“Waste can come in various forms, whether it’s carbon or material. The sustainability aspect is huge. We’re trying to enable a circular, decarbonized future for the apparel industry. And what that means is we want to make it so that they’re more nimble, more resilient, and less dependent on the fibers they’ve been relying on. ”
— Karla Mora
Have you ever thought about what happens with the clothes you toss out, or all the unsold items in malls?
The apparel industry is a $3 trillion market that mass-produces tons of garments. Yet, a large portion of these items end up as waste without ever being sold.
For many brands, it’s more cost-effective to write off unsold items as waste rather than consolidating and reselling them — a practice that leads to huge amounts of perfectly good merchandise being thrown away, along with the packaging waste that comes with it.
So, how do we create more sustainability in the fashion industry? Today’s guest, Karla Mora, has the strategies for making this change happen.
Karla is the visionary founder and managing partner of Alante Capital. With her extensive global experiences, including work on supply chain reform in Afghanistan and a dip into the coffee sector with the United Nations Sustainable Commodity Initiative, Karla has made a unique path in impact venture capital investing.
Karla’s mission with Alante Capital is to drive real change within the fashion industry by investing in early-stage technology startup companies that champion circular, sustainable practices.
In this episode, Karla breaks down the concept of the circular economy and how her firm invests in both material science and software solutions for a more efficient value chain. We also discuss the challenges of integrating sustainability into the apparel industry, the role of consumer consciousness, and the vast opportunities for innovation within the industry.
Tune in now to learn more about impact investing strategies that are set to redefine the future of fashion.
Listen to the episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Overcast, Podcast Addict, Pocket Casts, Castbox, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, or on your favorite podcast platform. You can watch the interview on YouTube here.
What was your favorite quote or lesson from this episode? Please let me know in the comments.
SCROLL BELOW FOR LINKS AND SHOW NOTES…
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES:
- Connect with Karla: LinkedIn
- Alante Capital website
SHOW NOTES:
[09:07] An introduction to Karla Mora and her extensive global experience
[27:52] Karla’s transformative work experience in Afghanistan
[37:26] Transition to Helios Investment Management and impact investing
[49:27] The inspiration behind launching a circular-focused VC firm in the apparel industry
[53:47] Founding Alante Capital and focusing on circularity
[01:06:57] The three dimensions of impact and KPIs for measuring success
[01:16:08] Alante Capital’s investment selection, decision process, and exit strategies
[01:40:39] How to ensure investment in businesses maintains lasting impact post-exit
[01:42:20] Investing in diverse founders and balancing sustainability and pricing
[01:56:11] Rapid fire questions
MORE KARLA MORA QUOTES FROM THE INTERVIEW:
“It’s not just about mentors and capital but also about customers and bringing this customer perspective in as an investor to your portfolio from the earliest days. ”
— Karla Mora
“When we’re thinking about climate, it’s a lot more than just pulling carbon out of the atmosphere. It’s also thinking about where does it go? What does it go into? How do we produce less carbon to begin with? ”
— Karla Mora
