PARIS — Grape leather, a vegetal leather using leftovers from winemaking, scooped the greatest number of public votes for the second edition of the Global Change Award by the nonprofit H&M Foundation, which rewards technology concepts that make the fashion industry more sustainable.
A grant of one million euros, or $1.1 million at current exchange, was split between a total of five winners selected by the foundation following an online vote held from March 27 to April 2, with the ranking of the prizes determined according to the number of votes. The other winning ideas included a biodegradable textile made from cow manure; denim dyed using a coloring powder derived from used denim; decomposable nylon made from water, plant waste and solar energy instead of oil, and a digital thread that facilitates recycling.
Italy’s Rossella Longobardo, who led the team behind the wine leather invention, was due to accept the top prize of 300,000 euros, or $320,000 at current exchange rates, at an awards ceremony in Stockholm on Wednesday.
“Our first objectives will consist in switching from a pilot to an industrial scale production of our fabric and starting a green, cruelty-free revolution within the leather industry, finally solving its related issues and overexploitation,”
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