Eco-Steward of the Year
Apparel Impact Institute
Lewis Perkins, President, accepting
Apparel Impact Institute (Aii) was launched in 2017 to identify, fund, scale, and measure the apparel and footwear industry’s proven environmental impact solutions. Since its founding, Aii has worked with over 65 global brand and retail partners, engaged with over 1,200 facilities, and achieved reductions of over 8 Mt CO2e over the useful life. We’ve asked President Lewis Perkins what sparked his passion for sustainability and what he wants industry Executives to see more clearly in 2025:
The Path to Net Zero requires a collective, global strategy that brings together economic, political, and social constructs. Can you share a bit about Aii’s Fashion Climate Fund’s reach to rally around this mission?
The Fashion Climate Fund's mission is to accelerate decarbonization in the apparel sector and to mobilize $250 million in catalytic capital, unlocking $2 billion in blended funding by 2030. What sets the fund apart is its ability to unite Aii's extensive network of global brands and 1,200+ suppliers, focusing on high-impact areas like renewable energy, thermal decarbonization, and energy efficiency.
Aii acts as a trusted convener, creating a non-competitive space where brands, suppliers, and financiers can align on collective climate strategies. By de-risking investments, accelerating proven solutions, and bridging finance gaps, we ensure that decarbonization is both achievable and scalable for the entire industry.
We’d love an example of how Aii’s Climate Solutions Portfolio is working to leverage new technologies and state of the art solutions across the supply chain and industry-wide!
The Climate Solutions Portfolio (CSP) is about accelerating impact at scale. Rather than brands navigating costly, siloed trial-and-error efforts, the CSP enables smarter co-investment - leveraging proven solutions, reducing risk, and creating a clearer path to decarbonization. With greater transparency, brands can even pool capital to de-risk investments for shared suppliers, unlocking systemic change.
A strong example is Pozzi, one of our recent grantees. They are leading a feasibility study across 15 facilities to validate and scale RHeX+HP, a breakthrough heat recovery system designed to eliminate clogging and efficiency losses in traditional heat exchangers. This is exactly the type of high-impact solution we can scale through the CSP and our suite of decarbonization programs, helping the industry transition to low-carbon thermal alternatives faster and more effectively. This breakthrough could drastically reduce thermal energy waste—a major contributor to carbon emissions in textile manufacturing. By investing in and scaling solutions like this, the CSP is decarbonizing critical processes and empowering suppliers with cutting-edge technologies that deliver tangible emissions reductions.
Over the past year and half, the world is seeing CO2 emissions on the rise. How is Aii approaching this trend and what is your outlook in how best to unite the fashion industry in decreasing carbon emissions in 2025?
In 2025, the fashion industry must shift from commitments to concrete action. We do not have the luxury of making incremental changes; we need deep, measurable CO₂ reductions at the supply chain level. That means rethinking business operations, backing suppliers with the resources to decarbonize, and deploying financial mechanisms that turn ambition into action. Real transformation happens when we invest in scalable solutions that drive impact where it matters most.
Aii’s approach is centered on:
- Scaling Proven Solutions – We are rapidly deploying decarbonization programs through the Climate Solutions Portfolio, focusing on energy efficiency, thermal decarbonization, and renewable energy.
- Financing the Transition – The Fashion Climate Fund unlocks catalytic capital to de-risk supplier investments and leverage private financing for large-scale implementation.
- Industry-Wide Collaboration – We unite brands, suppliers, and financial institutions to align around co-investment models that make sustainable transformation accessible.
The next year must be about leaning into regional strategies, relationships, and project activation by mobilizing capital, equipping suppliers with solutions, and measuring real progress—because without bold action, the industry will fall short of its climate goals.
What is one word that you hope will resonate as policymakers and industry leaders set goals for this year and through 2030?
"Urgency."
We don’t have years to debate solutions—we have to implement them now. Policymakers and industry leaders must operate with a sense of urgency to accelerate decarbonization, fund supplier transitions, and commit to bold, measurable action.
As the wildfires in the L.A. area tear through communities, do you see a real-time way that industry executives can make a difference?
The connection between climate-driven disasters and industry action is undeniable. Wildfires, floods, and extreme weather events underscore the need for immediate emissions reductions. Industry executives can act in real-time by:
- Scaling Climate Finance – Brands and investors must prioritize supplier-level decarbonization through co-investment models that accelerate the transition away from fossil fuels.
- Advocating for Policy Change – Business leaders must actively support stronger climate regulations, including incentives for renewable energy adoption in supply chains.
- Funding Resilience – Companies should support impacted communities through financial contributions and integrate climate adaptation into sourcing decisions.
The fashion industry must recognize its role in both mitigating climate change and supporting communities facing its consequences—because inaction is no longer an option.
Get your tickets to support Apparel Impact Institute and the future of the industry! We look forward to an incredible celebration on April 29!