A Plant-Based Future: Material Innovation Initiative

Photo: Piñatex & Ananas Anam

Innovative materials are an exciting opportunity for the future of manufacturing. Many companies are investing in solutions to some of the world’s biggest environmental challenges, such as excessive waste, livestock’s carbon footprint, and toxic chemical pollution. However, these materials are usually hard to come by or largely ignored by the mainstream industry. Material Innovation Initiative aims to change all that. 

Last month, Apparel News reported “plant-based food-industry veterans” Stephanie Downs and Nicole Rawling launched the non-profit hoping with expert guidance, innovative materials will become accessible to all. “Our belief is to use the marketplace. We feel there should be more competition out there. The better the products, the lower the prices, and the consumers get what they need,” Rawlings told the newspaper. The pair plan to utilize their expertise to accelerate the growth and reach of businesses like Bolt Threads, Piñatex and Orange Fiber which are already established within the innovative materials community but far from the average consumer.

Photo: Desserto

Photo: Bolt Threads

“Sustainability is more than just a buzzword – it’s a demand. To date, the advancement of sustainable materials has not kept pace with this demand, compromising both environmental and economic goals,” the Material Innovation Initiative website claims. The San Francisco-based team asserts 55% of consumers want to purchase leather alternatives. While there’s no information specific on where they found that statistic, it does track with Gen Z and Millennials' growing interest in environmental issues and fashion’s overall impact on the planet. The appetite for accessible, innovative materials seems to be there– could Material Innovation Initiative make that dream a reality? We’ll have to wait and see.