H&M Foundation recently announced an initiative with crowd-funding platform Indiegogo, enabling this year's Global Change Award winners to take an active part as supporters, backers, and testers of the five innovations, as per an official release.“Lab made vegan leather, textile fibers made of nettles, a digital system to make products recyclable from scratch, children's clothes that expand and a biodegradable toxic-free membrane for outdoor wear are this year's Global Change Award winners, sharing a €1 million grant from the non-profit H&M Foundation. Their common denominator? Improving fashion's impact on the planet through innovation,” says the release.«The winners of the Global Change Award prove that it's possible to improve the environmental impact of the fashion industry. They are a true inspiration and great partners to any fashion company that wants to contribute to protecting the planet and our living conditions. The initiative with Indiegogo adds an important piece as it also enables the public to be at the very heart of finding and funding a future for sustainable style,» said Karl-Johan Persson, board member of H&M Foundation and CEO of H & M Hennes & Mauritz AB, as per the release.The winners have been picked out of 6,640 entries from 182 countries by the prominent expert panel, here are this year's Global Change Award winners and how the €1 million grant is distributed, as per the release:·        €300,000 – The Loop Scoop by circular.fashion (Germany): A digital system aiming to close the loop on every garment from design to wear to recycling.·        €250,000 – Sane Membrane by dimpora (Switzerland): A biodegradable and mineral-based membrane for outdoor wear.·        €150,000 – Sustainable Sting by Green Nettle Textile (Kenya): Growing nettles to create sustainable fashion fibers and opportunities for farmers in Kenya to boost their livelihoods.·        €150,000 – Clothes that Grow by Petit Pli (UK): Outfits that expand with the child, while reducing environmental impact.·        €150,000 – Lab Leather by Le Qara (Peru): Using microorganisms to create vegan biodegradable leather for the fashion industry.All winners also get access to a one-year innovation accelerator program provided by H&M Foundation in partnership with Accenture and KTH Royal Institute of Technology, taking them to Stockholm, New York and Hong Kong. The program also gives access to virtual coaching sessions during the year. This setup brings significant value to the winners and has proven to cut years off the development timeline, as per the release.Click on the slideshow for a sneak peek at H&M and the five winners  https://www.blouinartinfo.com/              Founder: Louise Blouin Read more