The start-up traceless materials from the Technical University of Hamburg (TUHH) is breaking new ground with the European fashion retailer C&A to reduce plastic in textile packaging on a large scale. During a pilot phase in the next few months, C&A will use textile hooks from traceless in its store in Hamburg Altona, which are made from plant waste products from agriculture and are therefore completely plastic-free.
Last year, traceless materials was already the most awarded start-up in Germany, and this year it continued with similar success, as the founders Dr Anne Lamp and Johanna Baare were awarded the German Founder’s Prize in the Start-up category, among others. Now traceless materials announced a sustainable cooperation with the European fashion retailer C&A to significantly reduce the use of conventional plastic in textile packaging. As part of a pilot phase, textile hooks made of disposable plastic will be replaced by hooks made of traceless materials at the C&A shop in Hamburg Altona. They represent a newly developed and biodegradable alternative to conventional plastic.
Worldwide, about 8 to 10 billion textile hangers and hooks made of conventional plastic are produced every year. Often used to pack socks and underwear, the small hooks in particular can often only be recycled with great effort. This is where the innovation of traceless materials comes into play. Although the hooks produced by traceless feel like conventional plastic, they are made from vegetable waste products from agriculture and are thus completely plastic-free. The material is degradable without leaving any residues and saves over 95 per cent of carbon emissions in production and disposal compared to conventional plastic. With the hooks from traceless as part of the C&A portfolio, both partners want to set a far-reaching example for the textile industry.
“Our collaboration with traceless is an important step towards our ambitious goal of replacing single-use plastic with more sustainable alternatives for our customers by 2028,” explains Aleix Busquets Gonzalez, Head of Global Sustainability at C&A. For traceless, this little tick marks a milestone as well as an immense step forward: “It is the first pilot product made from our innovative biocircular material that is now on the shelves! After many months of product development, our team is incredibly proud of this achievement,” says Anne Lamp, CEO and Co-Founder of traceless materials.
traceless materials is supported by beyourpilot as well as Startup Dock: “I didn’t know my options regarding a startup at the beginning. Startup Dock advised me on this and gave me tips. To this day, they are my sparring partners when it comes to my pitch deck. For example, we also talk about our strategy, how we can realise things. These are all business components that you don’t think about as much as a researcher,” Anne told in our Startup Story.
