Orange Fiber: a juicy idea that changed fashion
The inception of Orange Fiber traces back to a shared apartment in Milan, where Santanocito, a fashion designer, and Arena, a communications expert, combined their expertise to address the environmental issue of citrus waste in Sicily.
Italy produces over 700,000 tons of citrus waste annually, posing significant disposal challenges. Their solution involved extracting cellulose from this waste to create a biodegradable, vitamin-enriched textile. Collaborating with the Politecnico di Milano, they patented this process in Italy in 2013 and extended it internationally the following year.
That same year, Adriana and Enrica brought their wild, juicy dream to the Creative Business Cup. Representing Italy, they stood among the world’s brightest creative startups — and they shone:
Orange Fiber was selected as one of the global Top 5 finalists!
This wasn’t just a trophy moment — it was their global launchpad.
In December 2015, leveraging funds from Invitalia's Smart&Start program, Orange Fiber inaugurated its first pilot plant in Sicily, marking a significant milestone in scaling their production capabilities.
Investment and Funding
Orange Fiber's funding journey reflects a blend of grants, equity crowdfunding, and strategic partnerships:
· 2015: Awarded €150,000 through the H&M Foundation's Global Change Award, selected from over 2,700 projects across 112 countries. This accolade included a year-long innovation accelerator program in collaboration with Accenture and KTH Royal Institute of Technology
· 2019: Successfully raised €650,000 via an equity crowdfunding campaign, facilitating the optimization of their industrial processes
· 2020: Secured an €10,000 grant from MassChallenge, further supporting their research and development endeavors.
Industry Collaborations
Orange Fiber's commitment to sustainability and innovation has led to collaborations with renowned fashion brands such as:
· Salvatore Ferragamo: In 2017, Ferragamo launched the first fashion collection utilizing Orange Fiber fabrics, showcasing the material's versatility and appeal in luxury fashion.
· Marc O'Polo SE: As of 2025, Orange Fiber has initiated a collaboration with Marc O'Polo, further expanding its footprint in the sustainable fashion industry.
Key Achievements
· First in the world to create a fabric from citrus by-products.
· Named by Forbes and several EU sustainability programs as a top circular fashion innovator.
· Featured in Vogue, The Guardian, Fast Company, and EU Innovation databases.
· Long-term brand partnerships with iconic fashion labels (Ferragamo, Marc O'Polo).
· Built a fully Italian-based value chain — from orange waste sourcing to textile production.
Orange Fiber is a flagship example of how the Cultural and Creative Industries (CCI) can drive systemic change by turning creative ideas into scalable, sustainable solutions. Emerging from the Creative Business Cup as a top global finalist, the startup proved that design, storytelling, and cultural insight could create not only a new textile category but also reshape the fashion industry’s approach to circular economy. By transforming citrus waste into high-end fabric, Orange Fiber demonstrates the economic and environmental potential of creative entrepreneurship — validating the role of CCI in the green transition, industrial innovation, and global impact. Its journey underscores why platforms like the Creative Business Cup are essential for spotlighting and scaling visionary startups at the intersection of culture, creativity, and sustainability.