SXD turns textile waste into wearable art with AI

A stitch in time

Fashion has a massive waste problem. Every year in the US, an estimated 11.3 million tons of textile waste ends up in landfills. There is a textile dumping ground in Chile that is so large it is visible from space. Globally, less than 1% of all clothing is recycled. On top of this, the fashion industry is one of the world’s largest polluters and is the second-largest consumer of water worldwide, producing 20% of global wastewater.

To help reverse these alarming trends and propel the textile and fashion industry towards net-zero emissions, the H&M Foundation launched the annual Global Change Award in 2015.

Every year, up to ten Global Change Award winners go on to participate in a year-long Changemaker Programme sponsored by Accenture and other core partners of the H&M Foundation. In 2023, SXD was one of those ten winners. Its revolutionary patent-published technology SXD AI delivers ~10x greater material savings compared to any existing solution. SXD can use leftover or wasted material from the past to create zero waste designs without scraps wasted for the future. This approach can save up to 46% in material consumption while also contributing to an ~80% reduction in CO2 emissions alongside significant water savings that benefit our planet.

Cut from the same cloth

Through the Changemaker Programme, Accenture equipped SXD with both business and technology readiness. This involved working together to assess all aspects of the business, from employees to processes, preparing the company to adapt to challenges and opportunities in the market. We also worked together to ensure SXD’s zero waste products were not only environmentally conscious, but also quality products that businesses would want to adopt.

Accenture then connected SXD to a vast network of experts in areas such as strategy, supply chain, finance and marketing. Leveraging Accenture’s experience in bringing innovations to market at speed, we helped SXD articulate the broader value of their innovation, looking at long term impact and potential for scalability. The program had a huge impact on SXD’s growth, with revenues more than doubling in the year that followed. It also inspired the SXD team to think bigger, empowering them to move ahead with their boldest ambition – to scale across a variety of industries to achieve zero waste.

Dressed for success

For the SXD team, their sights are now set on developing their technology to drive further growth. And other industries have taken note: leading automotive and furniture companies have reached out to SXD to understand how zero waste technologies could apply to their own manufacturing processes. SXD is also embracing the opportunity to work on iconic products with some of the largest global fashion brands and to date has helped 16 of them develop zero waste designs.

And after developing an inspiring partnership with the SXD team through the Changemaker Programme, Accenture will soon have the chance to bring zero waste design products to life as part of our own merchandising program. To play our part in supporting sustainability innovation, we are commissioning SXD to produce an exclusive range of stylish and comfortable hoodies and t-shirts for Accenture employees.

By weaving together cutting-edge technology and social impact, SXD is not just altering the fabric of fashion but also setting a trend for more sustainable practices and a greener future.