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Organised by
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Innovation of the year - Shortlist
FASHTRAX
Innovation, business intelligence and access to sustainable textiles legislation and standards.
FASHTRAX is an innovative knowledge exchange platform designed to accelerate the digitalisation of supply chain transparency in the fashion industry. Born from extensive research conducted by the Manchester Fashion Institute’s Textiles Transparency Team (MFITT), our mission is to bridge the gap between industry stakeholders and cutting-edge digital technologies that enhance transparency, efficiency, and sustainability within the fashion supply chain.
Yulex
Introducing YULASTIC® — A new, natural, and sustainable alternative to elastane
The fashion industry has a stretch problem. Elastane (or spandex)—the material that gives everything from activewear to denim its stretch—comes with a hidden cost. It’s petroleum-based, difficult to recycle, and a major contributor to the growing issue of textile waste. But what if there was a way to achieve the same comfort and flexibility, without the environmental drawbacks?
Meet YULASTIC—a plant-based, sustainable alternative to elastane that’s set to shake up the fashion industry in 2025. Developed by Yulex, the pioneers behind natural rubber-based wetsuits for brands like Patagonia, O’Neill, and Finisterre, YULASTIC is a fine, natural rubber filament harvested from the Hevea brasiliensis tree (or, as most of us call it, a rubber tree). It’s fully renewable, responsibly sourced, and poised to become the go-to stretch fiber for brands looking to reduce their reliance on synthetic materials.
Quantum Light
Olga and Jason decided to start a company dedicated solely to Quantum Pigments.
Quantum Light, as the company is called, aims to revolutionise the world of pigments by creating pigments and dyes that harness the incredible optical qualities of quantum dots.
Olga Alexopoulou
Olga Alexopoulou is a painter whose work has been exhibited in galleries and museums from Tokyo to New York. She was born in Athens, Greece and attended the Ruskin School of Art at Oxford University. After hearing about the existence of a type of nanocrystals called quantum dots and their incredible optical qualities, Olga thought it was mad they weren't already used in Art. So, in 2018 she created a new blue pigment called Quantum Blue, with a small team of scientists at the Berkeley Laboratory in California. The project was taken on by Prof. Paul Alivisatos, an internationally recognised authority in quantum dots and recipient of the National Medal of Science. Paul then facilitated the development of Quantum Blue and other Quantum Pigments by moving the project to the Silicon Valley company he had founded a few years earlier, called Nanosys whose CEO is Jason Hartlove.
Jason Hartlove
Formerly the President & CEO of Nanosys, the world’s leading manufacturer of Quantum Dots. Jason led Nanosys to pioneer a new industry around Quantum Dot technology and built a manufacturing ecosystem to bring the technology to the display market at scale. Today, Nanosys maintains a nearly 100% market share for materials used in these ultra-bright displays with lifelike colors sold by companies including Samsung, Vizio, Hisense, TCL, Acer, Asus and HP. Jason has a proven track record of turning emerging technologies into successful commercial products. Co-inventor of one of the most ubiquitous technology products of the last 20 years, the billion-selling optical mouse. Previously led product development at Hewlett Packard, ran Agilent’s 3,000-employee Malaysia-based manufacturing operation, and set MagnaChip Semiconductor on a path to a successful IPO.
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Material Innovation - Shortlist
Rheom
Soft to the touch and elegant by nature, Shorai™ is the future of design.
Produced roll-to-roll, and derived from more than 90% biobased content, Shorai™ achieves an 80% reduction in carbon footprint compared to synthetic leather. Inspired by the Japanese word for 'future,' Shorai™ is crafted using ethical materials and sustainable processes, keeping future generations in mind.
BASF
We create chemistry for a sustainable future
Around 112,000 employees in the BASF Group contribute to the success of our customers in nearly all sectors and almost every country in the world. Our portfolio comprises six segments: Chemicals, Materials, Industrial Solutions, Surface Technologies, Nutrition & Care and Agricultural Solutions. BASF generated sales of €68.9 billion in 2023.
Outlast
Outlast - market leader for climate regulating materials
Outlast is a temperature specialist in the textile sector and offers numerous, highly functional solutions for thermoregulation or insulation like no other manufacturer.
Proactive thermo-regulation: Once developed for NASA, the Outlast® Temperature Regulation is where the Outlast success story was born. The company based in Heidenheim, Germany changed the standards for textile thermo-regulation around the world with this technology. While conventional materials worked only with the wicking of sweat, the proactive heat management from Outlast prevents moisture from forming at all.
Outlast is redefining insulation.
Outlast is redefining insulation: The resourceful Outlast development team also provides a groundbreaking product group for the field of insulation, too: AERSULATE®. Insulation takes place here in the smallest space. Taking up ten times less space, even under the influence of pressure or moisture, AERSULATE® provides reliable and efficient insulation.
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Product Innovation - Shortlist
Tandem Repeat
How can we ignore the textile industry in a world of exponentially expanding technology?
Climate change and global waste production have been significant issues for decades, but now we have something that could make all the difference. After years of research, our team discovered Squitex - an environmentally friendly replacement for petroleum-based fibers developed from genetic sequencing tools inspired by squids' tentacles! This revolutionary material will revolutionize the textile industry with its strong durability and climate positives functions. With a team of recognized specialists in biomimetic design and experience with Squid Ring Teeth protein, Tandem Repeat is founded by the leading inventor and Penn State Huck Endowed Chair of Biomaterials Professor Melik Demirel. He's joined by Dr. Benjamin Allen and Dr. Gozde Senel-Ayaz to help bring this innovative technology into reality.
Interloop
Sustainability and Innovation are what drive us.
Committed to our vision of producing apparel in a responsible way. We continue to leverage three decades of manufacturing expertise to conceptualise, design, and craft products that make us proud every single day.
Our commitment to sustainability is deeply rooted within the company’s mission, creating benefits for all our stakeholders – a partner of choice for all. Our leadership in environmental and social responsibility has gained Interloop global recognition as a responsible manufacturer. With multiple LEED certified facilities, Fair Trade certification and as a member of United Nations Global Compact, Interloop is committed to sustainable development.
DuPont
Our employees around the world come to work each day with a shared purpose: to empower the world with essential innovations.
We're a leading solutions provider for healthcare, water, and a broad range of industrial segments, powered by high-performance engineered products, leading-edge application development, and top-tier manufacturing.
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Manufacturing and Supply Chain Innovation - Shortlist
RoLL
The Robotics Living Lab (RoLL) is a £3.8m development at Manchester Fashion Institute, Manchester Metropolitan University.
RoLL is funded by the World Class Labs programme through the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC), which aims to give UK researchers and innovators access to the quality laboratories, equipment and digital resources they need to thrive. Equipped with collaborative robotics and textile adjacent technologies, the new fashion research facility supports micro-scale fashion businesses using robotic technologies, particularly focussing on creating high-value, low-volume fashion production in the UK. RoLL conceives, tests, and develops new tooling solutions. Applications include stitching, cutting, pressing, and repair tools to support small fashion design businesses in using innovative manufacturing processes for more sustainable production. The lab encourages new forms of research partnerships, enables fashion research to inform policy on carbon-neutral manufacturing, and supports Greater Manchester Combined Authority’s 2038 target for net-zero manufacturing.
Interloop
Supply Chain Innovation and Traceability
At Interloop, sustainable supply chain management is rooted in complete transparency, traceability, and innovative technology. With Looptrace and Foglight, our proprietary platforms, we track and trace every material from Tier 5 farming to Tier 1 garment production. Looptrace provides a digital chain of custody supported by blockchain technology, enabling partners to verify material origins and quality at each stage. Unique QR codes maintain product integrity and accountability, making our supply chain resilient, sustainable, and fully traceable. In tandem, our Foglight solution optimises production through real-time tracking and predictive maintenance, enhancing manufacturing efficiency from sourcing to logistics. By identifying bottlenecks and streamlining workflows, Foglight supports decision-making based on accurate, live data. Together, these in-house digital solutions minimise resource use, improve operational effeciency, and set a new standard for transparent, responsible manufacturing—ensuring Interloop consistently meets quality targets while minimising impact.
Tersus Solutions
We are innovators and solution providers
As an innovative technology company, Tersus Solutions offers the world's most advanced liquid CO2-based waterless cleaning technology alongside a full suite of profit generating textile reclamation and resale logistics services. Today, we service products from outdoor, athletic, footwear, fashion, and luxury goods manufacturers; decontaminate PPE from firefighter, law enforcement and military industries, and are the leading recycler of down filled products in the USA. We are just getting started as the future applications of our technology are nearly limitless.
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Sustainability - Shortlist
Canapa
Inspired by nature, driven by innovation
We create smart, film-free papers that transform printing and packaging. Canapa views paper not merely as a substrate, but as a vehicle for future-ready, sustainable technologies. The company develops and produces coated transfer papers for sublimation and DTF printing, as well as water-based barrier coatings and plastic-free packaging solutions for global brands seeking environmental responsibility without compromising performance. Its film-free, recyclable, and high-efficiency products minimize ink usage, enhance print quality, and deliver long-term cost advantages. Through continuous R&D, patented surface chemistry, and compliance with EU Green Deal standards, Canapa is shaping the next generation of sustainable materials for a cleaner, smarter world.
De Montfort University
Textile Innovation for Circularity
Innovative ways to help boost textiles recycling rates, and environmentally-friendly dyeing using lasers and enzymes were unveiled at one of the UK’s biggest sustainability showcases. Fabrics Expo featured more than 10,000 different textiles and solutions on display for the fashion industry to exploit the innovation for sustainable materials and transition toward circularity.
Pili Bio
Pili carries an ambitious vision to respond to the ecological crisis and has set itself the mission of decarbonizing the color industry by breaking free from fossil resources. We are convinced that the transition must be accessible and irresistible, and this is what we stand for thanks to strong values in which pilists find themselves.
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Changemakers - Shortlist
Emtec
Objective quantification of the hand feel and digital utilization
Emtec Electronic, located in Leipzig (Germany), develops and manufactures very specialized test devices mainly for the pulp and paper industry. Founded in 1995, emtec can look back to more than 25 very successful years. Within these 25 years several new developments have been launched successfully. Some of these inventions have become industrial standard over the years. Since 2014 emtec is also active in the nonwovens and textile industry with increasing success. Today emtec has 34 employees. 13 different test devices are part of the current product portfolio, all developed by emtec (in some cases in cooperation with domestic and international partners). A sales network of 32 independent representatives is responsible for emtec’s activities in more than 80 countries worldwide. Emtec test devices help the user to optimize production and converting processes as well as the product quality. Innovative products, flexibility, customer-specific solutions and an outstanding service are our target and what made us successful during the last 25 years.
Samsara Eco
Infinite plastic recycling to repair the planet.
While virgin plastic has been vital to modern innovations, its overproduction and environmental impact – both during production and at the end of life – pose serious issues for people and our planet. Instead of producing more from climate-damaging fossil fuels, we need to take the 10 billion tonnes of plastics already in circulation and recycle it infinitely. It's this mission that led to the creation of Samsara Eco.
Fibretrace
Powering trust in your textile materials
Verify your fibres and their movements through the supply chain, ensuring every material is exactly what you claim it to be.
