Science & technology
Revolutionary science and technology are the foundation of next-gen materials innovation. MII’s SciTech team serves as the leading resource for scientists, material innovation companies, investors, and others interested in gaining insights into scientific trends and technologies in the materials industry. The SciTech department accelerates the development of next-gen materials by sharing scientific and technological research, fostering connections, providing limited free consulting to material companies, and developing best practices for environmental impact analysis.
Developing Research and Insights
We identify critical, untapped next-gen materials research opportunities and help direct scientific exploration to the areas of greatest impact. Our experts provide open-access scientific insights and research to stimulate new start-ups and inform investments. We offer scientific guidance to industry partners and facilitate the adoption of next-gen materials for their specific needs. Our publicly available reports and web content offer insight into the scientific foundation of next-gen materials design, as well as the opportunities and challenges in creating the new material bioeconomy.
Innovator Database
Alongside the Innovation department, we track the latest innovation emerging from next-gen materials suppliers, keeping tabs on the latest technological trends and categories of material innovation.
Credit – Irene van Ophoven x Piñatex
Disruptive Textile Technology List
Our SciTech team maintains a list of disruptive textile technologies, showcasing companies that are developing resources including polymers, resins, fibers, additives, dyes, colorants, and finishing agents. Next-gen innovators can use this database to access sustainable manufacturing and recovery solutions and improve the full life cycle of next-gen materials.
Building the Next-Gen Materials Workforce
In collaboration with MII’s other teams, our SciTech experts help connect experienced, mission-aligned scientists with other researchers, entrepreneurs, material companies, and brands to foster new research, staff next-gen materials companies, advise current industry leaders, and create new start-ups.
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Consulting for Next-Gen Materials Companies & Other Stakeholders
Our SciTech department provides limited, free technical consulting to next-gen materials companies and other stakeholders. We assist next-gen start-ups with formulation development, troubleshooting, and connections to key resources.
Our Fashion Design Specialist, a member of our Brand Partnerships team, provides swatch and sample reviews for next-gen materials companies from the eyes of a seasoned designer. We support other core stakeholders across the next-gen materials industry by sharing high-level scientific primers and perspectives, making connections with scientists and innovators, conducting technical due diligence, and helping to navigate next-gen material landscapes.
Please contact us to get in touch with our SciTech team.
Yarn spool close up – Credit – Kintra
Measuring & Analyzing Environmental Impact
Environmental Data Coalition
We lead the Environmental Data Coalition (EDC), which convenes key stakeholders to identify challenges in conducting environmental impact analyses of materials used in the fashion, automotive, and home goods industries. EDC members collaboratively develop industry-wide strategies to address these challenges and establish best practices for conducting comparative environmental impact analyses of next-gen, incumbent, and current-gen materials. We anticipate that the EDC’s findings will spur new innovations and partnerships among brands, material companies, scientists, entrepreneurs, investors, suppliers, and other stakeholders for years to come.
Literature Review of Life Cycle Assessment Studies
Our SciTech team also maintains a growing collection of Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) studies for incumbent, current-gen, and next-gen materials. Our literature review includes high-quality peer-reviewed research that benefits scientists, material companies, and brands across the textiles industry with an understanding of existing LCA research for materials in the fashion, automotive, and home goods industries.
Leading SciTech Educational Events
Our SciTech department participates in conferences, seminars, webinars, and other events to broadly disseminate the game-changing scientific advancements of next-gen materials. After every presentation, we follow up with attendees by offering: additional information on the topic area; in-depth conversations with the MII team; additional customized analysis of material companies, technologies, material performance and aesthetic, and environmental impact; and connections to material, fashion, automotive, and home goods companies.
