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As we know, even fashion is now being required to address the challenge of sustainability.
The fashion industry is moving towards innovation and the adoption of sustainable solutions. Natural, recyclable and recycled materials, such as organic cotton, hemp, Tencel (an artificial fabric made from eucalyptus and beechwood cellulose) and recycled polyester. Circular economy models are also spreading fast, including clothing hire initiatives.
Companies are committed to improving working conditions in producing countries, in order to arrive at fair salaries and reasonable working hours.
And then there is technology.
In 2022, Limitless Innovation was founded, an elite consulting firm that offers a wide range of services to scale-ups and companies in the fashion and luxury sectors, to put a technological footprint in place. The company's goal is to connect the best minds in the technology sector with fashion and luxury brands. Their mission is to re-imagine the future of the sector together, building a bridge between technology and industry.
An interdisciplinary team that operates at the intersection of fashion, business and technology, offering innovative solutions to address the sector's challenges.
Stefano Galassi, co-founder and director of Limitless Innovation, aims to promote entrepreneurship and excellence, using a human-centric approach. We interviewed him while he was in Dubai at the GITEX GLOBAL Largest Tech & Startup Show in the World, the most important event dedicated to innovation and technology in the Middle East.
What is Limitless Innovation's mission,
and who is it aimed at?
"Limitless innovation is an Open Innovation Advisory Firm.
Our goal is to help large companies in the luxury and fashion sectors to manage and encourage innovation.
Innovation mostly comes about through the use of technology, but it also appears in the development of fundamental areas such as circular business models, the evolution of retail, customer experience and community engagement.
We support companies in understanding how the web and different technologies (artificial intelligence, blockchain and 3D printing) can be integrated into the value chain of fashion and luxury goods.
We collaborate with hundreds of companies in the fashion and technology sectors all over the world, as well as universities, constantly in search of young talent. We have created a broad ecosystem at a high level that allows us to connect and bring together different interested parties and solutions for strategies to implement. As advisors, we work in synergy with our partners and brands to manage innovation - not only to create it, but also to design it in a more open way: we do not represent our own interests, but those of our clients. We are an independent consultancy firm focusing on open innovation.
We are not accelerators or trainers, but we are the next step in companies' route to innovation. We work very little with start-ups, instead concentrating on scale-ups, selecting the best and working with them. "
What are the main issues you address?
"We address a wide variety of issues, but the current priority is all-encompassing sustainability. We have developed a reference framework and mapped the phases of a circular model for fashion, identifying the technological solutions to improve each phase.
We focus on topics such as the use of new materials, traceability, digitalising the value chain, water footprint, analysis of big data, and waste management. We also promote business models such as the second-hand market and upcycling. "
What are the main problems
or difficulties you face?
"The main problem is caused by resistance from leadership regarding innovation and sustainability. Some people are sceptical and are not open to innovation.
Added to this is the problem of greenwashing: many companies adopt sustainable practices only for the media impact, without real engagement and with a lower impact on their product and overall value. It is important for companies not to limit themselves to pilot projects, but to continue to commit consistently.
Another challenge is the complexity of regulations and the lack of consistent standards throughout the production chain. Finally, although consumers have reached a good level of awareness, the transition to a real culture of sustainability is not yet consistent or clear, and many consumers are not yet proactive in adopting sustainable behaviours. "
What do you think of the
metaverse model for fashion?
"The metaverse model is still in its infancy, but we have already created luxury events that revolve around this platform. Although it is still experimental and currently has limited uptake, the metaverse certainly offers many opportunities and actively engages consumers, transforming them into members of the community who participate actively in the supply chain.
It is physiological: all platforms follow a similar adoption curve, with initial enthusiasm, a phase of disappointment, then finally settling on an efficient model.
One of the most urgent problems in the fashion sector is the need to guarantee the traceability and accessibility of new materials. It is also important to consider the social balance; in other words, how and where garments are produced. Legislation is also a fundamental aspect, which is gradually taking shape, but is not yet good enough. The law on responsibility of the producer, for example, will take time before it has a significant impact, but it is a necessary step that must be taken."
Images Credits:
© Illustrations by Francesco Zorzi
An app that makes cities accessible to all, removing architectural barriers and promoting social inclusion, thanks to technology. Download WeGlad and contribute!
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