Alta raises, future materials, Adidas/Allbirds collab

Alta raises $11M to build an AI stylist inspired by Clueless

Fashion tech startup Alta has raised $11 million to develop an AI-powered personal stylist that brings the iconic wardrobe tech from Clueless to life. Backed by a roster of high-profile investors, Alta’s platform aims to help users digitize their wardrobes, get outfit recommendations, and shop smarter using generative AI and computer vision.

Why it matters: As digital styling tools go mainstream, Alta is tapping into nostalgia and next-gen tech to reimagine how consumers engage with their closets - and what they buy next.

Alta raises $11M to bring ‘Clueless’ fashion tech to life with all-star investors | TechCrunch

Users upload their closet by either taking photos, forwarding purchase receipts, or searching what is already in the Alta database. People can also dress themselves in clothes they are looking to buy, mixing and matching with clothes already in their closet.

TechCrunchDominic-Madori Davis

The race to reinvent fashion’s raw materials is heating up

From lab-grown leather to recycled plastic textiles and bio-based cotton alternatives, a new wave of sustainable materials is challenging fashion’s reliance on resource-intensive fabrics. Startups and research labs are pushing innovations like mycelium leather, citrus fiber blends, and regenerative-grown cotton to scale—backed by growing brand interest and regulatory pressure.

Why it matters: As fashion faces scrutiny over its environmental impact, the shift from what we make clothes from may prove just as transformative as how we make them.

8 Future Material Startups Reinventing Textiles for Fashion

As awareness about the textile industry’s climate impact grows, startups are developing sustainable alternatives to change the way we dress.

Green QueenAnay Mridul

Adidas and Allbirds unveil zero-carbon sneaker prototype

Adidas and Allbirds have revealed a groundbreaking prototype for a performance running shoe with a carbon footprint - the result of years of collaboration, material innovation, and process optimization. The shoe combines bio-based components, renewable energy, and radical transparency to push the boundaries of sustainable design.

Why it matters: In a category often criticized for greenwashing, this joint effort sets a new bar for what’s scientifically, and commercially, possible when sustainability is engineered from the ground up.

Adidas and Allbirds team up to produce a zero-carbon sports shoe

The two footwear brands, one a behemoth, one a startup, consider the project a “race” to get the shoe to market and have set aside competition to reach their goal.

Vogue BusinessChristina Binkley