- Sizing Accuracy via Avatars
- Garment Encryptions
- Smart Packaging Materials or New Designs for Ink Containers
As online sales increase, return rates are growing as well, reaching an average of 16.6% or about $761 billion of merchandise in 2021. The majority of online returns are due to sizing issues. Many customers engage in a practice called ‘bracketing’, ordering the same item in multiple sizes, trying them on at home, and returning the ones that don’t fit. Each returned item represents lost revenue to the retailer due to shipping and warehousing costs and are a major cause for the industry’s carbon footprint due to the generation of excess stock, unsold textiles, and the logistics and transporation involved in the returns. The challenge is creating a product (MVP) enabling customers to use their smartphone camera or other similar tools that customers have at home to extract measurements in a simple way (within minimal time and with a friendly user-experience). This product should automatically create an avatar or inputs for an avatar engine with the user’s accurate sizing, helping to reduce the rates of returns.
2.Challenge: Garment Encryption
There is a growing need to create authentication and proof of ownership for physical garments, creating a connection between the virtual and the physical worlds. Encryption can possibly prevent over-production and duplication of garments, cutting down on emissions and improving sustainability. The challenge is creating an authentication and ownership mechanism for physical garments which is simple and can be combined into Kornit’s workflow solution, such as via a readable or scannable mechanism. For example, a physical encrypting method (MVP) that can be inserted or printed into clothing and creates a physical, reliable, impossible-to-copy mechanism embedded into the garment, which stores data and can be readable by a scanning method, proving originality owned by the user holding it.
3.Challenge: Ink Bottles
Kornit sells ink packaging bottles globally. When disposed of, ink residue remains in them and currently requires specific and demanding disposal methods. The challenge is creating a circular, sustainable solution (MVP) for Kornit by designing smart packaging material the company’s ink with full end-of-life responsibility – compostable / biodegradable / recyclable – that reduces emissions to net-zero and incorporates circularity and effective disposing methodology.
The Challenge winner will receive a cash prize of 40,000 USD granted by the Climate Solutions Prize.
Application Process & Timeline
- Applications open: March 1st - May 25th, 2022
- Applications reviewed: June - October 2022
- Pitch event for shortlisted applications: July 2022
- Winners announced: October 25th-27th, 2022
For more details, please read the full Call for Solutions. (PDF for download below)