CFDA and Bezos Earth Fund launch $6.25 million initiative to advance sustainable fashion

The CFDA and the Bezos Earth Fund have introduced a $6.25 million partnership to launch a brand new initiative to advance innovation and training in sustainable fashion.

Dubbed “The Next Thread Initiative”, it goals to assist unbiased designers and rising expertise who’re redefining how clothes is made, produced, and consumed. The three-year collaboration will fund designer awards, scholar scholarships, and storytelling packages designed to highlight the artistic and industrial potential of sustainability in fashion.

“This partnership provides designers and students with tangible support to build a more sustainable future for fashion,” mentioned Steven Kolb, president and CEO of the CFDA.

“Under Lauren Sánchez Bezos’s leadership, the Bezos Earth Fund is turning ideas into action and bringing innovation forward. We’re proud to work together to drive change across our industry. The CFDA is grateful for this support and looks forward to collaborating with Lauren and the Bezos Earth Fund team. This Initiative aligns with a core pillar of the CFDA and builds on more than a decade of our progress advancing sustainability in American fashion.”

Through the initiative, unbiased designers main the way in which in sustainable supplies, round design, and low-impact manufacturing might be eligible for grants starting from $50,000 to $500,000. Meanwhile, scholarships between $25,000 and $75,000 might be awarded to undergraduate and graduate college students pursuing sustainable fashion design. CFDA may even spotlight program members by means of curated occasions, exhibitions, and digital storytelling to have interaction each the business and the general public.

Insights from the initiative are anticipated to assist inform future Earth Fund investments in supplies science, manufacturing innovation, and provide chain transformation.

“Fashion has always been a mirror of culture — and now, it can be a catalyst for change,” added Tom Taylor, president and CEO of the Bezos Earth Fund. “Together with the CFDA Foundation, we’re investing in the next generation of designers and innovators building a more sustainable, future for fashion.”