Meet the 10 innovative startups accelerating circular textiles
The Circular Innovation Collective (CIC) has announced the 10 innovative startups who will be participating in their Circular Innovation Textile Programme. This pilot project is aimed at accelerating ideas that will help the Amsterdam Area achieve 70% circular textiles by 2030.
Accelerating towards circularity
The Circular Innovation Collective (CIC) was launched earlier this year to help the Amsterdam Metropolitan Area (MRA) meet its circular textile goals. By the end of their 2 year pilot Circular Innovation Textile Programme, CIC aims to create a proven methodology for identifying and accelerating high-impact circular businesses. Phase 2 of the programme is underway, and focuses on finding and scaling circular textile business models with the goal of connecting them to investment.
Meet the next generation of textile solutions
10 startups were announced as part of the Circular Textile Innovation Accelerator with the potential to help the region achieve 70% circular textiles by 2030. The participants focus on higher-R business models, meaning they go beyond just recycling and create more value by reducing or reusing textile already in circulation. They also align with several opportunity areas identified by the research conducted in Phase 1:
- Mended is a circular platform that connects brands and individuals with local craftspeople to make repairing and altering clothes as easy as buying new ones.
- De Steek is a sewing cafe, workshop space and sustainable fabric store. Its mission is to ensure that clothes- and textile-making and repairing techniques are accessible to everyone. De Steek also provides only sustainable or upcycled fabrics and raises awareness about the impact of fast fashion.
- Byewaste provides a door-to-door service for reusing and recycling household items, from textiles to toys and electronics. Every object collected gets a second life instead of being incinerated or taken to a landfill.
- MARTAN is a circular fashion brand that turns waste textiles from the luxury hotel industry into colourful and surprising outfits. The brand operates at the intersection of ready-to-wear, art and sustainability.
- By Rockland designs, produces and supplies fully customised sustainable workwear for corporate employees in collaboration with Dutch designers. The company uses materials such as GOTS-certified cotton while considering wear resistance and washability criteria.
- Hollands Wol Collectief buys Dutch sheep's wool, sorts it for application, and works with producers to process it before selling to partners who turn it into beautiful products. The company researches wool's unique properties and environmental impact to build a circular supply chain and raise awareness of Dutch wool as a unique, local and sustainable biobased material.
- Race Against Waste aims to inspire everyone to participate in the transition to a circular economy in textiles, e-waste and energy. The platform helps schools, residents, partners, municipalities and other relevant stakeholders implement straightforward sustainable solutions.
- MUMSTER is a conscious campaign agency that helps innovative brands maximise their impact and accelerate positive change in the fashion industry. With a dedicated and skilled creative team from various backgrounds, MUMSTER creates campaigns that connect fashion pioneers with policymakers and consumers.
- Atalyé is a fashion brand that takes an on-demand approach. Using pioneering technology including a 3D body scanner and automated pattern-making system, the brand crafts contemporary yet classic garments that are sourced locally and made to measure. Atalyé only produces what it sells, thus avoiding overproduction and deadstock garments.
- Atelier MADE HERE creates high-quality fashion garments from upcycled and discarded material in the Netherlands. The atelier produces timeless designs using a made-to-order model, meaning there is no unsold stock waste.
The accelerator will cumulate with a pitch to investors on June 21, 2023 during Demo Day at Impact Hub Amsterdam. Together with Bankers without Boundaries and Metabolic, these innovative startups will be connected to impact investors to help them accelerate towards creating systemic change.
