Dutch start-up The Movement, the company behind the sustainable solutions Polylana® Fiber and Aware™ claim validation technology, has announced that it has successfully raised €1 million (US$1m) in pre-seed funding.

The new funding will enable The Movement to expand its team, invest in technology, and develop more sustainable textile alternatives, according to the organization.

The Movement claims to offer 100% traceable and unique sustainable fiber and yarn solutions for the textile industry. Aware, the company's integrity solution, can authenticate recycled yarns in a final product to verify sustainability claims, in addition to the Polylana fiber.

The company claims in a statement that it is no longer possible to approach sustainability as a "nice-to-have." According to the report, the textile industry is under increasing public and regulatory pressure, but implementing sustainability in textile supply chains is extremely difficult for brands and retailers with global production networks that are geographically long and complex, increasing the risk of greenwashing.

The firm’s founder and managing director, Feico van der Veen, said that they’re a purpose-driven firm, striving to assist textile brands and retailers in achieving their sustainability goals. They provide complete transparency and accountability with their solutions, demonstrating genuine impact. They will be able to increase their engineering, business development, and workforce as a result of this funding from a strategic partner. They're seeking for the greatest people that want to be a part of their mission.

Koen Warmerdam, brand manager of Aware, said that a significant portion of the funds will be used to further develop the Aware blockchain platform. They will soon demonstrate that third-party certificates are no longer required with their system, which is based on proprietary physical tracers and public blockchain."  They will also be able to issue NFTs for practical, real-life sustainable textile items. Consumers can only accept sustainability claims made on final products by businesses if they are backed by revolutionary technology and true clean data.

The Movement was founded in the Netherlands in January 2020 with the goal of providing sustainable textile alternatives as well as seamless supply chain integration. Initially financed by angel investors, and now with a strategic partner's pre-seed investment.

The Movement, which has offices in Amsterdam and Shanghai, is a member of the Textile Exchange and the traceability partner for the Dutch Government's Denim Deal.

The innovative Polylana fiber was developed as a low-impact alternative to acrylic fiber. Acrylic fiber is manufactured from acrylonitrile (ACN), which produces a lot of hydrogen cyanide and has a big environmental impact, according to the business. 

Tatiana Ponce Carmona, brand manager of Polylana fiber, said that they offer a better option with Polylana fiber, but with the same properties as wool. With the investment, they will be able to expand their footprint and offerings, as well as begin bio-based chemical R&D.