Hong Kong, 25 June 2018 | Nan Fung The Mills Fabrica are excited to announce a new partnership with Fashion for Good, one of the leading innovation initiatives in the world focused on accelerating and scaling technologies to transform the existing fashion industry into a more sustainable and circular economy.
Founded in March 2017 – with an initial grant of C&A Foundation – Fashion for Good runs a global platform for innovation with an Innovation Platform at heart, consisting of the Fashion for Good- Plug and Play Accelerator programme and a Scaling Programme, both of which are designed to help startup innovators disrupting the most impactful areas of the fashion value chain, to scale and grow. This nicely complements the work of The Mills Fabrica, which is accelerating the growth of techstyle startups (companies at the intersection of technology & style such as in fashion/ textiles/ wearables) globally, with sustainability being a key focus given the challenges that the global fashion industry and supply chains face today.
This partnership will enable both organizations to share leads for innovations in each other’s ecosystems and to mutually help support startups in our communities. Both of our portfolio companies will be able to benefit from a wider reach of network and support; from accessing FFG’s strong community of leading fashion brands, retailers and other partners in Europe to Fabrica’s expert manufacturing/ supply chain, retail and research/ university partners in Asia. In addition, both FFG and Fabrica will share their physical space (FFG’s center in Amsterdam and The Mills in Hong Kong, including the Fabrica prototyping lab).
“We are delighted to be partnering with Fashion for Good who is helping to reshape the fashion and textiles industry for the better. Through our collaboration, we hope to support leading startups within the techstyle and sustainability fields to accelerate and facilitate innovation, making a positive impact on the industry.”
– Vanessa Cheung, Founder, The Mills & Managing Director, Nan Fung Development Ltd.
“The Mills and Fashion for Good are joined by a shared mission of driving meaningful innovation in the textile industry. We are very excited to embark on this partnership, which will add great value for our mutual innovators and deepen our joint commitment to reach industry partners across the globe.”
– Katrin Ley, Managing Director, Fashion for Good
Overall, this partnership will jointly help to offer a global network of support for startups in the fashion sustainability and innovation space and enable the acceleration of these technologies to revolutionize the industry.
About Fashion for Good
Fashion for Good is the global initiative that is here to make all fashion good. We are a global platform for innovation, made possible through collaboration and community. With an open invitation to the entire apparel industry, Fashion for Good convenes brands, producers, retailers, suppliers, non-profit organisations, innovators and funders united in their shared ambition.
At the core of Fashion for Good is our innovation platform. Through our Fashion for Good-Plug and Play Accelerator, we give promising start-up innovators the expertise and access to funding they need in order to grow. Our Scaling Programme supports innovations that have passed the proof-of-concept phase, with a dedicated team that offers bespoke support and access to expertise, customers and capital. Finally, our Good Fashion Fund (in development) will catalyse access to finance where this is required to shift at scale to more sustainable production methods.
Additionally, Fashion for Good acts as a convener for change. From its first hub in Amsterdam, it houses a Circular Apparel Community co-working space, creates open-source resources like its Good Fashion Guide and welcomes visitors to join a collective movement to make fashion a force for good.
Fashion for Good was launched in 2017 with C&A Foundation as a founding partner. Its programmes are supported by corporate partners adidas, C&A, Galeries Lafayette Group, Kering, Target, Zalando, as well as organisations including the Cradle to Cradle Products Innovation Institute, the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, IDH – the Sustainable Trade Initiative, Impact Hub Amsterdam, McDonough Innovation, Plug and Play and the Sustainable Apparel Coalition
About The Mills & The Mills Fabrica
The Mills is a landmark revitalization project by Nan Fung Group, a celebration of shared industrial legacy with Hong Kong, and a step towards a future of applied creativity and innovation. Announced in 2014 by Nan Fung Group on its 60th anniversary, The Mills project will transform and revitalize the company’s former textile factory into a destination for innovation, culture, and learning. The Mills is composed of 3 pillars, each contributing a unique perspective and experience:
- Fabrica – A business incubator and springboard for techstyle startups and strategic partners
- Shopfloor – A landmark for experiential retail, an expression of Hong Kong’s evolving character
- Centre for Heritage, Arts and Textile (CHAT) – A non-profit art centre interweaving textile arts, history and science
The Mills Fabrica is a business incubator, fund and springboard for techstyle startups and strategic partners — companies at the intersection of technology and style. Fabrica is dedicated to establishing Hong Kong as the best place in the world to build a brand or technology business.
