Fashion faces a hidden crisis, with textile waste costing the industry over £200bn every year before products even reach the shelves – enough fabric to cover Austria annually. London-based fashion tech startup ZER√òTEC is tackling this challenge at source, using patented AI technology to optimise pattern design and textile cutting in clothing production. By doing so, the platform saves up to 15% more material than conventional methods, making fashion both more sustainable and more profitable.
Launched earlier this year, ZER√òTEC has already attracted more than 250 users from global fashion brands within just a few weeks, signalling a shift away from waste and excess towards a new, more efficient model.
The company has raised a £642,000 pre-seed round led by Bethnal Green Ventures, with participation from SFC Capital, SCE Freiraum Ventures, Cranfield University Seed Fund, and angel investor Benjamin Manwaring. This investment will accelerate product development, expand the team, and scale pilot projects with leading fashion partners worldwide.
We're on a mission to solve one of fashion's most critical problems with patented AI solutions that deliver real material benefits. Our platform helps brands embrace sustainability, cut costs, and finally bring transparency to the true impact of our clothes.
What we love about ZER√òTEC is that it turns the problem of waste in the fashion industry on its head. By designing out waste from the outset rather than dealing with it at the end of the process, we think Nicholas and the team are building something revolutionary.
