This week’s guest on The WTiN Podcast is Sydney Gladman, chief scientific officer at the Material Innovation Initiative (MII).

Founded in 2020, the Material Innovation Initiative ‘exists to make the sustainable option, the easy option’ by accelerating the development of next-gen materials that are high-performance, animal-free, and more sustainable for the fashion, automotive, and home goods industries. The team identifies untapped sources, connects entrepreneurs and startups to venture capitalists to accelerate commercialisation, conducts global quantitative and qualitative research, and much more. 

In this episode, Gladman talks more about the problem surrounding animal-derived materials and why the company exists. She discusses some of organisation’s latest and upcoming research concerning consumer perceptions, silk, and a hefty state of the industry report, and how the company is looking to hire someone whose sole focus will be on environmental impact assessments and providing clarity on the sustainability of materials. Lastly, she also provides her thoughts on how the next-gen materials industry may evolve over the coming years. 

To find out more about Material innovation initiative, visit www.materialinnovation.org