Synflux Announced as Trailblazer Programme 2026 Winner at Global Fashion Summit

Global Fashion Summit held in Copenhagen, Denmark last year 2025.

7 May 2026: Global Fashion Agenda (GFA) and PDS Ventures have revealed Synflux as the winner of the Trailblazer Programme 2026. The announcement was made on stage at Global Fashion Summit: Copenhagen Edition 2026, the leading international forum for sustainability in fashion, presented by GFA.

Synflux, was selected as the winning solution by the Chair of the Trailblazer Programme, Marie-Claire Daveu, Chief Sustainability and Institutional Affairs Officer, Kering, Federica Marchionni, CEO, Global Fashion Agenda, and Faiza Seth, Co-Founder, PDS Group, following a rigorous shortlisting process by the wider Trailblazer Jury. 

Synflux’s proprietary system integrates machine learning and 3D simulation to significantly reduce waste. By optimising patterns digitally, the technology is reported to reduce fabric waste and material usage from the outset. It delivers factory-ready data that preserves design integrity and is intended to help lower carbon impact without increasing production complexity.  Synflux has already collaborated with brands such as The North FACE, Issey Miyake and doublet.

As the Trailblazer winner, Synflux will receive an investment of up to USD 200,000 from PDS Ventures, pending successful completion of financial and legal due diligence and final Investment Committee approval. The award also includes strategic commercial and operational support from PDS Group, including development and commercialisation assistance from its innovation-focused subsidiary, Positive Materials.

Federica Marchionni, CEO, Global Fashion Agenda, said: “The theme of this year’s Global Fashion Summit, ‘Building Resilient Futures’, reflects a shift towards necessary implementation. We need solutions that can operate within real economic, regulatory, and supply chain constraints. The Trailblazer Programme was designed to bridge that gap by identifying innovators with system level potential and helping connect them to the capital, partnerships, and visibility needed to grow. This year’s winner is not just innovative, but it is commercially relevant, designed to integrate into existing systems, and capable of delivering real impact.”

Pallak Seth, Founder and Executive Vice Chairman, PDS, explained: "Synflux stood out for its ability to deliver measurable environmental impact while also making strong commercial sense. Its AI-driven approach reduces fabric use by up to 15%, integrates seamlessly into existing workflows and is already validated by leading brands across sportswear, luxury and outerwear.

From a PDS Group perspective, we see a clear opportunity to help Synflux scale internationally by leveraging our global supply chain ecosystem, embedding the solution across our manufacturing partners and brand networks, accelerating both adoption and impact.”

Kazuya Kawasaki, CEO, Synflux, said: “[Trailblazer] has provided us with an essential network for future collaborations with the European fashion industry and global investors. This has been a unique opportunity to elevate Synflux's brand awareness and credibility on a global scale. Winning will further enhance our visibility and trust, significantly accelerating our access to global brands. It will allow us to scale our computational sustainability efforts, maximising our impact across the entire fashion industry.”

Nine outstanding innovators were selected to become Trailblazers following a review by a cross-sector jury including representatives from Ralph Lauren, Fashion for Good, Zalando, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, GFA, and PDS Ventures. The nine shortlisted Trailblazers, including the programme’s two runners-up MacroCycle and Fibe, were featured within the Innovation Forum at Global Fashion Summit, gaining direct exposure to industry stakeholders, brands, manufacturers and investors.

The physical Trailblazer Award was designed and produced by MYCOTEX. – Press release