The Green Alley Award finalists: 6 routes into a circular future
Drumroll please! We have nominated our six finalists for the Green Alley Award 2021! Six promising startups are taking up the gauntlet for the circular economy. No matter who will win the Award in the end – we can assure you: They are all ready to fight for a more sustainable world and will definitely shape our future. Let’s have a closer look at them and see which circular economy challenges they can solve.
189 applications, 189 circular solutions to existing challenges – but one topic seemed to stand out this time: fashion! Of course, everyone loves fashion. It’s an expression of one’s individuality, a symbol of whatever people want to be. Unfortunately, the fashion industry is one of the most polluting industry sectors, not mentioning the often devastating working conditions. For many brands it’s not a priority to produce their clothes sustainably or a goal that’s simply hard to achieve. Therefore, three out of six Green Alley Award finalists are addressing the lack of sustainability in the fashion industry.
TrusTrace: More sustainability for the fashion industry
One of these startups is TrusTrace. From fiber to garment, fashion brands have to deal with complex production processes and numerous suppliers. Therefore, a digital platform developed by Swedish startup TrusTrace promises to shed more light on the materials in fashion products and how they are manufactured. This helps fashion companies to ensure that supply chains align with their sustainability goals and even enables the product verification for circular business models, like renting or refurbishing clothes. It also helps shoppers to make more informed decisions, knowing not just who but how, when and where the clothes were made. Learn more about the AI and blockchain-based technology enabling a more sustainable fashion industry at the Green Alley Award final!
Dimpora: Ecological membrane for outdoor wear
Nevertheless, traceability is not the only problem in fashion: toxic waste waters from textile factories or microfibers released into nature are a real threat to the environment and human health. Hidden hazardous chemicals in outdoor gear, for example, gained notoriety through a study issued by Greenpeace in 2017, revealing that the toxic polyfluorinated chemicals (PFCs) used to create waterproof membranes break down very slowly and can remain in the environment for many years after their release. Luckily, Green Alley Award finalist Dimpora, a Swiss startup, has now developed a high-performing alternative to conventional toxic membranes that does not use any toxic chemicals at all in the production process. The membrane can also be made biodegradable and can be added to any kind of garment. In this way, outdoor activities become completely natural again. In their Green Alley Award 2021 pitch the founders will reveal how they plan to stand out in the outdoor market.
Kleiderly: Sustainable plastic made from old clothes
Besides traceability and dangerous toxics, littering is another issue of fast fashion. European countries are among the biggest producers of textile waste, consuming each year an average of 26 kilograms of textiles per person, of which 11 kilograms are discarded and less than 1% of textiles worldwide are recycled. Berlin-based startup, Kleiderly, has a solution: Instead of turning old plastic into ever more new clothing, the startup recycles old clothing and textile waste and turns it into a sustainable plastic alternative that can be used to produce any kind of plastic goods, from eyewear, to clothes hangers or even furniture. In this way, the startup solves two environmental problems at once: the growing amount of garments that go to landfill or incineration each year as well as the rising demand for oil-based thermoplastics that wastes non-renewable resources. Meet founder Alina Bassi, one of the top entrepreneurs of the Forbes 30 under 30 2020 list, at the Green Alley Award final and learn more about her revolutionary technology!
Carbonauten: On a mission to zero carbon
Not only the ideological drive to create a sustainable future for our planet but also the idea to develop an alternative material that is sustainable and environmentally friendly is what Kleiderly has in common with its fellow finalists Carbonauten and Traceless Materials. On its mission to zero carbon, German startup Carbonauten even takes the big picture of climate change into account: Reducing CO2 in our atmosphere is an important result of Carbonauten’s innovative material made of wooden residues. Instead of emitting greenhouse gases while rotting, the wood is turned into carbon and combined with different binders. The resulting biomaterials can replace conventional plastics and building materials for various industries. In this way, one tonne of Carbonauten’s biomaterial can store an equivalent of more than 3 tonnes of CO2. See how Carbonauten will help save us from climate catastrophe at the final!
Traceless Materials: the bioplastic of the future
Another material of the future, the bioplastic of the future to be precise, is developed by our Green Alley Awad finalist Traceless Materials. The pros and cons of bioplastics and the answer to the question if they really are a sustainable choice, depends on two factors: First, what kind of resources are used to produce bioplastics and second, what happens to the bioplastic product when it becomes waste. The invention of Traceless Materials claims to be one step ahead of other bioplastics on the market today: Thanks to the special technology developed by the German startup, agricultural industry residues are transformed into a sustainable alternative to film or hard plastic packaging or plastic coating. The result is an all-natural material that is not only completely bio-based but can also be composted in your organic waste bin within two to nine weeks. Check out this holistic solution to single-use plastic at the Green Alley Award finals!
ReSync: The Crowd Favourite
Last but not least, there is one startup that is already a champion this year: ReSync has entered the Green Alley Award finals winning the very first public vote in the Award history. The idea: A digital B2B platform for recycling contracts. Every day, businesses produce various kinds of waste they have to dispose of in compliance with legal obligations and it is not easy for them to find the right recycler for their needs. ReSync’s platform matches companies with recycling contractors that are conveniently located and offer value for money. The positive side-effects: improved waste separation and increased collection rates. Get to know the people behind ReSync, the winner of our first public vote, at our pitch final!
Want to see these six startups with their outstanding circular economy ideas live and ask them some questions? Register now and meet our finalists online on 22nd April 2021, 5pm CET.