Materra Pilot
The aim of the pilot was to test and refine Materra’s technology to grow extra long staple cotton at a pilot farm, as historically this variety of cotton has not been grown in large volumes in this region due to specific climatic requirements for cultivation.
Problem Statement
Innovation in cotton farming practices is needed to reduce pesticide, land and water use. Materra offers a resource-efficient cotton hydroponic farming technology through a combination of hydroponic and controlled environment agriculture to facilitate a resilience for cotton farming in developing regions where climate and resources prove challenging for cultivation.
Alongside this, it has historically been difficult to grow extra long staple cotton in India, so there are opportunities to leverage alternative farming methods to be able to grow different types of cotton in Gujarat in India.
Executive Summary
Fashion for Good launched a two year pilot project in January 2021 with Arvind, Kering, PVH Corp. in Gujarat in India. The pilot would set up a 0.5 hectare farm, establishing a regional growth recipe for hydroponic farming, conducting seed trials and producing an extra long staple cotton harvest with fibre to be tested and split between the three partners. The pilot also included data collection to identify the next best location for the Materra team to apply the technology in India. In addition to their operational support, Kering, PVH Corp. and Arvind Limited provided the financial backing to enable the two year project. The project leveraged Arvind’s local knowledge and network with a 0.5 hectare farm being set up in the Gujarat region in India. Fashion for Good initiated and managed the project in addition to financing the project through an equity investment in Materra. The pilot project objective was to test and refine Materra’s hydroponic technology at a pilot site in India, following successful trials in their test site in the UK.
Project Results
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Successfully cultivated 24 varieties of non-GM Indian cotton, yielding up to 38mm fibre length.
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Established a crop recipe for hydroponic cotton cultivation in India.
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Piloted a greenhouse hardware solution including recirculation.
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Stakeholders
Relevant Resources
Fashion for Good Consortium Pilots Resource Efficient Cotton Farming
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Other Projects
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Behind the Break
“Behind the Break,” is a project aimed at exploring textile fibre fragmentation. The research aims to identify the root causes of fibre shedding during manufacturing, enhance existing test methods, and inform future industry best practices and policies to reduce textile pollution. A report accompanies the project, providing an overview of existing knowledge gaps, recent developments, critical insights, and emerging opportunities for meaningful action within the fashion and textile industry.
