India, July 18 -- Lauren Sanchez and Amazon founder Jeff Bezos have pledged $34 million (around Rs.327 crore) to support sustainable fashion research and emerging creative talent through the Bezos Earth Fund. The funding will back institutions developing next-generation biodegradable fibres that could replace conventional materials such as polyester and cotton. Researchers are working on innovations, including plastic-free synthetic silk and bacteria-made threads, which could significantly reduce the fashion industry's environmental footprint.

"When you start asking questions about what clothes could be made of, the answers are incredible," Sanchez, vice chair of the Bezos Earth Fund, told The Wall Street Journal. "We're investing in the...