The nonprofit organization Apparel Impact Institute (Aii) has announced the first deployment of grants from its Climate Solutions Portfolio (CSP). These grants, funded by contributions from lead partners including H&M Foundation, H&M Group, Lululemon, The PVH Foundation, Target, and the Schmidt Family Foundation, aim to de-risk and accelerate proven decarbonization solutions in the fashion industry. The grants will provide $250 million and have a carbon reduction goal of 100 million tonnes by 2030.
Five honored grantees have been selected, including Precision Development, Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ), Made2Flow, BluWin, and PwC. These organizations have demonstrated effectiveness, reach, scale, and cost in their carbon reduction solutions.
To support decision-making and supply chain solutions, Aii has launched the Climate Solutions Portfolio online platform. This platform will serve as a central hub for brands, retailers, industry stakeholders, and commercial financing partners to accelerate decarbonization efforts. It includes a registry of Aii-vetted impact programs and provides advanced analytics and ROI insights to increase transparency and identify successful solutions.
The CSP platform was funded by contributions from Farfetch, H&M Group, Lululemon, The PVH Foundation, Ralph Lauren, and Target. The launch of the platform coincides with the announcement of the grant recipients.
While remarkable innovations were submitted for the grants, the process revealed a lack of reliable data and industry-wide knowledge in the areas of thermal energy and energy storage. Aii plans to address this research gap by calling for partners to develop data-driven roadmaps focused on these key topics. This will lay the groundwork for accelerating investment and deployment of thermal energy and energy storage solutions.
In the latter half of 2024, Aii will seek potential grant recipients that focus on thermal energy and energy storage. Additionally, solutions providers outside these areas are encouraged to apply to be part of the registry for industry exposure and future funding opportunities.
The Apparel Impact Institute (Aii) is a global nonprofit collective founded in 2017 by the Sustainable Apparel Coalition (SAC), Sustainable Trade Initiative (IDH), Natural Resource Defense Council (NRDC), and Target Corporation. Aii aims to identify, fund, scale, and measure environmental impact solutions in the apparel and footwear industry. The organization has built a $250 million Fashion Climate Fund to leverage collaborative funding and catalyze climate action. For more information, visit apparelimpact.org.
Source: Apparel Impact Institute (Aii)