Hardware Podcasts

HIBT Lab! UNLESS Collective: Eric Liedtke

How I Built This · 16 May 2022 · 28m

What this episode covers

Eric Liedtke, former Global Brand President at Adidas, explains his transition from revitalizing a major sportswear brand to founding UNLESS Collective, a startup creating 100% plant-based, biodegradable apparel. He details the environmental failures of the fashion industry, specifically the persistence of plastic waste and the limitations of recycling, which drove his decision to leave Adidas. Liedtke discusses the technical challenges of sourcing non-plastic materials, such as cellulose-based threads and water-based inks, and the supply chain complexities of manufacturing in the US and Portugal while maintaining a zero-waste ethos.

Most relevant to

founders before launch

Topics

Mentioned

Companies
Adidas, UNLESS Collective, Tesla, U.S. Bank
Also
Kanye West, Beyonce

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