Innovation hubs Fashion for Good and The Mills Fabrica have teamed up with the C&A Foundation to launch an investment fund that will spearhead systemic change in the apparel and footwear supply chain.
Apparel supply chains are plagued by negative environmental and social impacts. Sustainable solutions exist but there is a lack of capital available to scale technologies up in the supply chain. The fund will address this gap, connecting most promising technologies to the industry. The immediate aim is to provide loans to allow suppliers in India, Bangladesh and Vietnam to invest in new technology that will deliver economic growth and good practice. This will help textile and footwear manufacturers in those countries start using safe and recyclable materials, clean and efficient energy and closed-loop manufacturing practices. It will also help them establish a fairer work environment for the people they employ. The fund demonstrates how to invest beyond sustainability towards a restorative and regenerative apparel supply chain. It addresses the need in local markets for long-term financing for manufacturers.
Small and medium manufacturers who are committed to meeting these criteria are eligible for funding. The fund will also support larger manufacturers committed to investing in highly disruptive technologies, which means ideas that can quickly bring about substantial changes in the supply chain.
