The CFDA Foundation and the Bezos Earth Fund are joining forces to try to rev up sustainable fashion innovation.
Through a $6.25 million partnership, the CFDA x BEF: The Next Thread Initiative is geared for accelerating innovation and fostering education in sustainable fashion. The effort will boost environmentally minded independent designers, emerging talent and students in different ways with the objective being to reshape how fashion is made, produced and consumed. Over the next three years, the collaboration will fund designer awards, student scholarships and storytelling programs that will play up the creative and commercial potential of sustainability in fashion.
The U.N. Alliance for Sustainable Fashion said the fashion industry is responsible for around 10 percent of global carbon emissions, which surpasses international flights and maritime shipping combined. The average American throws out more than 81.5 pounds of clothing each year, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Many of those items are only worn seven to 10 times before they are discarded. Amazon founder Jeff Bezos has committed $10 billion to protect nature and address climate change.
Steven Kolb, president and chief executive officer of the Council of Fashion Designers of America, said the partnership provides designers and students with “tangible support to build a more sustainable future for fashion.” He praised Lauren Sánchez Bezos’ leadership through the Bezos Earth Fund for “turning ideas into action and bringing innovation forward. We’re proud to work together to drive change across our industry.
“The CFDA’s union with the BEF for this initiative aligns with one of its core pillars and builds on more than a decade of our progress advancing sustainability in American fashion,” Kolb said.
The alliance comes at a time when the global sustainable fashion market is expected to grow from $12.46 billion this year to $53.37 billion by 2032, with a compound annual growth rate of 23.1 percent, according to a forecast by Coherent Market Insights. The three-pronged initiative will offer Independent Designer Awards that will offer grants ranging from $50,000 to $500,000 to draw attention to American designers who are leading the way with their use of sustainable materials, circular design and low-impact production. Those who organizers consider to be exceptional could receive additional funding to scale up their work.
Sanchez wanted to do something focused on fashion and climate and connected the CFDA to Bezos Earth Fund to develop this initiative. Applications will open next year.
Scholarships for Aspiring Designers are also going to be distributed to undergraduates and graduate students and will vary between $25,000 and $75,000. That financial support is directed at students who are pursuing sustainable fashion design. The funds are meant to alleviate monetary barriers and enhance the fashion industry’s talent pipeline.
The third component will play up Events and Storytelling. The CFDA plans to spotlight grantees and what is learned through the program via events, exhibitions and digital storytelling. The objective is to get that information and examples of sustainable design excellence in front of a wider audience in the general public, instead of focusing on industry engagement.
Insights from this new initiative will be used to inform future Bezos Earth Fund investments in materials science, manufacturing innovation and supply chain transformation, while also reinforcing CFDA’s leadership in sustainability, education and creative advancement. Both parties are trying to broaden consumers’ choices for sustainable fashion without compromising affordability, quality or the planet.
Tom Taylor, president and CEO of the Bezos Earth Fund, said, “Fashion has always been a mirror of culture — and now, it can be a catalyst for change.”
This the latest effort by the CFDA to champion sustainability and entice more designers to pursue that path. The organization has a Sustainability Resource Hub, which is an open-access platform that helps people navigate fashion strategies with the proper tools and information. Earlier this year the Copenhagen International Fashion Fair and the CFDA staged the second edition of a New York Fashion Week showroom with two American and 10 Danish designers who prioritize environmental responsibility, ethical sourcing and innovative design. Last year eBay expanded its circular fashion fund in the U.S. with the CFDA.
