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E3: Gabriele Verikaite - Accelerating sustainable techstyle and agrifood innovations at The Mills Fabrica
70 Plays6 months ago
In this episode, we explore the sustainable innovations happening in fashion and food tech with Gabriele Verikaite.
Gabriele is the Partnerships Manager at The Mills Fabrica, a VC fund that accelerates techstyle and agrifood innovations for sustainability and social impact. Focused on incubating startups and investing in sustainable technologies, The Mills Fabrica also offers co-working spaces, prototyping labs, and concept stores to drive cutting-edge advancements in sustainability.
I met Gabriele at Fabrica X, a sustainable innovation gallery and concept store by The Mills Fabrica. And within just a few minutes of chatting, her deep knowledge of sustainable innovations and brands was so clear, so I knew we had to organise a podcast episode together - and here it is!
You can find out more about The Mills Fabrica here: https://www.themillsfabrica.com/
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Transcript
Episode Introduction with Gabriele Veracayte
00:00:05
Speaker
In this episode, we explore the sustainable innovations happening in fashion and food tech with Gabriele Veracayte.
Gabriele's Role at Mills Fabrica
00:00:12
Speaker
Gabriele is the Partnerships Manager at the Mills Fabrica, a VC fund that accelerates textile and agri-food innovations for sustainability and social impact.
00:00:22
Speaker
focused on incubating startups and investing in sustainable technologies. The Mills Fabrica also offers co-working spaces, prototyping labs, and concept stores to drive cutting-edge advancements in sustainability.
Collaboration Decision at FabricaX
00:00:36
Speaker
I met Gabrielle at FabricaX, a sustainable innovation gallery and concept store by the Mills Fabrica, and within just a few minutes of chatting, her deep knowledge of sustainable innovations and brands was so clear.
00:00:48
Speaker
so I knew we had to organize a podcast episode together.
Ecosystems Podcast Introduction
00:00:51
Speaker
So without further ado, here's my conversation with Gabriele Verricaiti. This is Ecosystems, the podcast driven by the question, what is happening in this new era of sustainability? I'm Toby Carpenter, and I hope you enjoy the episode. Here's my conversation with Gabriele Verricaiti.
Gabriele's Background and Career Journey
00:01:10
Speaker
Just to begin, would you be able to tell me a bit about your your background and career journey up until now?
00:01:14
Speaker
Sure. Thank you for having me, Tavi. So I grew up splitting my time between the city and a self-sufficient farm, which is a common experience for many Lithuanians of my generation. My dad is a third generation farmer, and my mom, who grew up in a nearby city, is a chef. This blend of urban and rural life sparked my curiosity about the world. And that's how I became the first in my family to move abroad for my studies. Fast forward after graduation, I embarked on career in fashion, um retail,
00:01:59
Speaker
to be precise, working for renowned brands like Karl Agerfeld, Adidas Group, over the Olympics, All Saints, Gap. And ah most recently in 2021, I joined the Mills Fabrica, where I continue to pursue my passion for the industry, but with a different angle.
Environmental Impact of Fashion and Mills Fabrica's Role
00:02:20
Speaker
And what drew you to to Mills Fabrica and the what you're doing now?
00:02:23
Speaker
Great question. When you spend a decade in a glamorous fashion industry, it it becomes impossible to ignore its flaws and environmental impact. The industry's focus on massive production, enormous profits, and consumers often lacks transparency regarding the origins of materials, where they come from, how it's grown,
00:02:49
Speaker
and most importantly, the conditions under which clothes are made in. And, you know, for far too long, a lot of innovations, material innovations specifically, have been hidden away in busy trade shows, closed off to public, and retail has been primarily focused on selling stuff. And most of the groundbreaking innovations in our industry occur in labs and someone's garage away from the consumer's eye. So to answer your question, what drew me the most?
00:03:19
Speaker
is that the Mills Fabrica, they aim to bring those incredible technologies to the forefront. And and for those that don't know what the Mills Fabrica does, what does it do in ah in a nutshell?
Mills Fabrica's Resources and Origins
00:03:31
Speaker
As an introduction, the Mills Fabrica is a global platform that invests in and supports innovations driving sustainability across textile and agri-food industries.
00:03:44
Speaker
It originated from Hong Kong um and the mills started as a landmark revitalization project by Nandfang Group, which is our parent company and one of the largest property developers in Hong Kong and Asia that initially started in the early 1950s as cotton spinning mills, hence the word the mills. This project is also a passion initiative by Vanessa Cheng, who is the granddaughter of Nandfang founder. The spaces that we have in Hong Kong and London comprise prototyping labs, which are available to use at early stage startups. um They have 3D printers, laser cutters, sewing machines, and all the kit you need to innovate at the beginning of your journey. and We also have co-working spaces in London and King's Cross, um event spaces, and also an innovation gallery in a concept store where we met.
00:04:44
Speaker
I know there's fabric involved a lot in textiles and agri foods, and for many people, they might not have heard of these terms. So what what exactly is textile and and agri food?
Sustainability in Textile and Agri-Food Industries
00:04:55
Speaker
Let's perhaps start with textile, ah which is one of our key focuses. It combines technology and lifestyle. And the reason why we haven't really called fashion, and it's because the common goal of the technology and lifestyle industry is to build a sustainable future.
00:05:12
Speaker
through technology-empowered solutions that transforms how we produce, consume, and live, as opposed to just produce. So it it it incorporates the production, the consumption, how consumers shop, how consumers buy products, and how we live. Because the technology and innovation plays a big part in multiple touch points, as opposed to just one, which is normally associated with a garment you would buy from a retail store.
00:05:40
Speaker
and And then drawing from our experience in apparel and textiles, we recognize similarities in the value chain of agri-feed. Both industries need more sustainable solutions to address the challenges, um especially carbon footprint, um but also to wear our favorite cotton t-shirt.
00:05:59
Speaker
you have to grow the cotton crop. And that requires healthy soil. It requires ah technology. It requires a perfect climate. um So we found those industries go hand in hand together. um And most importantly, with a lot of people ask us why we're focusing on agri-food, is our population is growing. We're expecting to have two more billion people on a planet that will need to be clothed and fed.
00:06:29
Speaker
And the way we farm and produce, it's now sustainable. um So investing and discovering the innovators that solve the problems within agri-food world, it's pivotal. It's pivotal, ah especially in this year. but What would be an example of of a textile company or or brand or or product? And what would be an example of an agri-food product to or service?
Showcasing Colorifics and Supplant
00:06:55
Speaker
I would say for textile is certainly colorifics. um They are based in the UK and they're the first company to develop an entirely biological process to create dyes for the fashion textile industry. And what's incredible about their technology or their solution is that they can take any color from nature, for example,
00:07:21
Speaker
parrots, red feather, and it's never really a live specimen. But what they can do with it is they can run the DNA sequence or identify the DNA sequence and identify the genome or genes and enzymes responsible for the production of that color. And then they translate that information into non-pathogenic microbe. The resulting engineered microorganisms can not only produce the color, but also then deposit and fix it into textiles in one unique and integrated process. um And then they grow them in engineered microorganism, and liquid culture using fermentation. It's a similar process used to make beer or kombucha. um And then it ah it allows them to use byproducts of the sugar industry. So you feed the bacteria sugars and all the
00:08:14
Speaker
happy, happy things that bacteria likes. And then they're able to pour that dye into textile dyeing machine and they were able to permanently transfer colorants onto fibers without the need of toxic chemicals. So the innovation behind it is using biology and nature to develop colors that um eliminate the need of chemicals in our dyeing industry.
00:08:42
Speaker
and And it saves so much water when you look at um the the carbon footprint and the the the chemicals impact on our biodiversity. So that would be the textile one. The agri-food, there are quite a few since we're in UK. I could spotlight supplant. And supplant has developed technology to take plant wastes. So for example,
00:09:10
Speaker
crop waste, think about growing corn. So when you think about ah the food industry, um when they harvest the corns, 90% of it is actually the the tall plant, right? So there's a lot of ways. So once a plant is able to do, they can take waste and employ enzymes ah to break the plant's waste into sugars. And they're able to do so in a way where it's probiotic.
00:09:40
Speaker
is supporting your gut health. um And what they most recently done, and that was over a year ago, they launched Incredible Chocolate Bar with ah Chef Thomas Keller in New York. It's available in the US for sale. And that's just one of incredible examples of how supplant is innovating, taking a agri-food waste, what most of the farmers would consider unusable and extracting sugars that are healthier than conventional sugars. Was that same chocolate bar at your Earthfest stall that you had like a few weeks ago? Yes. At that festival in Cordurope Sierra because I think I tried some of it. It was really good. Yes. Did you enjoy it? Yeah, I know. It was good. It was good. It tastes like chocolate. It does taste like chocolate. It tastes like good chocolate. We absolutely love the plant.
00:10:30
Speaker
ah lot Lots of the the people behind these products, are they do they come from scientific backgrounds? It seems like so many of these innovations require quite a deep understanding of biology and chemistry. Each each company or each innovator has such incredible story. I wish we could have them all in a room with me. um I would say one of the most successful startups that we know, they normally have a founder coming from chemistry background or biology background. And mostly those ideas start when they are doing their PhD in chemistry and they start experimenting in their own kitchen, not not knowing where that's going to take them. And then they meet someone who's equally as young with and then curious as them that come from
00:11:19
Speaker
the business side of things, the operational side of things. And when this duo meets, they can build a very, very successful company. um So we're certainly seeing um in the founding teams that you definitely need a scientist who will spearhead and collect feedback from investors, from customers, from brands and retailers, but you equally need the co-founder who will understand the operational strategic operational tasks, standard operating procedures, and building the teams to then build up a successful business. And since you've joined the Most Fabrica, what are some of the
Success Stories: Ardabio and Unspun
00:12:01
Speaker
innovations you've been most excited by and perhaps witnessed firsthand?
00:12:05
Speaker
I would say my top three, two of them are based in UK and one is a US based. So one is Ardabio. And when we met, I haven't necessarily mentioned them to you, ah but I really hope you have them on your next podcast. And Ardabio, do you like beer? From time to time, especially after a long cycle.
00:12:27
Speaker
Great. So Artabio is around, it's a biomaterials company that recently, I think they're two years old and they take spent grain waste from London breweries and they extract protein out of it to create leather like materials. and And based on how much beer UK and Europe consumes and how many beer breweries there are, they can eliminate the food waste or the spent grain waste. And they create a material that is suitable for fashion industry to use and that could replace level ah leather like. So this is an incredible story. They're two years old. um They have just recently launched the first prototype with a sustainable fashion brand. So highly recommend checking their website. And the founder's incredible story. They met an entrepreneur first.
00:13:26
Speaker
Um, which is incredible program for startup founders to meet each other. And a chemist met TJ, we call him, uh, met Brett. Brett comes from agri-food background. So nothing to do with fashion. And they both clicked really well when TJ came from PhD background, had some sort of prototype. Um, and then Brett came from.
00:13:49
Speaker
lots of wealth of industry, understanding how the feed ecosystems work and how to really kick off and start off the business. And yes, they've they've been perfect du ever since. And I'm incredible to see the results where over a year ago, we touched the first sample of the material, and we met with them last month. Just seeing the advancements that they achieved has been an incredible journey. And then a few others to highlight is Unspun, a fashion tag B Corp that has invented Vega. It's the world's first 3D weaving technology for apparel and then also NFW. So for those who are quite skeptical skeptical about the innovators and startups and that alternative material phase, I highly recommend looking into NFW, which is
00:14:44
Speaker
a large-scale innovator that is not a startup anymore. And they create multiple materials, plastic-free, naturally circular performance materials made from plants and minerals. So the best way to explain it is that we all know how to bake bread. We all do it a little bit differently. And when you think of alternatives to leathers, if you look at vegan leathers, a lot of those alternatives will have 30%, 20%, 5% PU binder in it in order to pass the fashion brands' criteria of durability and performance. And what's amazing is the NFW have developed Mirum. They don't call it leather, but it's a leather-like material. And it allows them to work with fashion designers and brands that aim to start well, stay clean, and end well with regenerative materials.
00:15:44
Speaker
They don't add any bioplastics or polyurethane in it, which is very common for many alternatives. And you saw when you visited, ah Purified Footwear has recently launched a plastic-free shoe with their material and, you know, we're proudly stocking them in fabric bags. A lot of these companies working together and collaborating with each other and sharing their their insights and and materials with each other, just like in the example that you um you just mentioned.
00:16:13
Speaker
Yes. um I think what's interesting in innovation and sustainability, there is a pivotal change that happened since early 2020s where the competition, the competitiveness has been eliminated and you see startup founders are sharing and supporting each other and designers and brands who equally fundamentally want to change how they design, how They impact the planetary impact. So how do they impact the planet, the people, what materials they use? They want to be conscious. What's quite interesting when those two people come together and will the founder purify it? But where and my room, it's been a three year journey, how they didn't stop in believing in each other and supporting each other and making those prototypes.
00:17:07
Speaker
you've You know, you've so you've seen in a gallery space that they had the first prototype of the shoe, so they come a long way. And seeing them wanting to stay clean and really pushing their own boundaries and going back and learning from each other and going, OK, we have to go back and adjust our materials recipe when you think about your plants and minerals to make sure it's stronger and more durable.
00:17:30
Speaker
um So that's been incredible to see. Have there been lots of examples of of mutually beneficial collaborations between the the startups and the innovators that you work with?
Unspun and Walmart Partnership
00:17:41
Speaker
Yes. um One notable success story, which is Unspun. um They recently celebrated a significant milestone when Unspun announced its partnership with Walmart. So Walmart is partnering with Unspun on a pilot project using their Vega 3D weaving technology.
00:18:01
Speaker
and And that technology eliminates the cutting and sewing of flat fabric and going straight from yarn to garment. What it does, it reduces waste and creates a more sustainable supply chain. It can also help to bring back manufacturingy manufacturing to the US. This is in Walmart's case. um And then the key factor behind the the partnership success is that besides them the most incredible founding team is that they are tackling one of the biggest problems in the fashion industry and and also supporting Walmart's journey on and eliminating waste. And I think you you probably will know as you're interested in this field, but um one significant issue with today's clothing industry is the excess inventory that is being produced because clothing is
00:18:50
Speaker
made before people won it. When you think about the way fashion industry is working right now is that we produce two billion garments. And then if you're shopping for trousers, you then go into the store and you pick up 10 different styles. And then you try to put your unique body shape into standardized sizing charts.
00:19:15
Speaker
And so the and overproduction is unreal. And when you think about it, very little has changed over the years. So yarn is still spun into flat fabric, which is then cut based on a pattern, so pattern shapes, styles, and then sewn together. And it's multi-step cycle occurs worldwide. So it doesn't matter where you are, where you produce, whether it's Portugal, whether it's Italy, whether it's China, whether it's Bangladesh,
00:19:44
Speaker
they're still exactly same process. And it also creates surplus inventory and waste. So I think in a natural to answer question for Unspun collaborating with Walmart, it allows Walmart as a conglomerate to eliminate their waste. And this pilot project will allow them to deploy factories. So for example,
00:20:09
Speaker
If you sold through, I'm going to do a bit of maps now. and If you sold through, I don't know, it's summer, it's really warm. And you sold through 20,000 units in your shops of really nice light color trouser. And you would need to reorder so you meet your demand from customers. Normally you would place an order with your supplier in Asia.
00:20:31
Speaker
And that would take time for them to manufacture and then you have to accumulate the shipping time. Versus Vega 3D weaving technology can be deployed 20 minutes drive from your store if you want to. um And you press the button and it makes exactly the amount you need without any additional minimum order quantities or any additional specifications. So I definitely see this collaboration transforming the industry also at scale, you know, because you can only achieve environmental impact, positive environmental impact and reduction in waste. If you cannibalize into that large market of doing things the old way, when there are better technologies available to solve the problems such as waste.
00:21:20
Speaker
So do they do they see a future where someone can walk into a clothing store and just say exactly what they want? They might have a picture of a design and this Unspun or Vega, the technology just creates it essentially in front of them for them to then just take home on the spot. Well, at Spun we are pioneers of that. um So if you live in Hong Kong or you go to Unspun's website, they have a flagship store in Hong Kong and as Anyone from general public can walk in and scan their body shape. um And this is for denim. That's not for travel. That's for jeans. You can scan your body shape in two minutes. You pop to a changing room. You in fact can do it on your phone, but store is a great experience because you get to speak to people. The scan takes a couple of seconds and then you can pick the color of the fabric. You can pick.
00:22:16
Speaker
the style, the cut of your denim. So if you have thin calves, you can have a tapered denim. If you have bigger thighs, you can have a little bit looser denim. You pick the colors, you customize your own perfect pair of jeans. You click purchase and in two weeks um you will receive bespoke pair of jeans made specifically for you through your local delivery.
00:22:43
Speaker
So again, and there their core problem solve is that it's on demand manufacturing. You buy it when you need it. Do you own a pair of those jeans, for example? Have you like tested it out and gone through that process? ah We do. It's actually ah both of us from our team. So our head of Europe, Amy Sang.
00:23:01
Speaker
um and myself own a pair of unspun jeans. And what's quite fun about it, it's such a small thing. um But when you receive a pair of jeans, it has your name. And and it's it's probably one of the most personalized moments where you can have a pair of jeans that fits you because it's based on your body shape scan. But equally,
00:23:22
Speaker
It makes you feel good about it that you're not shopping. You're not hitting the store and you're picking up a pair of jeans that you really, really like. You do it because you need it. And it makes the experience a little bit differently. It's affordable. It's accessible. It's price competitive or price almost price parity to your average Levi's pair. So there's a lot of misconception.
00:23:43
Speaker
you know, responsible gamut are inaccessible for many of us. But if you live in London, and you normally would buy your your pair from nudie or from Levi's that price difference is not that much. Is there anything that prevents that technology being everywhere at the moment and spreading globally?
00:24:02
Speaker
My viewpoint is because the technology is so advanced and it's available on your phone, you don't necessarily need that store experience. I think the DTC element for companies like Unspun, it's one of incredible touch points of education. I do you think there is an element in our consumption of or life's elements on how we consume it's going to the stores because there is a lot of inventory produced before we need it or before we want it.
00:24:32
Speaker
And when you go to the stores, you're used to seeing thousands of units on the shop floor that have your size, you come in, you pick it up, you try it on. With on-demand manufacturing, think about it as it's all stored in your phone and you have more personalized experience by yourself. So I think it solves a problem for a lot of introverts who are not comfortable going to the stores and trying things on and then speaking with sales consultants. And I think the retail element will will be more experiential and And that's what we are missing when it comes to the way we shop. If you look at flagship stores or you look at social media profiles of the most successful companies, there is no product in them. It's about the experiential element. It's about the educational element. And I think this is when Spanish really nailed it since the beginning.
00:25:22
Speaker
when you walk into that store and I got to walk into that store in Hong Kong, I visited them, has been incredible because you're you come into the very design-led environment, you have a team that talks about the technology part of how this 3D scanning work and how can it clock on certain areas of, and it could be of something that you felt uncomfortable all your life. So if you have pair of jeans and your thighs a little bit bigger, you wear through them.
00:25:51
Speaker
much faster than an average person. So you need another pair to really allow you to talk about the perfect fit. um Talk about the problems you're facing when you wear a garment and you've got super nice team who's able to inspire you with the technology and then guide you through the experience. So to answer your question, I guess the success for them and success of retail It's the giving the experience and educational part. And for a lot of those technologists to scale, there has to be more consumer awareness and you can only achieve it through educating them.
Exhibiting Innovations at Fabrica X
00:26:31
Speaker
I know one way you support innovators and and partners that you work with is via Fabrica X, which is an exhibition space showcasing some of those innovations. And how how important has it been for innovators that you partner with to have their work exhibited in a physical space like Fabrica X?
00:26:49
Speaker
ah Thank you so much. What a great question. um I wish I had all of the founders here with me because they would be probably the best people to answer it. So just to give you a bit of a rundown on what the space is and who we have in the space, and then probably then it allows us to explain what Value it adds to innovators or what type of support we provide so our visitors include other investors sustainability experts fashion designers from really early stage designer to incredible designers working for luxury houses and
00:27:23
Speaker
large mega brands. We also have lots of retailers visiting us as well as manufacturers from Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Pakistan. We um recently worked with a b-cop certified denim manufacturer. It is based in Karachi as well. So we do have such a big pool of incredible people visiting. And then we have people like yourself who are just interested in innovation and what's going on ah in technology and lifestyle elements. So what we do in Fabrics is aimed at education. We are not there to shame about not knowing about things. We're here to really educate, inspire. And the way we do it is we use a simple language that even a 10 year old can understand. So we translate complex data. So what we do is we work with startup founders to really translate that
00:28:14
Speaker
biology and chemistry data into compelling graphics and statements, which you probably saw when you visited the space, our graphics always have the same guidance on what is the problem, what is the company, how are they solving that problem, and why does it matter? Once we have those graphics and statements and we debunk a lot of scientific claims,
00:28:40
Speaker
We then go and curate installations that combine design and art to inspire and engage multiple senses such as sight, touch, smell, and taste whenever possible. And we also prefer the analog over digital for more impactful and longer lasting memory, ah so no swiping. And the goal is to create an experience that it allows people to remember and understand the company. And what's been incredible to see is that you remembered the chocolate.
00:29:09
Speaker
For some reason, you remember seeing that chocolate on the shelf. um you know If I asked you, have you been to any other store, you probably will not remember what we've seen on multiple shelves, but that gives us a good sign. um So going back to a question, um through our work, we enabled to early stage innovators to connect with the world's leading fashion companies, which may lead to pilot projects or investment opportunities. um And they also are able to gain valuable consumer feedback on the materials and how people feel about the innovation because, you know, going back to early conversation we had earlier in the podcast, those innovations are hidden behind trade choice that are only accessible to industry people, which means if you were a startup and you created a new material, whether it's mycelium alternative to leather, you really want to get
00:30:02
Speaker
feedback on how consumer feels about it because they're in the end, are the ones paying for the paying the price for it and shopping the product. So again, it allows to collect that quality of feedback they otherwise wouldn't get in a traditional show.
00:30:15
Speaker
And I think that's where the biggest value is added. And I think worth mentioning what an incredible case study we have with NFW and purified footwear, as a customer or as a designer or as a head of sustainability to have a luxury house, you can come in and learn everything about the material, and how the material is made. How did and NFW started eight years ago? you know their journey to scaling the the the manufacturing. And then you also get to learn about the designer and the process of obtaining the material and then fighting to make sure it's plastic free. And then manufacturing in Portugal. So you learn on where your shoes are manufactured. So we find that combination of where someone from general public can walk in and learn everything about
00:31:06
Speaker
Who is the farmer that grew ah grew the the crop? Who is the scientist who worked with that material? Who is the designer that put it together and brought it to amazing product? And I think that's what makes it really special. And it goes hand in hand for both. Consumer feels inspired because they almost got an access to everything that's behind the scenes and they feel so much more informed.
00:31:30
Speaker
to where the money is going to. um And it also allows the designer and NFW team to really learn about how does customer interact with my product? Does customer want the product? Is customer willing to pay 10% more on a responsible plastic-free sneaker, which I think retails 130 pounds to your conventional leather, plastic-leather sneaker that you can buy 180 in one of the luxury stuff?
00:31:58
Speaker
So that's that's what's most exciting in terms of what each party, whether you're a visitor or whether you're an exhibitor, can get from each other. ah Since you established Fabrica Rex in London, have you seen the public industry engagement increase in fields of textile and agri-food?
00:32:14
Speaker
Absolutely. um It's been remarkable to witness the growth in public and industry engagement in fields like textile and agri-food since we opened Fabric Hacks. And you know opening in 2021, post-pandemic, a space that is so different unconventional retail model. It's been quite brave of us. um And looking bad at ah ah back it, I sometimes we reflect and think, oh my goodness, how on earth we got here? And what we see in the year and year is an increase in football in double digits with more people visiting the space, but also spreading the world to the the word to their friends. And I think what's been quite
00:32:58
Speaker
beautiful to see is that on average visitors spend around thirty forty minutes within the space which is a good indicator that the information and content and installations that we put together effectively maintain the curiosity and engagement and i think what's good interesting is.
00:33:14
Speaker
I haven't really got some exciting metrics for you to share, but um we will be further gauging the impact, like interest and impact of ah educational content and consumers intend to consume better and shop more responsibly by introducing impact measurement surveys.
Consumer Engagement and Education at Fabrica X
00:33:31
Speaker
We finally nailed our templates. um So we are super excited to assess the results of these surveys by the end of this campaign. I will be certainly sending you one, probably after this podcast. And I think that will allow us to measure more qualitative way of what we see and how do people feel with that knowledge. And, you know, how does the educational content impact their their consumer behavior or their intent to consume better and whether they are willing to share with their other colleagues as well. and Have you noticed any patterns in the type of people who who purchase or are interested in purchasing textile and agri-food products?
00:34:11
Speaker
rather than belonging to specific demographic category. And you would think, right? You would think there would be a certain demographic category. What we've noticed is those that end up shopping from our curated retail space, they're typically driven by their excitement of what they've learned and the positive positive environmental impact of the product. So they're motivated to spend their hard and pounds to actively participate and to become a part of it and it's perhaps less to do with putting on your packaging that this is recycled it's the impact statements that make people shop so we had a seven-year-old buying a bracelet made from food waste and they couldn't believe it that the little
00:34:59
Speaker
Little bracelet was made from zucchini peels by incredible social enterprise in Hong Kong But then we had a 65 year old going these sneakers are super cool and I can't wait to wear it You know when I meet my my friends at the pub and that's what's beautiful is that it's the stories that you tell about the product or innovator and about the impact it has on the planet so it's about how much zucchini peels we we prevented from going into landfill or how how many shoes we can and sell that are plastic free to eliminate microplastics getting in our ecosystems. So, um yeah, that's what we're seeing. And are are there any types of products that have been particularly popular with the people that come into Fabrica Rex?
00:35:45
Speaker
Oh, yes. Actually, um last week we hosted a private educational tour for a lot of sea levels from South America coming in. And what was quite nice is is that they all went crazy shopping on one product, and it's called Buyer Restore. And it's award-winning home laundry detergent.
00:36:05
Speaker
that renews, revives, and restores your old worn clothing to new interest like in a single wash. So it's in in a nutshell, it's a washing powder, which you don't have to use every day. You use it when your garment looks worn off. the The magic behind their technology is that they employ enzymes to remove all the pilling. So your t-shirt and hoodie looks new again. And the way it works is think about your favorite cotton hoodie. And the enzymes can only work on cellulosic materials.
00:36:34
Speaker
Think about throughout years, it fades into very light, kind of washed off black. You have the little bubbles around it. So what the enzymes do, they when you put it in a wash with biorestore powder, is that they do the nom, nom, nom, nom, nom part. So they go away and eat away the pilling. So it removes the damaged layer and restores the beautiful color it is underneath. And it's a retail product ah that should be available in every single clothing store, every single supermarket, because it can stop you from giving away your clothes or donating them or throwing them away because they don't just look that nice anymore. You know, and it's when you look at the cost of
00:37:13
Speaker
Using it and restoring your garment, it costs around around three to five pounds to restore the garment that you can keep for another few years. So this was definitely one of the best sellers. Sounds like a no-brainer. Right. My partner is very it was very lucky that um I stocked up on Biorestar. I think we probably... he You know when guys are one of... They just fall in love with a sweatshirt and they have around six of them in the same color or five different colors. um So my partner is very happy because he didn't have to go and stock it up on them and we just use the Biorestar when we need to renew it. Good product.
00:37:45
Speaker
and it And it works like really, really well. Yes, it works really, really well. And we um we have a sample in our innovation space where a vintage hoodie has been cut in half and one pot was washed and one wasn't. And we put it together. So if you buy the powder, please don't cut your garments to to look at the difference. Just take a picture. But you can see a clear picture. And And it's so hard for people to trust it when it's an online product. And this is where you need a storytelling space for them to physically see the garment being washed. And know there has there has been so much greenwashing going on. So it takes a while for us to to trust it. And you know youre naturally you're naturally asking me a question, does it work? And that's where the storytelling about enzymes and technology that it's been three years in the making for these founders. to create an enzyme that can do the job so well to make customer feel like the purchase of the powder is worth of investment.
00:38:44
Speaker
In my last question, I inadvertently just basically demonstrated like a reservation that someone might have to buy in like a product like that. Have you noticed any other main reservations or barriers that potential customers have that hold them back from purchasing the type of products and startups and entrepreneurs that you you support? Yes, we've noted that potential consumers of these products often have many reservations that really prevents them from purchasing a product. ah A primary concern revolves around a lack of awareness or understanding regarding
00:39:19
Speaker
the benefits and functionalities of the of these innovative offerings. And there is always some uncertainty about product performance, durability or suitability for their needs. So a good example would be, you know, you're shopping for your sneakers and you see that it's it's not it's not made from conventional leather. And I probably had around 60 people picking up the shoe that you saw in our space and they said,
00:39:43
Speaker
There's a stretch. There's a stretch. I'm worried it's not going to stretch. So it is the quality the same because if it's made from plants and it's all natural, that means it probably won't last as long as my conventional leather sneakers. And you think those questions, they're very valid questions. And I think what's the most important part is to tell the story of innovator. When you spend three or four years or five years R&Ding technology, you go through vigorous testing.
00:40:10
Speaker
to make sure when you bring the material to market, it performs just like. So um you're making good alternative with good durability with good design and good quality. But there has been quite a few consents when it comes to functionality of the offerings. Until you explain in more detail what technology is and how it's replacing conventional materials that have maybe a high carbon footprint or high water usage. So we're definitely seeing that. And then furthermore, probably one of the ah bigger ones um in this current economical climate is the price sensitivity, which
00:40:46
Speaker
emerges as a significant barrier. Normally these products come with a higher price tag compared to conventional alternative alternatives. But to defend that, I think what we're facing right now, and a lot of innovators are facing right now, is that if you're a small company that manufactured or made maybe 100,000 meters of material, until you've fully scaled into large capacity, you aren't able to lower your production costs. Therefore, for a brand and designer, if it's a small brand, it still requires a high cost investment to buy the material. The moment they're scale and have a bulk order from a big brand,
00:41:30
Speaker
you know, Kalagafel just launched the amazing back collection with NFW. The more units they order, the more units they produce, naturally it will scale NFW's production and they will be able to have price parity. So then therefore in the later years, and we'll see, we'll start seeing in a couple of years, and I definitely see that, that the prices will become not that much higher when it comes to having a responsible product.
00:41:57
Speaker
So marketing and branding is a huge part of communicating the the the value and also persuading people that these products can can work and work well. And it's not just about the reduction in environmental footprint. So have there been any branding or marketing strategies that you've observed to be most effective?
Marketing Strategies for Sustainability
00:42:14
Speaker
Absolutely. One particularly impactful approach is integrating proof-pointed impact statements into marketing at campaigns. These statements highlight concrete benefits of this is how much water you save, this is reductions in chemical usage, this is prevention of microplastics or land conservation achieved by that product or service. So by communicating tangible environmental and social impact of their offerings,
00:42:42
Speaker
Brands can authentically engage and inspire customers, but also making sure that they proof point those claims. Again, customers stop believing a lot of brands because of the consistent greenwashing. But with latest legislation coming out, having proof pointed claims really allow customers to feel, I trust this company. I trust to buy from them. And I'll give you a few examples, which could be interesting ah for your audience.
00:43:08
Speaker
is think about beauty products. ah If you go on called beauty ah website, you'll probably notice on some products that will be um proof pointed claims. um And there is a company called provenance, which developed a blockchain technology solution,
00:43:24
Speaker
which showcases the claims of a brand and verifies them and proof points. So when you shop online and you pick up a shampoo and it says recycle packaging, you can click right next to that bottle and you can see proof pointed, where it's recycled, how it's recycled, or if you look at female owned, then it will ah it will verify that it is female owned. So you see those new technologies that emerge to then allow us to make those transparent choices and eliminate that brick wall that is when it comes to
00:44:01
Speaker
transparency and sustainability claims. So that's one, which is quite great case study. And then the second one, which is super fun. um And I love what Parley for the Oceans have been doing. ah I'm sure people will know what Parley for the Oceans is. They are environmental organization that collect ocean plastic or intercept plastic from the beaches that would end up in the oceans. And they created amazing products and collaborations with brands like Dior. But they also have their own sunglasses brand.
00:44:30
Speaker
and it's called clean waves so what was quite interesting with talking to me retail space is that when a customer was trying the sunglasses on she loved the design and she said let me think about it i really like them both and right before she left i so i said i'm not sure if you notice but on your glass frame there are gps coordinates.
00:44:52
Speaker
And if you type them in, you can see where your money goes to because they're NGO. And that was a key buying decision for her. She ended up picking up those sunglasses and not buying them anywhere else because she clearly needed them. And making that buying decision because you can see where your money goes to and you can see the work on a GPS coordinate in which part of the world those projects are going to, which is incredible. I think that's probably one of the fun marketing and branding strategy case studies that I've seen.
00:45:22
Speaker
And so just to begin to close, so what type of advice would you give to someone who is seeking to do the type of work that you
Advice for Aspiring Innovators
00:45:29
Speaker
do? I would say don't overthink it, just do it. Stay focused on your core intention and push forward and do not allow outside distractions or your own insecurities or your inner voice telling you, you can't do this or stopping you from your goals. So yeah, I would say just do it. And are there any great books or resources about the environment or climate or nature that have been particularly influential to you?
00:45:57
Speaker
Yes, actually two of them that completely transformed my life. So on a topic of the planetary and climate concerns, the planetary boundaries framework book profoundly influenced my approach to curatorial work and my daily life.
00:46:12
Speaker
I highly recommend it to everyone. And then shifting, since we're talking about agri-food tech, Douglas McMaster's book called Silo, The Zero Waste Blueprint, delves into forward thinking food system. So McMaster also operates a remarkable zero waste restaurant called Silo, which is located in Hackney Wick, above Crate Brewery, White Building, if you're East Londoner. I highly recommend visiting. Both books have the incredible story and very eye opening when it comes to who we are, how we interact with Earth and food and gives you a good call to action, motivational kick that makes it do better things from the moment you finish reading that book. Is there anything I've missed or any last last words of wisdom that you'd like to to give to listeners?
00:47:02
Speaker
I think just to compliment the advice, I would say take that action, send the email you were hesitant to send, apply for a job you were hesitant to apply for, do the podcast you were absolutely terrified to do, ask for advice, go and speak to people, overcome hesitancy and actively pursue your goals and opportunities.
00:47:23
Speaker
Perfect. Well, there's a great last words of wisdom. And I just want to say thanks on on my side for yeah your time and and and jumping on this podcast with me. It's been great to hear your insights and your bucket full of knowledge, like I ah said last week when we when we met. So ah thanks once once again. Thank you, Toby. It's been a pleasure being here with you. Thanks again to Gabriela Veracayte and thank you for listening. I hope you enjoyed the episode.