PREFERRED FIBER & MATERIALS (PFM)
INNOVATION LAB

PREFERRED FIBER & MATERIALS (PFM)
INNOVATION LAB

2017 INNOVATION LAB – WASHINGTON D.C.

WHEN: Thursday, October 12, 2017 (following TE’s 2017 Sustainability Conference)
WHERE: The William F. Bolger Center in Potomac, Maryland (15 minutes outside of Washington, D.C.)
QUESTIONS? Contact Jana@TextileExchange.org
HIGHLIGHTS SUMMARY COMING SOON…

 
JOIN US IN WASHINGTON D.C. FOR THE 2017 PFM INNOVATION LAB 

WHEN: Thursday, October 12, 2017 (following TE’s 2017 Sustainability Conference)
WHERE: The William F. Bolger Center in Potomac, Maryland (15 minutes outside of Washington, D.C.)
REGISTRATION: Click here to register
QUESTIONS? Contact Jana@TextileExchange.org

WHAT IS THE PFM INNOVATION LAB?

Textile Exchange’s Innovation Lab started life in 2015 as the place and space for innovators in organic cotton to come together and showcase their ideas in competition for the OCRT Innovation Award. This year, Textile Exchange expanded this to form the Preferred Fiber and Materials (PFM) Innovation Lab, with the addition of an exciting new component to the day’s activities. On the day of the Preferred Fiber and Materials Round Tables in Washington D.C. (October 12, 2017) we, for the first time, hosted an accompanying Preferred Fiber & Materials Hands-On Lab for participants to see and feel samples of a diverse range of new and innovative fibers and materials.

Photos and highlights from the Lab coming soon!

 
PFM INNOVATION LAB CONCEPT NOTE
 

WHAT IS THE PFM INNOVATION LAB?

Textile Exchange’s Innovation Lab started life in 2015 as the place and space for innovators in organic cotton to come together and showcase their ideas in competition for the OCRT Innovation Award. This year, Textile Exchange is expanding this to form the Preferred Fiber and Materials (PFM) Innovation Lab, with the addition of an exciting new component to the day’s activities. On the day of the Preferred Fiber and Materials Round Tables in Washington D.C. (October 12, 2017) we will, for the first time, be hosting an accompanying Preferred Fiber & Materials Hands-On Lab for participants to see and feel samples of a diverse range of new and innovative fibers and materials. You can find more information about both the OCRT Innovation Award and the PFM Hands-On Lab below.

Are you part of an innovative company with an interest in textile sustainability?
We are currently looking for partners for the Lab, and you can see the various opportunities available and the associated benefits listed in the link below.
There is also a Concept Note available for download with key information about the Innovation Lab’s two current activities.

PFM INNOVATION LAB CONCEPT NOTE
PARTNERSHIP OPPORTUNITIES

PFM HANDS-ON LAB

Get up close and personal with some of the latest innovations in textile sustainability

In the field of textile sustainability, we all spend a lot of time talking and reading about interesting and new preferred (more sustainable) fibers and materials, but how often do we get the chance to see and feel them up close?

The Preferred Fiber and Materials (PFM) Hands-On Lab offered participants of Textile Exchange’s PFM Round Table meetings in Washington D.C. on October 12, 2017, a “show and tell” experience of a range of preferred fibers and materials at various stages of production. From the latest innovations to unique and wonderful natural fibers, the Lab focused on the social and environmental considerations of these materials, showcasing some great new projects and ideas alongside the fibers themselves.

The official launch of the Lab took place at 6:15pm on Wednesday Oct 11, where participants caught a sneak preview of what was on show before hearing from innovators WestPoint Home (sponsors of the Lab’s very own “eco lounge”), EILEEN FISHER, H&M Foundation, Vegea, evrnu and Recover, who lifted the lid on their innovation methods and how they network to stay ahead of the curve.

Featured Companies:

Anandi | Aquafil | Aratex | biov8tion | BrightLabel | C&A | Circle Economy | Coyuchi | Cyberknit | Dibella | DuPont™ Sorona® | ECOALF | Egedeniz | EILEEN FISHER | Esquel | Ethicus | evrnu | Far Eastern New Century | H&M | Himalayan Wild Fibers | Intrinsic Textiles Group | Justa Trama | Lenzing | Mayamiko | MetaWear | Mushroom Leather | Natural Cotton Colours | Natural Fashion | Orange Fiber | Organic Cotton Colors | Outerknown | Pano Social | Patagonia | Plastics For Change | Pratibha Syntex | Punarbhavaa Sustainable Products | Re:newcell | re:sustain | Recover (Hilaturas Ferre S.A.) | REvolve Waste, LLC. | SmartFarming | Stella McCartney | Tchibo | Thread International | Tierra | The North Face | Timberland | Texas Organic Cotton Marketing Cooperative | Unifi/ Repreve | Vegea | VEJA | WestPoint Home

ORGANIC COTTON ROUND TABLE INNOVATION AWARD

A celebration of new ideas in organic cotton

Organic value chains are hotbeds of new ideas and innovation. At Textile Exchange’s annual Organic Cotton Round Table (OCRT) meeting, we showcase these ideas and reward the best of them through the OCRT Innovation Award.

The Award aims to seek out groups or individuals with innovative solutions to break through barriers to growth and discover new ways for the organic cotton community to flourish – from producer to consumer. Each year, shortlisted innovators from around the world have 3 minutes to pitch their idea (in-person or via video link) to a panel of distinguished judges, and the winning idea receives a cash prize and priceless publicity to help progress their idea.

Launched in collaboration with Change Agency at the OCRT in Mumbai in 2015, the Innovation Award has become an established and much anticipated part of the OCRT agenda.

The application process for 2017 is now closed. Contact us to be notified when the 2018 round opens.

2017 OCRT INNOVATION AWARDS

The 2017 Innovation Award Ceremony was the finale of the Round Tables Day, and we ended on a high after hearing the inspiring ideas of this year’s innovators. Each finalist had just 3 minutes to pitch their ideas (three in-person and three via video link from Kenya, Argentina and India) to our panel of distinguished judges, chaired by Christine Goulay, Sustainable Sourcing Specialist at Kering.

The winner of the 2017 OCRT Innovation Award was Marzia Lanfranchi, who has just launched Cotton Diaries – an interactive documentary that revives the human connection between the people who grow, make and use cotton. The place of runner-up was awarded to Tobias Meier of ecos, who is starting a Sourcing Coalition for Organic-Fair Trade Cotton from West Africa.

All six finalists now join the OCRT Innovation Award Alumni; an exciting group of innovative thinkers from around the world, which will grow over the years and can support each other in bringing new solutions to the industry.

 
OCRT Innovation Award Alumni
 
CALL FOR INNOVATORS!  ENTRIES NOW BEING ACCEPTED FOR THE 2017 OCRT INNOVATION AWARD

Do you have a new idea that could revolutionize the textile industry? Transform lives for farmers? Bring new understanding to consumers? Then the Organic Cotton Round Table’s Innovation Award is looking for you!

The application process for the 2017 Innovation Award is now open. Simply summarize your organic cotton related project or idea in 500 words and send to Jana@textileexchange.org. There’s no fee to enter, and our criteria are wide and welcoming. This year, in line with the OCRT theme, applicants are encouraged to mention how their idea supports progress towards the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). We’re simply looking for the best new ideas and innovations of 2017 so, whether you are already in pilot stage or simply planning on paper, we want to hear from you!

Shortlisted finalists will be invited to pitch their idea at the 2017 OCRT in Washington D.C. on October 12. All finalists will also join the OCRT Innovation Award Alumni; an exciting group of innovative thinkers from around the world, which will grow over the years and can support each other in bringing new solutions to the industry.

2017 Call for Innovators
OCRT Innovation Award Alumni
WHAT OTHERS SAY about the OCRT Innovation award

“Winning the OCRT Innovation Award means a lot to us as it is an important recognition for our work in breaking the taboo of menstruation and educating women about organic and sustainable feminine hygiene. We are convinced that with the support of the OCRT community we can give strawberry week another significant boost and reach even more women globally. Our plan is to strengthen existing relationships as well as to find new partners in order to collectively address the topic of menstrual health management because we believe it is time for a new generation of feminine hygiene!”

– Bettina Steinbrugger, Erdbeerwoche (2016 winner)

“In the next five years, Pratibha plans to connect 300 villages to create an awakened ‘scientist’ in each farmer. Through participatory methods, the program aims to encourage solutions that are generated from within the community. Skill development projects in organic cotton farming are also on the anvil. This will result in continuous improvements in agriculture, rapid adoption of sustainable means and holistic growth of the community.”

– Shreyaskar Chaudhary, Pratibha Syntex (2015 winner)

“The OCRT Innovation Award is a fantastic initiative to foster innovation and entrepreneurship in sustainable textiles and we are proud to have participated and won second prize. There is never a better time for this initiative than now as there is real momentum across various stakeholders who are finding creative ways of reducing the negative impact on natural resources. It’s great that the Innovation lab brings them together and provides a platform to share and promote the idea with like- minded businesses. It incentivizes innovators who, otherwise, are often left on their own.”

– Sreeranga Rajan, Dibella (2015 runner-up)

Hands-On LAB COLLABORATORS

A BIG thank you to all those that are collaborating with us on the inaugural Preferred Fiber & Materials Hands-On Lab!
Interested in collaborating? Click here to see the opportunities available and their associated benefits. 

 
Supporter of the
PFM Hands-On Lab
Hands-On Lab Hanger Sponsor
Hands-On Lab Eco-Lounge Sponsor
 
 
 

OCRT INNOVATION AWARD COLLABORATORS

 
Partner of the
OCRT Innovation Award 2017
Partner of the
OCRT Innovation Award 2017
Supporter of the
OCRT Innovation
Award 2017
 
 
 

CONTACT US
 Liesl Truscott, European & Materials Strategy Director Liesl@TextileExchange.org  Lisa Emberson, Materials Platform Coordinator Lisa@TextileExchange.org

 Jana Busch, Materials Platform Assistant Jana@TextileExchange.org