Earlier this month, the CFDA + Lexus Fashion Initiative Micro-Award Presentations took place at the CFDA. On hand were C/LF*I finalists  Abdul Abasi and Greg Rosborough for Abasi Rosborough; Dao-Yi Chow and Maxwell Osborne of Public School; Jonathan Cohen and Sarah Leff of Jonathan Cohen; Tracy Reese of Tracy Reese, and Araks Yeramyan of Araks, which each- presented innovative sustainability brand strategies to the selection committee.

The challenge is an opportunity for each 3.0 brand to spotlight a meaningful sustainable system or strategy in a key area of focus. Each pitched high priority solutions, feasible short-term goals, and a plan for immediate action. The selection committee determines eligible awards in increments of $10,000, $15,000, or $20,000 from a total of $80,000 in Lexus micro-award funds available.

Abdul and Greg of Abasi Rosborough proposed to allocate funds to recreate their dead stock fabric recycling fashion system using a 3D fashion design modeling software to implement a sustainable produce-to-order system for customers.

“We’ve loved being part of the C/LFI thus far because it has made us pause and truly contemplate sustainability,” the duo said via email.”We’ve met with neuroscientists and other brilliant mentors, looking deep into the future about how fashion and more importantly, human behavior involving fashion, will evolve. Through these experiences, we’ve uncovered the steps we need to take as a business to lead the arc of innovative change.”

Public School’s Dao-Yi and Maxwell Osborne proposed using funds to address the problem of cotton waste in the streetwear industry by designing a new industry collaborative model of cotton recycling and circularity. The model would allow Public School to supply streetwear brands with recycled cotton textiles and create a program for their customers to dispose of their cotton clothing for reuse.

Jonathan Cohen and  Sarah Leff would use their funds to work with Piece & Co to support and collaborate with the community of block printers. This would adding a new technique to the brand, developing a fabric recovery system from scraps abandoned by block printers and reweaving these into new textiles. “Our participation in the C/LF* program has provided us with a new network and additional support,” the duo said. “These new relationships will only help us to implement resourceful ways to keep executing what we are passionate about while exploring new practices that are true to our brand, with an emphasis on responsibility and sustainability.”

Tracy Reese requested funds to engage and collaborate with the fashion community in Detroit for a sustainable capsule collection and a collaborative ecosystem. Her aim is to encourage slow fashion, mindfulness, and better Detroit communities through arts and culture. Additionally, Reese proposed to restructure her brand’s entire business model to decrease the environmental impact of the products in her brand.

Araks Yeramyan of Araks sought to use funds to create a biodegradable swimsuit line using innovative materials, while also building a sustainability-based operation by providing customers with recycled packaging and shipment options, and bringing sustainable mindfulness to them.

“This has been an incredible experience, more than I could have ever imagined,” Yeramyan said of the program. “Every aspect, every session we’ve taken has been amazing and expanded our understanding of sustainability and forwarded our commitment. We have so many more resources, relationships, and partners that we will have for years to come. I’m excited that we’re still at the beginning of this journey.”

Special thanks to Selection Committee members Rachel Espersen of Lexus, Steven Kolb and Sara Kozlowski of CFDA, consultant Julie Gilhart, Burak Cakmak from Parsons School of Design, and Wing Yin Yau of Wwake, a previous C/LF*I finalist.