Walden Lam
Co-founder of Unspun, the 3D weaving and on-demand apparel company
Walden Lam is a co-founder of Unspun, a B Corp fashion technology company whose OneWeave 3D weaving system turns yarn directly into ready-to-sew garment shapes. Unspun aims to make apparel production local, on demand and almost waste-free, and works with partners including Walmart and Decathlon.
| Role | Co-founder of Unspun |
|---|---|
| Co-founders | Beth Esponnette, Kevin Martin |
| Technology | OneWeave 3D weaving |
| Partners | Walmart, Decathlon |
| Education | MBA, Stanford University |
Who is Walden Lam?
Walden Lam is an entrepreneur and investor based in Hong Kong and a co-founder of Unspun, which he started with Beth Esponnette and Kevin Martin. Unspun is a certified B Corporation that builds automated infrastructure for apparel production. Its stated mission is to reduce global human carbon emissions by 1% by changing how and where clothing gets made.
Career
Before Unspun, Lam built what his professional profile describes as operating, investment and strategy experience in e-commerce, retail and fashion. His previous employers include:
- lululemon, the athletic apparel company
- IDEO, the design and innovation consultancy
- GGV Capital, the venture capital firm
- Goldman Sachs
- OC&C Strategy Consultants
He holds an MBA from Stanford University. The mix of brand operations, design thinking and venture investing is reflected in Unspun's positioning as a hardware and software company serving fashion brands rather than a fashion label itself.
Influence on the fashion business
Unspun addresses one of the most persistent problems in apparel: brands must order large volumes months in advance, which leads to overproduction, markdowns and waste. The company says its system reduces inventory, lead times and material waste compared with traditional cut-and-sew manufacturing. Because garments can be woven close to the customer and on demand, the model also supports production closer to end markets.
Unspun names Walmart and Decathlon as collaborators. Its investors include DCVC, Lowercarbon Capital, SOSV, Decathlon Pulse, E12 Ventures and Mitsui, a mix of climate, deep technology and strategic industry investors.
Walden Lam and technology
The core of Unspun is OneWeave, a proprietary 3D weaving system that transforms yarn into ready-to-sew garment shapes. Instead of weaving fabric in rolls and then cutting patterns from it, the machine weaves the shape that is needed, which removes most cutting waste. Combined with digital design files, this allows production to be triggered by actual demand rather than forecasts.
Why it matters
Lam's work sits at the point where sustainability, supply chain and automation meet. If 3D weaving and similar technologies reach industrial scale, they could change where garments are made, how much inventory brands need to hold and how closely production can follow real demand, a shift that AI-driven forecasting and personalisation would reinforce.
Frequently asked questions
Who is Walden Lam?
Walden Lam is a co-founder of Unspun, a fashion technology company that uses 3D weaving to produce garments on demand with almost zero waste. He previously worked at lululemon, IDEO, GGV Capital and Goldman Sachs.
What does Unspun do?
Unspun builds automated apparel production infrastructure around its OneWeave 3D weaving system, which turns yarn directly into ready-to-sew garment shapes. The company says this reduces inventory, lead times and material waste, and it works with partners such as Walmart and Decathlon.