E21: Edward Brial on how might we improve cotton production to protect the planet & improve farmer's lives

Edward Brial is the CEO and Co-Founder of Materra and oversees strategy and business development.

Proudly supported by H&M, Kering, Bestseller and PVH amongst others and based between London and India, Materra’s mission is to transform natural fibres into a force for environmental and social prosperity, starting with cotton. Ranging from experimental hydroponics to mass-market regenerative practices, Materra’s seed-to-bale solutions and proprietary technology enable brands to source climate-resilient, future-proof cotton with new levels of transparency while confidently progressing towards their sustainability goals.

Ed is passionate about fighting the climate crisis and addressing inequity in the fashion industry by shining a spotlight on the agriculture sector. His work focuses on building sustainable, long-term partnerships with progressive brands of all sizes keen on investing in their supply chain through regenerative agriculture that benefits both people and the planet.

Ed has a background in human-centred design and mechanical engineering with MEng, MSc and MA degrees from the RCA and Imperial College. He previously worked on sustainable agriculture innovation in Kenya and behaviour change design in Tanzania designing with new and emerging technologies and working with startups, academia and government to address impact challenges in developing economies. Along with his co-founders, Ed was part of the Forbes 30u30 Europe list for Manufacturing and Industry, in 2021.

🔹 Learn more about Materra - https://www.materra.tech/

🔹 Connect with Patrick - ⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/patrick-scally/

🔹 This podcast was recorded at Trowbridge Talks at Trowbridge Gardens a multi-use space by Arbeit. Find out more here - ⁠⁠⁠https://lnkd.in/esnT7tdt⁠⁠