A founder and a researcher rethink the impact of what we wear—and how it’s made
Most of us start our day with a simple decision: what to wear. But behind that choice is an industry responsible for nearly 10% of global carbon emissions—and a massive amount of waste. In fact, one-third of garments made each year never even sell.
What if we could do better?
On June 9, during Atlanta Tech Week, you’re invited to an evening that explores that very question. Exploring Innovations in Sustainable Fashion, hosted by Ideas into Action and Georgia State University’s Entrepreneurship and Innovation Institute, brings together two bold changemakers reshaping the future of what we wear—and how it’s made.
Tia Robinson, founder of Vertical Activewear and TEDxAtlanta alum, is on a mission to take waste out of fashion manufacturing. Her solution? A vertically integrated, on-demand model that eliminates excess and centers mindfulness in every step of production. With more than 15 years in marketing, merchandising and wellness, Tia isn’t just designing clothes—she’s building a slower, saner and more sustainable system.
Mya Love Griesbaum, a materials science student at Georgia Tech and founder of Mycorrhiza Fashion, sees possibility where others see waste. Her fungi-based leather alternative transforms discarded textiles into biodegradable, high-performance materials—no plastics, no animals, no toxic chemicals. Just the ingenuity of nature, reimagined in the lab.
Together, Tia and Mya will explore how technology, science and circular thinking are giving rise to a new era of fashion—one that honors both the environment and the people in it.
This evening also marks the debut of Ideas into Action, the nonprofit behind TEDxAtlanta. Our mission is simple: foster connection, curiosity and resilience across Atlanta’s diverse communities.
What you wear matters. So does who you listen to. Join us.
Event details
Date: Monday, June 9
Time: 6 to 9 p.m.
Location: Ponce City Market
Hosted in collaboration with the Georgia State University Entrepreneurship and Innovation Institute
RSVP: https://lu.ma/2xi2fz43?tk=lOCLkQ
