Winner: On internship

Albstadt-Sigmaringen University, Germany, Textile and Clothing Management (M.Sc.)

The basis of Caroline's idea is that "If the textile and apparel industry manage to make the sustainable alternative just as good or, in the best case, even better, even the people who don't pay attention to sustainability in their consumption will reach for the more sustainable alternative." Her innovation creates a new wool filling technology for padded jackets, creating thermal insulation without using down – another step towards achieving fully-biodegradable products. This is achieved by the use of pom-pom structure as a support for a milkweed fibre filling. Caroline hopes that through her idea both brands and consumers access a sustainable alternative to conventional filling materials with the additional benefit of temperature regulation and the many other properties of wool.

Global Head of Talent Acquisition at On, Louis de Vos, said of Caroline’s selection for the On internship: “Caroline showed her potential to challenge the status quo and be a true explorer, which is one of the key spirits we encourage here at On. We felt we wanted to develop that talent and nurture the thinking by providing a platform and the tools to explore.”