Decathlon Pulse, the investment arm and start-up studio of Decathlon Group, a Villeneuve-d’Ascq, France-based retail company, and unspun, a fashion technology company in Oakland, Calif., announced a partnership to deploy unspun’s 3D weaving technology, Vega™, across Europe. The partnership, which centers around the investment and a multiyear offtake agreement through 2030, aims to scale unspun’s 3D weaving technology throughout the region.
The exact terms of the deal are undisclosed. This news follows unspun’s recent closing announcement of its Series B funding round. Decathlon Pulse intends to collaborate with unspun as an industrial partner to expand 3D weaving throughout Europe serving multiple European brands. unspun aims at deploying Vega machines to pioneer local, low waste and low inventory production in the region.
“Decathlon Pulse has been a great partner from the very beginning. This collaboration enables us to provide apparel products that have been produced in a more sustainable way to mainstream customers in Europe. Collectively, we are contributing to carbon neutrality objectives on millions of garments in a bid to help the fashion industry reduce waste from the supply chain. Our Vega technology is a key step on this journey to bring fast, low impact, circular and cost effective production in low operating volumes to Europe,” says Walden Lam, CEO and co-founder of unspun.
With the EU’s Waste Framework Directive regulations on the horizon, unspun’s approach and technology offer brands better management of finished goods inventory levels, reducing waste from unsold inventory. By addressing overproduction and emissions, unspun’s low inventory method is crucial in combating the growing global waste problem, which is projected to increase by 70% by 2050.
“We are thrilled to team up with unspun. This partnership will enable Decathlon Pulse to reduce waste within the manufacturing process and strengthen our commitment to sustainability. By leveraging the potential of 3D weaving, we are working to revolutionize the garment manufacturing process and offer consumers customized, recyclable, and locally-produced products,” says Franck Vigo, CEO of Decathlon Pulse.