The Indian Institutes of Technology (IIT), Kanpur backed innovation ‘Fleather’ has got global recognition as one of the fifteen finalists for the 2022 Earthshot Prize. This announcement was made by Prince William recently.
The initiative is a regenerative approach to creating leather out of floral waste, developed by IIT Kanpur-incubated startup Phool.co.
According to a press release issued by IIT Kanpur, ‘Fleather’ is one of the only two innovations shortlisted from India for the award this year.
‘Fleather’ is a revolutionary product developed as animal-free leather by Phool.
Fleather by PHOOL.Co will now be in the running to receive a £1 million award at the second-annual Earthshot Prize awards ceremony to be held on December 2 in Boston.
Fleather by PHOOL.Co has been shortlisted in “The Earthshot Prize to Build A Waste-Free World” category.
Prince William said, “The innovators, leaders, and visionaries that have made it to the 2022 Earthshot finalists prove there are many reasons to be optimistic about the future of our planet.”
Prof. Abhay Karandikar, Director IIT Kanpur congratulated the Phool team, “I am delighted to learn about ‘Fleather’ developed by our incubated startup Phool being shortlisted as one of the finalists for the prestigious Earthshot Prize 2022. IIT Kanpur had assisted the startup with critical R&D and incubation support from the start.”
Since its inception, more than 11,060 metric tons of flower waste collected every day from the temples in Uttar Pradesh, especially from the ghats of River Ganga, has been recycled at PHOOL. Along with providing livelihood to 1200 rural families and employment to 73 women ‘flowercyclers’ to create ‘Fleather’.
Five winners among the fifteen will be selected by the Earthshot Prize Council.
The Earthshot Prize awards ceremony will take place on December 2, 2022 at the MGM Music Hall in Boston.