On 24 April 2026, the Bezos Earth Fund announced $34 million in grants to finance innovation, research, and development for next-generation materials for the fashion industry. The initiative focuses on funding researchers and scientists in the United States, with the aim of improving the cost, performance, and environmental qualities of rayon, silk and cotton.

Among these grants, notably, several will be awarded to universities and educational institutions. Columbia University, in partnership with the Fashion Institute of Technology, will develop a high-quality textile fibre grown by bacteria, which will be fed on agricultural waste. The University of California, Berkeley, in collaboration with Stanford University and the California Institute of Technology, will create a high-performance biodegradable fibre, without the use of silkworm, spiders, or plastic.

Working with the University of Georgia, Clemson University will study the application of gene editing and synthetic biology for new cotton varieties with lower climate impact. Lastly, The Cotton Foundation will receive support to restore its non-GMO and publicly accessible cotton seedbank, which is used by relevant stakeholders to grow and improve cotton varieties.