The H&M Foundation, a nonprofit organization, is actively inviting changemakers with innovative early-stage solutions to participate in its 2026 innovation challenge focused on decarbonizing the fashion industry and promoting equity.
From September 1 to October 6, the H&M Foundation will accept nominations for its Global Change Award innovation challenge, encouraging individuals with groundbreaking ideas aimed at helping the textile industry reduce its greenhouse gas emissions by 50% every decade leading up to 2050.
The Global Change Award seeks proposals in four critical areas:
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Responsible Production: Rethinking the methodologies behind fashion manufacturing.
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Mindful Consumption: Altering the way we utilize and appreciate fashion.
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Sustainable Materials and Processes: Innovating new fibers and techniques for sustainability.
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Wildcards: Unexpected ideas that challenge conventional categories but hold potential for transformative impact.
Annie Lindmark, the program director for innovation at the H&M Foundation, expressed her enthusiasm for submissions in the Wildcards category, hoping to see ideas that bring about significant change in surprising ways.
She stated, “In 10 years, I hope the changemakers we select today will have helped build a textile industry that thrives within planetary boundaries and supports human wellbeing. An industry where decarbonisation is a given, equity is embedded, and innovation is inclusive. Above all, I hope they will have shifted the industry’s mindset, redefining progress and transforming how we think, collaborate, and lead.”
Since its inception in 2015, the award has identified 56 global innovations, with notable recipients including the traceability platform TextileGenesis and Ambercycle’s molecular regeneration technology, which together received a €10 million ($11.72 million) grant.
Several past winners have successfully scaled their innovations with international brands and attracted substantial investments, demonstrating how philanthropic funding can catalyze significant industry transformations.
This year’s award will utilize a nomination-based approach. A global network of nominators, including universities, NGOs, foundations, accelerators, and alumni, will assist in discovering hidden talents.
The H&M Foundation will collaborate with partners such as Ashoka, Textile Exchange, and the Ellen MacArthur Foundation to identify new innovators.
Lindmark emphasized, “This industry doesn’t have the luxury of waiting for perfect solutions. The biggest climate breakthroughs often start as fragile, early-stage ideas in unexpected places, and that’s exactly where we can make a difference as a philanthropic actor.”
