ArticleTextile Exchange CEO and sustainable systems pioneer to lend expertise as Apparel Impact Institute accelerates critical decarbonization work in fashion through factory improvement programs, the $250M Fashion Climate Fund, and Climate Solutions Portfolio.
SAN FRANCISCO (April 6, 2023) – Apparel Impact Institute (Aii) today announced that Claire Bergkamp, Textile Exchange CEO and long-time Aii partner, has joined the nonprofit’s Board of Directors. Bergkamp brings over a decade of extensive experience in climate leadership, driving sustainability and innovation strategy for Textile Exchange, and prior, for Stella McCartney.
Bergkamp’s appointment to Aii’s Board of Directors marks the continuation of years-long partnership and collaboration. Dedicated to mobilizing climate action in fashion, Aii manages a range of growing factory improvement programs, including Clean By Design, which reduce the environmental impacts of textile manufacturing. While at Stella McCartney, Bergkamp served as a strategic partner to bring Clean By Design to the luxury industry.
Building on its programmatic work, in June 2022, Aii announced the launch of a $250M Fashion Climate Fund to accelerate collective action to tackle fashion’s supply chain emissions. To apply use of funds and support management and scaling of solutions, Aii is currently building out a Climate Solutions Portfolio – a public registry of proven greenhouse gas reduction solutions. Helmed by Bergkamp, Textile Exchange has been an integral collaborator on both of these efforts.
As part of Aii’s Board of Directors, Bergkamp will continue to bring her exceptional leadership in holistic systems thinking to advance Aii’s strategies, programs, and initiatives to ameliorate greenhouse gas emissions in fashion.
“I am so excited to be joining the board at Apparel Impact Institute. Having a long history with Aii’s flagship program, Clean By Design, it has always been a pleasure to work with Lewis Perkins,” says Claire Bergkamp, Textile Exchange CEO. “I am deeply impressed by the breadth of the work that Aii is now covering, including the creation of the Fashion Climate Fund, which has so much potential to catalyze action and unlock the funding needed to get the industry moving.”
“Claire’s depth of expertise – especially in fiber, materials, and building supply chain projects – will be instrumental as Aii grows the Fashion Climate Fund and identifies and scales raw material decarbonization solutions for the Climate Solutions Portfolio,” said Lewis Perkins, Aii President. “Industry-wide collaboration with partners such as Textile Exchange and leaders like Claire continue to be of the utmost importance as the industry aligns data, insights, efficiencies, and priorities.”
