Conservation X Labs announces 26 innovations to prevent microfiber pollution and compete for $650,000 prize fund
The semi-finalists are producing textiles from agricultural waste, designing leather alternatives, making bras from milkweed, and much more.
WASHINGTON DC, Sept. 3, 2021 — 26 teams of scientists, entrepreneurs and innovators with solutions to prevent plastic microfiber pollution have been announced as semi-finalists for the Conservation X Labs (CXL) Microfiber Innovation Challenge and have a chance to share in a $650,000 prize fund.
Each team has developed upstream innovations to stop the release of microfibers and prevent their dangerous impact on the environment. 10 successful projects will proceed to the final round in early December. The winners will be announced as part of a Solutions Fair and Awards Ceremony in early 2022, after which they will receive cash funding. The prize-winning teams may receive additional support to help get their product to market and have impact.
“Microfiber pollution is the challenge that’s too small to see but too big to ignore,” said Alex Dehgan, CEO and Co-founder of CXL. “For us to match the speed and the scale of this problem, we need to think about solutions that are not incremental but exponential. Innovations like these being developed by the Microfiber Innovation Challenge semi-finalists are exciting because they are actually replacing the sources of plastic pollution with sustainable alternatives.”
Our clothes are increasingly made from plastic (about 50% according to a recent report by Textile Exchange) and shed plastic microfibers into the environment. This typically occurs while washing synthetic clothing such as polyester, acrylic and nylon, but plastic microfibers can also be attributed to other sources such as fishing equipment, and synthetic ropes. The plastic particles released from our clothing are the source of more than a third of all microplastic pollution in the ocean. The latest research shows that microfiber pollution has reached every part of the planet and throughout our food chains, from plankton to human placentas.
Applicants from 24 countries submitted upstream innovations to prevent microfiber pollution. The selected semi-finalists are working on projects that include creating new natural fibers to replace synthetic alternatives in clothing and textiles, natural alternatives to leather, as well as naturally-sourced bioplastics, biosynthetics and other biomaterials. Many of the innovations are biodegradable, recyclable and reusable, and crucially, prevent the release of plastic microfibers. Other innovations are focused on the manufacturing process including alternatives for textile design and construction, processing and wastewater filtration.
A number of external reviewers including textile and material scientists, fashion industry leaders, ocean conservationists, potential investors and other industry experts judged the first round of applications to select the semi-finalists. The next round of finalists will be selected in December 2021.
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About the Microfiber Innovation Challenge
The Microfiber Innovation Challenge seeks upstream solutions to halt microfiber pollution, an increasing threat to human and planetary health. Conservation X Labs will award $650,000 in prizes to innovations that help prevent further microfiber pollution. The Challenge is a call for upstream innovations that replace plastic in textiles and/or prevent microfiber shedding by 1) replacing textiles that are sources of plastic microfiber with replacements or 2) preventing/ developing improved textile manufacturing processes to decrease microfiber shedding.
The Microfiber Challenge is run by CXL and funded by the Flotilla Foundation and The Arthur Vining Davis Foundations. It is supported by a broad coalition of partners including AnotherTomorrow, The Biomimicry Institute, Bolt Threads, Canopy, Fashion For Good, Finisterre, Material Innovation Initiative, The Microfibre Consortium, The North Face, The Ocean Foundation, Oceanic Global, Ocean Wise, Plastic Soup Foundation, Queen of Raw, Think Beyond Plastic Foundation, Under Armour, and more. The Grand Challenge model is an innovative way to advance solutions to the world’s biggest problems. The approach has the benefit of encouraging new ideas, fast-tracking successful innovations, bringing together different networks involved in the problem as well as raising awareness amongst the wider public.
Follow and use the Microfiber Challenge hashtag #MicrofiberInnovation
About Conservation X Labs
Conservation X Labs is a Washington, DC-based innovation and technology company with a mission to prevent the Sixth Mass Extinction. Each year it issues global competitions awarding monetary prizes to the best solutions for specific conservation problems. Challenge topics are chosen by identifying opportunities where technology and innovation can address threats to ecosystems and the environment.
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Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ConservationXLabs/
Twitter: @ConservationX
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For more information, including requests to interview the semi-finalists, please contact:
Amy Corrine Richards, amy@conservationxlabs.org