Climate and Nature Impact Awards
Textile Exchange’s fourth annual awards program is now open for nominations, celebrating those in the fashion, textile, and apparel industry who show outstanding commitment and drive towards accelerating beneficial impacts for climate and nature.
ABOUT
Recognizing emerging leaders and changemakers
In the memory of Ryan Young, Textile Exchange’s late COO who spearheaded our Climate+ vision, we are dedicating one Ryan Young Climate Leader award to an individual who is a force for change in climate impact within the fashion and textile industry.
In addition to this individual award, we are also updating the categories to include Project of the Year awards, which will celebrate four projects that show leadership in the following categories: Innovation (e.g. recycling), Climate (i.e. greenhouse gas reduction), Nature (e.g. regenerative practices, beneficial impacts to biodiversity), and Collaboration in Action (e.g. fostering long-term brand-producer relationships).
Eligibilty
What we are looking for
From brands and retailers to raw material suppliers, farmers, and ranchers, we invite nominations for both individuals and projects delivering outstanding work towards a better future for our industry.
Ryan Young Climate Leader Award
This award is intended to recognize an outstanding individual who shows commitment, action, and leadership in reducing emissions from fiber and raw material production in the fashion, textile, and apparel industry.
Project of the Year Awards
By showcasing those going above and beyond to drive beneficial impacts in these four categories, the Project of the Year award recognizes project teams, and aims to inspire others into action.
Innovation
A project that shows unconventional thinking in creating alternatives to new virgin synthetics and scaling preferred synthetics such as through textile-to-textile recycling, biosynthetics, and carbon capture technologies.
Climate
At the core of our organizational strategy is guiding the industry towards greenhouse gas emissions from fiber and raw material production by 45% by 2030. Beyond accounting for emissions, an interdisciplinary and interconnected approach is key to holistically look at sustainability.
A project that is effective in reducing the emissions associated with raw material extraction and initial processing, while at the same time also considering the ecosystems, landscapes, and communities of where fibers are produced.
Nature
A project that uses regenerative agriculture best practices, contributes to beneficial impacts on biodiversity, and responsibly uses water, making sure it is put back safely into our systems.
Collaboration in Action
By partnering and engaging with other organizations, this project actions on reducing environmental impacts on raw material extraction and initial processing, while also creating benefits for nature. Through collaboration, this project inspires others to join together to accelerate industry action in achieving climate reduction targets and nature goals.
Meet Last Year’s Winners
APPLY
Nominations are now open for 2024
We welcome applications from the public, including both Textile Exchange members and non-members, and applicants can either self-nominate or to put forward others they believe deserve recognition. Nominees can include brands, retailers, raw material suppliers, as well as farmers and/or ranchers.
Nominations will be vetted by an independent advisory panel, and final decisions will be made by an internal judging committee.
The deadline to apply is July 15, 2024.