Matt Westergren-Kelly

Matt Westergren-Kelly is an experienced professional with a diverse background in the fashion and sustainability industry. Matt is currently serving as the Senior Vice President of Innovation at Thinx Inc. Matt'srole involves driving innovation and implementing new strategies within the organization.

Prior to their current position, Matt founded the Material Exploration Agency in 2021. This Innovation Catalyst firm focuses on creating brand growth and disruptive product opportunities through scientific exploration, accelerated development capabilities, and coachable process knowledge.

Matt also co-founded Esce-tex™ in 2021, where they served as the Chief Operating Officer. This platform aims to address environmental challenges in the fashion industry by increasing accessibility to sustainable fabrics, education, and consultancy services.

Before their entrepreneurial ventures, Matt held various leadership positions at Nike. As the Senior Director of Materials, Footwear, they created and executed sustainable material initiatives to achieve the company's 2025 Sustainable Product goals. Matt also played a crucial role in developing digital product creation material and color accuracy procedures.

Matt's expertise in material science and innovation was showcased during their tenure as the Senior Director of Material Science & Innovation, Apparel at Nike. Matt successfully led Nike's sustainable coloration innovation strategies and managed the launch of the 'ColorDry' technology. Additionally, they secured patents for the company's supercritical fluid material finishing.

Prior to Nike, Matt worked as a Director at Through the Mill Consulting, where they drove the use of sustainable raw materials and transformed supply chains and business practices. Matt also introduced the concept of 'Wastestream Architecture' and actively shared their knowledge through articles and presentations at conferences.

Earlier in their career, Matt served as the Director of Textiles R&D at Sustainable Solutions Network / Circle LLC. Matt contributed to research and development efforts in the textile industry.

At Marks and Spencer, Matt held roles as a Compliance Manager/Technologist and Fabric/Product/Garment Developer. During their time there, they created and executed compliance audit protocols, developed the sustainability 'Plan A' textile circularity platform in partnership with an NGO, and improved overall product quality through global inspection capability.

Overall, Matt Westergren-Kelly's work experience showcases their expertise in driving sustainability initiatives, implementing innovative strategies, and leading teams in the fashion and materials industry.

Matt Westergren-Kelly attended The Manchester Metropolitan University from 1993 to 1994, where they earned a BSc degree in Clothing Management. Matt then went on to attend The University of Manchester from 1994 to 1998, where they pursued a BSc degree in Textile Science and Technology.