Sustainability Superstar
2021 AWARD FINALIST
Sponsored by NZI
Manu Rastogi is Head of Product Innovation and Product Sustainability for Kathmandu. In the last nine years, his role has been to support, lead and drive Kathmandu’s continued efforts to be a world leader in delivering sustainable products and evolving sustainable business practices.
Manu has been leading and implementing several disruptive technologies which have changed the shape of the textile industry. For example, Kathmandu launched a world-first biodegradable fleece range that is made from 100% recycled polyester. It aims to prevent microplastics polluting our oceans and to prevent textile waste from going to landfill. Through his work with supply chain partners, Kathmandu has achieved its goal of using 100% sustainable cotton. Manu leads an innovation hub, ‘Green Room’, and there are many and varied ground-breaking innovations in the pipeline.
Kathmandu has received multiple awards recognising the mahi of Manu and his team. It is recognised as second in the world in the outdoor and sport category by Textile Exchange PFM, an annual benchmarking report ranking the environmental impact of more than 190 global brands.