that they are authentic and honest. And that's obviously not greenwashing, but saying where they're at now as a brand um or as a designer or as a tech company.
01:02:16
Speaker
And it's what I'm trying to say is ah it's about the feeling in control that can actually help you as a founder to feel better and to look after your well-being because things are, you know, you've got it nailed for the stage of the journey you're at.
01:02:34
Speaker
But certainly the main factor of founder well-being is is connecting with each other so that they feel that there are other people in the
Evolving Roles of Ecosystem Builders
01:02:43
Speaker
same position. I hope all the startups on this episode are going to take that advice in because it's so important and we don't speak enough about it.
01:02:51
Speaker
How do you think ecosystems such as yours will evolve and what do you believe are the roles that you'll play in the future? So I think, as I said at the start, no two years at Fashion for Good have been the same for me and I've been there seven years now.
01:03:06
Speaker
So I think the role in the future will be continuing to be how we can have as much industry alignment to tackle the challenges that we face to scaling these solutions within the supply chain and also what Education is needed to plug any knowledge gaps that we might have at a policy or legislation level or whatever it might be.
01:03:30
Speaker
So I think it's that like aligning brands, manufacturers, investors, policymakers, ecosystem players, so that we're all headed in the same direction.
01:03:40
Speaker
And trying not to duplicate efforts where we might be doing things that are almost the same, but not quite. And I think really trying to come together as much as possible there to make it easy for yeah for brands to engage in all of the amazing work that's going on behind the scenes.
01:03:59
Speaker
So I think that's a big focus. Like collaboration is key and leveraging each other's strengths wherever ever possible. We just launched this project with the microfiber consortium that's looking at like fiber fragmentation.
01:04:14
Speaker
And it's a great example where like they have all of this amazing technical and science expertise and then. At Fashion for Good, we were able to bring that like overarching, you know, project collaboration, the partners together and a really great example of where everyone's leaning into their strengths to get this initiative off the ground and to tackle a problem we face.
01:04:36
Speaker
Excellent. Helen? Well, I think our role is it going to be even more important. And, you know, with the legislation that requires industry to change and with customers that are demanding more transparency and they care more about their own environmental impact, that will actually drive our roles to you know have increasing importance.
01:05:02
Speaker
I completely agree with Georgia. it It would be great to, as ecosystem builders, to work out where we are duplicating and not to. or to bring our strengths together and make sure that actually we focus on where we can have impact.
01:05:19
Speaker
There's nothing more sort of affirming, I suppose, than when you can work and collaborate with a partner that's completely from a different sector. And actually, by being from a different sector, it means that they bring a different range of skills, ah ah different depth of knowledge, and it can make a difference.
01:05:40
Speaker
So I think We need to do more of that and jump out of our comfort zone in terms of our sector bubble. Amy? Yeah, similar to how Georgia's been at Fashion for Good for seven years, I've also been at the Mills Fabrica for seven years now. I think this is my eighth year.
01:05:59
Speaker
um and it's amazing to kind of think back to when I first joined this industry, meeting with the startup founders who to this day still exist and are thriving.
01:06:11
Speaker
So it's about helping them scale. I think that's key. deepening collaboration with all ecosystem players. So especially with the existing and also upcoming regulation, brands and manufacturers, they know they need to accelerate their efforts in producing things more sustainably.
Personal Stories: Meaningful Garments
01:06:32
Speaker
so it's about helping helping them navigate the innovation ah landscape. Last question. And here you can take off your ecosystem builder caps and hats. And I thought we'll end on a sort of personal one.
01:06:45
Speaker
I'd love to, and this is a question I ask all my guests, I'd love to ask if you have piece of textiles or a garment or or something different that holds really special meaning and memories for you. You hold on to it. It doesn't function anymore. Maybe it's got holes in it. I don't know.
01:07:01
Speaker
But you still hang on to it because you've got a deep connection with that piece of textiles or garment. Any quick stories that you can share? Helen? Yes, I do. I do. And this is a piece of footwear, Georgia.
01:07:17
Speaker
So bizarrely, I still have the tiny, tiny, tiny ballet shoes. mean,
01:07:24
Speaker
which are seriously not very long that I wore as a child. And I cannot, I cannot throw them away. there's And they're like really quite disgusting looking, but I love them.
01:07:39
Speaker
And I also have my daughter's tiny, tiny ballet shoes. Beautiful. Yeah, and they're all, i' I'm never going to wear them again, clearly. But I've still got those because of the memories that they bring of your your family, your background, the joy of jumping high in class, you know, all those things and the emotions that they bring forth.
01:08:05
Speaker
So and... you know that's the same for wedding dresses and things as well isn't it thank you georgia i love that one i am sure that i do have in the attic but i'm really struggling to think the things that i was thinking that i had i think i may actually have given it away i don't know i'm really bad at clearing out stuff and occasionally i'm like i okay i really need to get rid of stuff because i'm never gonna wear this again um Maybe instead I'll do an item.
01:08:34
Speaker
yeah yeah sure So I've got a ah two year old daughter and actually she, my mum had this polar bear that was my sister's cuddly toy when she was a baby that she had kept hold of and now eliza has that in her room and she loves polar bear so i really love that yeah that there's this toy that has been all this cuddly toy that's been passed down through from us to my daughter now so i think that's probably one from me that has like memories from my childhood that she's now enjoying that's beautiful thank you georgia amy
01:09:12
Speaker
Yeah, for me, it's an item of clothing. It doesn't have any holes in it because I wear it to this day. It's this kind of ah classic black velvet skirt for my mum. So she kind of must have worn it maybe 40 years ago now. um So now I just wear it to work um on some days. um And I think to me, this really shows that When clothing is made with quality materials, it's a classic style that can really be built to last.
01:09:46
Speaker
um It can be reworn and even passed down generations. what ah What a beautiful way to end our conversation.
Conclusion and Festival Highlights
01:09:53
Speaker
Thank you so much. have learned so much from all of you. I know the listeners are going to love this one. I really appreciate your time and for all the knowledge that you've shared about this incredible industry that we're all so passionate about and and the radical change that we hope to see. And it's great to be a part of that movement with all of you.
01:10:11
Speaker
Thank you so much. Thank you for having us. Thank you. Thank you, Milly. Wow, what an episode. My brain was exploding at times because there was so much to learn from Amy, Georgia and Helen.
01:10:24
Speaker
It's amazing to hear about the ways in which they have supported so many startups and the crucial role they play in shaping the future of textiles and fashion. Before I wrap up, I would like to highlight the Fashion District Festival, which is from the 3rd to the 8th of June 2025 here in London.
01:10:41
Speaker
It's six days packed with fashion tech, shopping experiences, insights from thought leaders and hands-on workshops as well. There is something for everyone. So don't miss the celebration of sustainable, circular and regenerative fashion.
01:10:55
Speaker
I've popped the link below for more information. So check it out. And if you're interested in more information for startups, I've recommended a couple of episodes that we've done previously. Again, panel discussions, really insightful. So see the links below as well.
01:11:09
Speaker
If you've enjoyed our conversation today, I'd love for you to support the podcast by leaving a review on any of the platforms that you listen to the podcast on. It really helps other people discover the show. You could also support me directly through Buy Me A Coffee.
01:11:22
Speaker
The link is below if you can... help with a cup or two to fuel those late night editing sessions as I bring you these stories I am eternally grateful thank you again for joining me today stay tuned for more episodes don't forget to subscribe for more conversations at the intersection of textiles technology craft and sustainability until next time I'm your host Millie Therakin reminding you that there's no such thing as ordinary cloth every thread has a story to tell