Register NOW for the 10th Future Fabrics Expo 

23rd March 2022     Fashion Future Fabrics Expo Sustainable The Sustainable Angle Future Fabrics Virtual Expo

Register NOW for the 10th Future Fabrics Expo 
28-29th June 2022 at Magazine London 
**Early bird tickets available until 11 May** 

 

 

The 10th Future Fabrics Expo: source from thousands of textiles with a low environmental impact and discover sustainable solutions for a responsible fashion future. 

Join us at the 10th Future Fabrics Expo and be part of the movement galvanising positive change for the future of fashion! The Expo has expanded to include even MORE best practice suppliers. 

 

The fashion and textile industries are currently responsible for significant impacts upon planet and people. However, fashion can and should be part of the solution, representing a powerful force for positive change by following regenerative design principles and a circular systems approach. These themes take centre stage in the materials sourcing showcase, echoed by our dynamic Seminar Series. 

 

Discover how our fibres are grown and materials are made in relation to their impacts upon climate, biodiversity, soil and the oceans. Learn about the critical imperative to source responsibly, operate within planetary boundaries  in order to address climate change, secure sustainable supply chains and align with the Sustainable Development Goals.  

 

Explore the extensive Innovation Space, Information Zone and Curated Installations which spotlight positive solutions, all contextualised with educational information, including thousands of textiles across all fibre categories, providing commercially available alternatives to polluting conventional materials. 

 

For announcements and updates on guest speakers at the 10th Future Fabrics Expo, sign up to our mailer via our website and follow us on social media. Our seminar programme features diverse voices from experts around the world, including key thought leaders, innovators, industry insiders, textile producers and designers.  

 

  REGISTER here FOR the 10th future fabrics expo

 

GENERAL ADMISSION TICKET ONE DAY 28th JUNE: 

Register for a ticket on Future Fabrics Virtual Expo here

GENERAL ADMISSION TICKET ONE DAY 29th JUNE:  

 Register here for the 10th Future Fabrics Expo 

PREMIUM TICKET FOR TWO DAYS 28th and 29th JUNE: 

*Please note Premium ticket holders must be seated at least 5 minutes before the start of each seminar otherwise reserved seats will be released to the general public. 

 Register here for the 10th Future Fabrics Expo 

STUDENT TICKET FOR 29th JUNE AFTER 2pm** 

 

** Please note that student tickets will be released closer to the event date. Student ID required at the entrance 

 Register here for the 10th Future Fabrics Expo 

 

Location Details: Magazine London, 11 Ordnance Crescent, Greenwich, London,  SE10 0JH  

Nearest tube station: North Greenwich – Jubilee line. 

 
Photographs by Gareth Gardner 

LOCATION AND TRANSPORT LINKS:  

 

We are trying to limit the amount of waste produced by our expo. We would appreciate your cooperation with the following: 

 

We look forward to seeing you there! 

For further information, contact us at info@thesustainableangle.org  

Can’t make it to the 10th Future Fabrics Expo? You can also book a Future Fabrics Expo tailored workshop in our London Showroom by emailing us to info@thesustainableangle.org 

 

Want more info?  

Sign up to receive the latest news and event details here. 

Find out more about the last #FutureFabricsExpo held in January 2020, and see photos and videos here. 

www.thesustainableangle.org 

www.futurefabricsvirtualexpo.com 

#FutureFabricsExpo #MaterialsRevolution 

 

Click HERE to view our data policy and about The Sustainable Angle and Future Fabrics Expo. 

 

Press: 

Please contact  temi@thesustainableangle.org  

Rewatch 9th Future Fabrics Expo 2020 Video Highlights

 

To inquire about exhibiting, please email info@thesustainableangle.org

 

10TH FUTURE FABRICS EXPO

AT MAGAZINE LONDON 

28-29 JUNE 2022, LONDON UK 

 

 

We are excited to announce that the 10th Future Fabrics Expo will be held in an impressive new, larger, state of the art venue 28-29th June 2022! 
 

TICKET REGISTRATION IS NOW OPEN!
 

As we emerge from the Pandemic in this climate critical decade, the imperative to implement action for positive change becomes ever more urgent. We are thrilled to finally be able to build upon the collective excitement that was experienced at the 9th Future Fabrics Expo in 2020.

In order to respond effectively to the challenges of the climate and biodiversity crises – and due to an unprecedented participation response from our partners, suppliers and innovators, we decided to relocate to a new, more expansive London venue. This will allow us to create more space to showcase the solutions, tools and innovations in textiles and materials that will enable us to support a restorative, regenerative future fashion industry that places planet, people and prosperity for all as the central objective.  

As always, the exhibitors and textiles on display are contextualised with open-source educational resources throughout the Future Fabrics Expo. 

Our new space, Magazine London, is a stunning purpose-built exhibition venue with excellent transport links and close to central London (13min to Westminster), offering 3,205 square metres of versatile interior exhibition space. It also boasts a state-of-the-art livestream and audio provision which will allow us to seamlessly deliver our dynamic and highly popular seminar series, featuring the voices of global thought leaders and industry vanguards again directly into the Expo experience. 

The 10th Future Fabrics Expo will be our largest and most ambitious showcase to date, featuring many more new exhibitors, booths and innovators, all exemplifying effective sustainable solutions throughout the textile supply chain. The 10th Expo will also have a stronger digital dimension, integrated with our Future Fabrics VIRTUAL Expo, seamlessly connecting the physical materials sourcing to our online platform via QR codes. Visitors will also be able to access talks and panel discussions from our popular Seminar Series via the VIRTUAL Expo. 

As the largest dedicated sustainable materials showcase our platform offers a unique opportunity to be part of the solution and connect with suppliers, brands, and businesses, facilitating interaction with global and local organisations who place sustainability at the top of their agenda, all in our uniquely curated showcase.

 

Photographs by Gareth Gardner 

LOCATION AND TRANSPORT LINKS: 

 

ABOUT THE VENUE: 

Magazine London https://magazinelondon.co.uk/ 

Is located close to the iconic O2 Arena, with spectacular views of London skyline and Canary Wharf, part of London’s central business district. It is also close to the new Design District, comprising sixteen buildings by eight pioneering architects as a permanent home for the creative industries.  

ADDRESS:

Magazine London, 11 Ordnance Crescent, Greenwich, London, SE10 0JH.

Rewatch 9th Future Fabrics Expo 2020 Video Highlights

 

To inquire about exhibiting, please email info@thesustainableangle.org

 

SAVE THE DATE 
10TH FUTURE FABRICS EXPO 
28-29 JUNE 2022, LONDON UK 

Over the last ten years, The Sustainable Angle’s annual Future Fabrics Expo has become the largest dedicated sustainable sourcing showcase. Modelled on our successful 9th Expo in January 2020, the physical 10th Future Fabrics Expo will include 10,000+ materials and solutions displayed, feature exhibitors, show an Innovation Hub, and curated displays dedicated to special themes, plus the popular Seminar Series which accompanies the Expo. Future Fabrics Expo is your one-stop shop for sourcing sustainably and responsibly produced materials, with each material accompanied with sustainability background information. 

The 10th Future Fabrics Expo will take place on 28-29 June 2022 at Magazine London in London, UK, with more additional exhibitor space, an expanded seminar space, and increased capacity. 
 

The physical event is designed to also cater to the strong digital dimension, integrated with our Future Fabrics VIRTUAL Expo platform.

 

For more details about 10th Future Fabrics Expo and to register your ticket, click here. 

 

Rewatch 9th Future Fabrics Expo 2020 Video Highlights

To inquire about exhibiting, please email info@thesustainableangle.org

 

We are excited to be taking over #TheLabE20 as curators of the space for the entire month of November 2021 to coincide with COP26.  

The Lab will focus on the most pressing concerns of our times, illustrating, informing, and exemplifying the overarching themes of CLIMATE, WASTE, and REGENERATION via visionary organisations, educational resources, workshops, talks and physical interaction with making, digital media and the discovery of innovations that are poised to change our wasteful and extractive relationship with our material world. 

The creative hub of The Lab E20 intends to inspire and inform the local community, uniting and underscoring the relationships between food and fashion, waste, materiality, and climate change, offering experiences and insights into the possibilities and opportunities for a positive future.  

Stay tuned for more information on this dynamic showcase of fashion-led physical and digital creative content! 

Discover More about The Lab E20 >

 

WHAT TO EXPECT AT THE LAB E20

 

BEHIND THE SEAMS

THURS 4 NOV, 7:30PM

Join the panel with local designer Stuart Tingini from Molini London, Joey Pringle Founder of Veshin Factory and Diana Kakkar Founder from MAES London on ethical manufacturing moderated by Katarina Rimarcikova. No booking required.

 

SEW WHAT?!

SAT 6 NOV – SUN 7 NOV, 11AM & 4PM DAILY (MORE SLOTS TO BE ANNOUNCED)

Save the Planet at your fingertips with a giant live game of ‘Sew What’ – the first mobile game informing players about sustainable fashion and join our fabric hunt. No booking required. 

 

INFANTIUM VICTORIA – THE STORY OF A GOTS SEED

SAT 6 NOV – SUN 7 NOV, 2PM DAILY

Join Dinie van Heuel, founder of sustainable childrenswear brand Infantium Victoria, for a screening of their stopmotion film on the fascinating journey of a cotton seed. No booking required.

 

FIBRE LAB SHREDDING DEMONSTRATIONS

SAT 6 NOV – SUN 7 NOV, 2PM DAILY

Join FibreLab’s founder Kaela Katz for live demonstrations of fibre shredding. No booking required.

 

POST CARBON LAB

SAT 6 NOV, SAT 13 NOV, SAT 20 NOV, SAT 27 NOV, 10AM-5PM

An opportunity to speak with the team from Post Carbon Lab about their research on climate anxiety and their innovative, photosynthesizing material. No booking required.

 

WEAVING WORKSHOPS

SAT 13 NOV, 11AM, 2PM & 4PM DAILY

Bring your own unwanted T-shirts for a DIY weaving workshop with designer Rahemur Rahman and hear more about his COP26 installation with Fashion Open Studio. No booking required.

 

WASTE NOT WANT NOT

WED 10 NOV, 7:30PM

A panel with Jen Charon from Loanhood, Dottie Allan from Hackney Council and Laetitia Forst from the Centre for Sustainable Fashion at London College of Fashion. No booking required.

     

MEET IFEANYI OKWUADI 

SUN 21st NOV 2pm

  Meet the Designer with Ifenanyi Okwuadi: Join Menswear designer Ifeanyi Okwuadi, winner of the 2021 Hyeres International Festival of Fashion Grand Jury Prize. Ifeanyi will explain his perspective on embedding sustainability in his thinking, working process and how he incorporates Savile Row tailoring practices.

CANCELLED CIRCULARITY & BIOMATERIAL INNOVATION

Unfortunately, we regret to inform you that we have had to cancel the Circularity & Biomaterial innovation event due to one of our speakers testing positive for COVID.

Circularity & Biomaterial Innovation: Hannes Schoenegger, co-creator of innovative new material Bananatex and accessories brand Qwstion will be joined by the founder of the Dian-Jen Lin in conversation with Nina Marenzi, founder and Director of The Sustainable Angle.

SUSTAINABLE ADVENTURES 

THURS 25 NOV, 7:30 

Join Sophia Scott from groundbreaking materials innovators and accessories brand Groundtruth, filmmaker James Levelle and Christopher Raeburn, founder of RAEBURN, in conversation with strategist & journalist Yasmin Jones-Henry.

GROUNDTRUTH FILM SCREENING WITH Q&A

FRI 26 NOV, 7:30PM

Join Madeline St Clair and the founders of Groundtruth for a screening of their new film, first premiered during COP26, around Sophia Scott’s expedition to Greenland with Team UMIAQ. No booking required.

 

POST CARBON LAB’S CLIMATE ANXIETY RESEARCH SCREENING

SAT 27 NOV 4PM 

In sync with COP26’s climate topic, Post Carbon Lab has been conducting research around climate anxiety, climate action & fashion involving local residents & youths during The Lab E20 exhibition. This occasion is for you to hear how others perceive climate emergencies and share what you think about the age we live in to aid our research.
At the end of the screening, you can also actively take part in the research and we’ll give away an upcycled cushion made from plastic waste to one lucky participant.

 

WORKSHOP BY JESSE LEE 

SUN 28 NOV 4PM 

Join a fun, chilled DIY workshop with Redress Design Award alumnus, Jesse Lee where you will learn 2-3 easy stitching techniques and how to apply them in a playful way to embellish your clothes. Bring along a garment or two that you are looking to refresh. With a focus on clothing longevity, Jesse’s recent work is inspired by the powerful simplicity of Picasso’s single line drawings and he aims to emulate this simplicity through animal portraits to prolong the life of clothes.

 

EXHIBITIONS

EVERY THURS – SUN, 10AM-5PM

Check out engaging and inspiring exhibitions throughout the month from: Bananatex, fabrics and bags made from banana (Abaca) leaves; Groundtruth, producing travel bags from 100% recycled plastic materials; Post Carbon Lab, biohacking and sustainability consultancy; Cassie Quinn, regenerative design studio; Molini London, luxury sustainable satin brand and Ifeanyi Okwuadi, a designer inspired by nuclear disarmament.

+ MANY MORE

We debuted our Paris edition of the Future Fabrics Expo from 23-28 September at La Caserne, Europe’s largest sustainable fashion accelerator hub.
 
The Expo featured a curated display of thousands of sustainable materials, alongside best-practice suppliers, and spotlighted the latest innovations around recycling technologies and regenerative agriculture. 

Thank you to all those who attended our Future Fabrics Expo Paris edition! We welcomed many visitors ranging from luxury brands to high-street retailers to startups, and academics.

We were thrilled to have seen such a strong demand for the materials we showcased. The sheer intent, energy, and engagement exceeded our expectations. Visitors’ interest in reading the educational content we provided was heartening, from materials’ environmental impacts to the sustainability information of potential solutions.

Future Fabrics Expo in Paris was also part of the inauguration of La Caserne. Over the weekend we were part of The Conscious Festival by Green is the New Black. 

HIGHLIGHTS FROM OUR PARIS EDITION: 

 

 

THROUGHOUT THE DURATION OF THE PARIS EXPO ALL VISTORS HAD PREMIUM ACCESS TO FUTURE FABRICS VIRTUAL EXPO

 

From 23-28 September during the Paris Expo event, all ticket holders gained Premium Access to all the new features on the Future Fabrics VIRTUAL Expo site, such as: 
 
  • Save materials to your user profile
  • Scan materials in our studio and save them immediately to your profile
  • View all 2000+ materials featured online
  • Send and keep a record of all messages sent out via our platform
  • …and more still to come!
 
You can continue to access these features by subscribing to the platform. The Future Fabrics VIRTUAL Expo showcases over 2000+ commercially available fabrics and materials that have been sustainably sourced and produced, such as materials from agricultural waste, organic fibres, produced in regenerative agricultural systems, regenerated cellulosics and sustainable viscose, recycled qualities, and more. ​
 
 
 
  REGISTER FOR virtual expo account 

 

 

FEATURED MILLS & SUPPLIERS AT FUTURE FABRICS EXPO PARIS

 COMING UP!

THE SUSTAINABLE ANGLE AT TED COUNTDOWN: TO A BETTER FUTURE EDINBURGH, UK, 12-15 OCTOBER 

 

The Sustainable Angle will be showcasing a curated display of innovations and solutions from the Future Fabrics Expo at TED’s Countdown Summit with 1,000 leaders in Edinburgh, UK. COUNTDOWN is a global initiative to champion and accelerate solutions to the climate crisis, turning ideas into action. Countdown seeks to answer five fundamental, interconnected questions in the areas of Energy, Transport, Materials, Food and Nature, that help inform a blueprint for a cleaner future.
 

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The Sustainable Angle is pleased to announce the FUTURE FABRICS EXPO PARIS EDITION 2021, which will run from 23-28 September at La Caserne, Europe’s largest sustainable fashion accelerator hub. Our first-ever Paris edition will be part of the inauguration of La Caserne.

For the first time, the Future Fabrics Expo will feature in Paris as the key sustainable sourcing destination for designers and brands, offering a physical in-person showcase of thousands of materials, sustainability knowledge and innovative supplier insights. During the week, attendees will receive Premium Access to our digital platform, the Future Fabrics VIRTUAL EXPO, which hosts thousands of materials and informative resources online.

La Caserne is at 12 Rue Philippe de Girard, 75010, Paris, France

 

  REGISTER FOR THE FUTURE FABRICS EXPO PARIS TODAY!

 

 

Private Viewing Dates

The Private Viewing dates are FREE to attend! Please simply register your interest via the link below. If you are unable to pre-register, you can also register at the door.  

 

Thursday 23 September, 11:00-19:00
Friday 24 September, 9:30-12:00
Monday 27 September, 11:00-19:00
Tuesday 28 September, 11:00-17:00

 

SELECT A DATE AND REGISTER FOR FUTURE FABRICS EXPO PARIS >
 

During the weekend of 24th – 26th September from 12pm, Future Fabrics Expo will also be part of The Conscious Festival taking place at La Caserne. Hosted by Green is the New Black, this educational and festive event is available in a hybrid format. Click here to register for The Conscious Festival and find out more.

 

 WHAT TO EXPECT AT FUTURE

FABRICS EXPO PARIS EDITION

 

🌍 EXPLORE the latest materials collections and sustainability initiatives from our featured mills and suppliers. Discover dedicated showcase booths featuring Lenzing’s TENCEL™ Lyocell and True Carbon Zero Initiative, Bananatex® textiles made from abaca plant fibres.

 

🌱 Dedicated area to the curated display “Nature-Positive: The Future for Fashion” supported by Kering, showing materials focused on biodiversity and working towards a nature-positive impact, and informational content around regenerative agriculture for fashion, soil health, and natural materials from production systems that incorporate wildlife friendly practices.

 

🔍 Browse thousands of sustainable materials from around the world in a diverse range of fibre categories such as materials from regenerative agriculture, agricultural waste, recycled natural materials, organic cottons, low impact wools and animal fibres, sustainable silks, linens, bast fibres, responsibly produced leather, innovative alternatives to animal skins, and Lenzing Group’s dedicated corner showcase of regenerated cellulosics, including TENCEL™ Lyocell and REFIBRA™ Technology.

 

🔬 Discover a curated display of speculative and commercially emerging innovations that present new material opportunities driving much needed change in our industry, towards a more sustainable and diverse materials future. 

 

📱 Benefit from Premium access to the Future Fabrics VIRTUAL Expothroughout the duration of the event, with new and improved site features designed to enhance your online sourcing experience. Browse thousands of fabrics from our mills and suppliers and explore informative educational content and resources around sustainable fashion solutions. QR codes are attached to selected materials providing a seamless experience to our virtual platform for each textile.

 

⏰ Countdown with us online to the Paris Edition via Instagram Live from 14 – 16 September. Tune in online with us for conversations with featured mills and suppliers from our showcase, as we will be spotlighting their latest innovations, products and initiatives showcased in Paris.
 

 

 

 

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From the 22nd June – 2nd July 2021, we look forward to welcoming you to the Future Fabrics Expo 9½. It will be held in person at our spacious new showroom in London*. As we ease out of the pandemic restrictions, this interim Expo will be your key sustainable sourcing destination, offering a physical showcase of thousands of materials, sustainability knowledge, supplier insights, advice, and networking events.

 

For those who can’t join us in person, this physical showcase is accompanied by online panel discussions with experts and thought-leaders every day from 1PM – 2PM during the Expo. You will also be able to explore even more fabrics and newly launched features on our Future Fabrics VIRTUAL Expo that will enhance your online sourcing experience.

 

Future Fabrics Expo 9½ is aimed at supporting fashion professionals seeking to understand sustainability impacts and source a wide range of more responsibly-produced textiles and materials for a positive and responsible fashion future. All material qualities are supported with detailed sustainability information and contextual content.

 

  REGISTER FOR THE FUTURE FABRICS EXPO 9-1/2 TODAY!

 

*COVID-19 social distancing measures and restrictions will still in place as per the UK government’s announcement yesterday.  We are respecting all the government’s guidelines ensuring social distancing, controlled people flow and capacity in our showroom, as well as further measures include such as one-way flows, separate entry/exit arrangements, staggered access times, signage/crowd management, floor markings, with spaced out furniture for more flexible space.

Upon arrival, you will be directed to the sanitisers . Please also bring along a mask and wear it whilst in the building. Naturally, if you do show symptoms of COVID-19 or you recently had a positive test please do not attend.

 

We looking forward to seeing you!

 

 

 

WHAT TO EXPECT AT THE FUTURE FABRICS EXPO 9½:

 

 FUTURE FABRICS EXPO 9½
DIGITAL PANEL TALKS PROGRAMME

 

 

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This current emergency has given us all an opportunity to reimagine our industry, and to define what successful business really means for people and planet and work towards a responsible and positive relationship with our planet’s resources. Throughout our Materials Solutions Digital Masterclass Series we look forward to recovery from the global pandemic, both for our collective human health, and that of the planet.

 

The Materials Solutions Digital Masterclass Series seeks to inform and educate on the place of specific fibre categories in a preferred materials mix, and their important place in reshaping and creating a responsible, sustainable and restorative fashion industry.

 

This unprecedented global pandemic has forced us all to cease the relentless activity that the fashion industry demands of us, and has created space for us to pause, and reflect upon how our choices can contribute to new, responsible practices that must emerge from the current crisis.

 

Materials play a critical role in building a fashion industry that places people and planet as priorities, and the creation of equitable economic systems that replace the current unsustainable, polluting and waste generating model.  The series is supported by key examples of commercially available qualities from our Virtual Expo and provides insights into our suppliers best practice materials.

 

INTRODUCTION with Guest Speaker Carole Collet (Director of Maison/0 (The Central Saint Martins LVMH Sustainable Innovation Programme)) – Wednesday 29th April 

This session frames our current materials landscape, and explores the crucial place of a diverse, responsibly created materials mix. The principles of regenerative design and other design thinking systems that can support and inform the creation of a responsible industry for the future will be discussed.  Amanda Johnston gives an introduction to The Sustainable Angle’s environmental criteria and ‘9 to Define’ design and systems thinking approach to rationalising material and design.  Carole Collet provides a breakdown of ‘Regenerative Design’ principles.  

“A regenerative design attitude goes beyond reducing our impact and goes into repairing our ecosystem and our communities.” – Carole Collet 

COTTON with Sarah Compson, International Development Manager at Soil Association– Wednesday 6th May

Conventional cotton is the most important natural fibre, accounting for a quarter of global fibre demand, and grown in intensively farmed unsustainable monocultures around the globe. With its roots in the slave trade, human rights abuses still pervade the supply chain of conventionally grown cotton.  In this episode, learn how best practice cotton agricultural practices can transform the environmental and social impacts of this fibre, and its role in carbon sequestration.  Attendees will gain an understanding of the critical impacts of this fibre, as well as which types of cotton to prioritise and why.

 

BAST FIBRES + AGRICULTURAL WASTE with Gill Gledhill (GGHQ Fashion Intelligence Ltd Managing Director) and Hannes Schoenegger (Bananatex Co-Founder and CEO) – Wednesday 13th May

This session focuses on the under-explored bast category of stem fibres, harvested from flax, hemp, ramie, nettle, etc. and the new agriculturally harvested waste category of grown cellulose.  The Sustainable Angle team and guest speakers will provide comprehensive knowledge of the properties and inherent sustainability credentials of the bast category of fibres.  Additionally, viewers can discover how the ingenious use of cellulose from agricultural waste is reframing new material innovation of the future.

 

PROTEIN FIBRES with Hanna Denes (Textile Exchange Senior Standards Manager) and  Jackie Andrews (Senior Lecturer in Sustainability and Textiles Development Strategist) – Wednesday 20th May

The use of animal fibres has a long history, offering complex structures and properties that man made fibres cannot replicate.  However, land use, unethical practices and processing impacts, as well as environmental impacts as a result of intensive farming have raised essential questions.  This session will provide insights and guidance into best practice initiatives for sourcing protein fibres.

 

REGENERATED CELLULOSICS with Claire Bergkamp (Stella McCartney, WW Sustainability & Innovation Director) – Wednesday 27th May

As a man-made cellulose fibre, this category of cellulosics is an important fibre source.  Its comfortable and absorbent properties are much sought after as an alternative to cotton.  This episode provides understanding of the provenance and processing systems that enable best practice choices in this Regenerated Cellulosics.  Viewers will discover the next generation of regenerated fibres poised to provide more diverse material sources.

 

SYNTHETICS & RECYCLED with Steven Cheung (Recyctex Founder and President) and Scott Echols (Programme Director ZHDC, Roadmap To Zero) – Wednesday 3rd June

From the middle of the twentieth century synthetic fibres have dominated our fibre landscape, and currently account for two thirds of global fibre demand.  This episode provides understanding of the negative impacts of this non-renewable fibre source, as well as a breakdown of how our reliance upon this petroleum derived group of fibres needs to be re-focused.  Guided by insights from our guest speaker, Steven Cheung, attendees can discover how recycling technologies can limit impacts and utilise waste streams to recapture value and contribute to the circular economy.

 

LEATHER & SKIN ALTERNATIVES with Yoann Regent (Kering, Sustainable Sourcing – Bio-Diversity & Animal Welfare Specialist) – Wednesday 10th June

For many centuries the skins of animals have been valued as a durable by-product of the meat industry. However, current intensive farming practices are contributing to the decimation of rainforests, clearing land for intensively raising ever increasing numbers of cattle, thus contributing to CO2 emissions.  This session will provide key insights into the place of responsibly farmed and processed animal skins in a diverse materials mix.  We will also dive into the growing interest in innovative alternatives that meet demands for non-animal products that limit petrochemical use.

 

SUMMARY: FUTURE PROOFING FASHION and HOW THE FASHION INDUSTRY CAN PLAY A POSITIVE ROLE with Cyrill Gutsch (Founder and CEO Parley for the Oceans) – Wednesday 17th June

To conclude our deep dive Materials Solutions Digital Masterclass Series, this session draws together the key learnings from the six material sessions to provide an overview of the diverse material directions that will contribute to future proofing our industry.  This summary edition provides critical perspectives on where the new materials solutions, directions and opportunities lie in shaping a re-imagined and responsible future for fashion will be explored.  The conversation will focus on how the fashion industry can play a positive role? How can its supply chains be climate positive, protect biodiversity and the oceans – what materials to be used to achieve that?

 

MISSED THE LAST THREE EPISODES OF OUR DIGITAL MASTERCLASS SERIES? 

You can still sign up for the full series even if you haven’t been able to tune in so far – we will send you the recordings and all relevant resources!

FULL SERIES: Book all 8 episodes + 9th Future Fabrics Expo Report & Exhibitor Directory included! @ £320. 

 

WHAT EACH EPISODE INCLUDES:

 

 

Click here to register for our Materials Solutions Digital Masterclass Series! 

 

 

Along with the rise in demand for vegan alternatives and for low-priced fast fashion goods in the market, synthetic materials were increasingly used for handbags and accessories. While these fast fashion items often ended up in our landfills to slowly degrade, only recently have we seen a more diverse material landscape, with various bio materials offering viable alternative to the synthetic fabrics that the majority of bags are made of today.

 

In response to the plastic pollution problem, founders of Swiss backpack brand QWSTION spent three years developing a circular, zero-waste material that they could use in their own collection — and thus, durable, waterproof fabric called Bananatex® was born. 

 

Recently featured in our 9th Future Fabrics Expo, Bananatex® material is a made from banana plants called the Abaća. Finishing treatments with a low environmental impact are applied to the fabric for durability, such as Ruco®-Dry Eco Plus water-repellent treatment (for the surface) & waterproof natural wax coating (on the backside). In addition, the yarn dyeing method applied is certified to Oeko-Tex® Standard 100.  Bananatex® can be composted to close the product cycle loop, from plant to bag and back into the soil. 

Abaća are cultivated in the Philippines within a natural ecosystem of sustainable mixed agriculture and forestry. Abaćas do not require pesticides or extra water to grow. The sustainable farming of banana plants in this region has been a key contributor to the regeneration and reforestation of areas that were once eroded by soil damage due to monocultural palm plantations…all while ensuring jobs for local farmers. 

 

Left: Abaca plant. Right: Each Abacá plant has several stalks that can be harvested once a year, and regenerate fully within one year. Leaves are left to decompose as fertiliser. Image credit: Bananatex®

 

 

Discover the Bananatex® Lifecycle: 

The Bananatex Lifecycle from QWSTION on Vimeo.

 

And the protection of our soils is indeed an urgent matter.  According to the UN’s Global Land Outlook, a third of the planet’s land is severely degraded and fertile soil is being lost at the rate of 24bn tonnes per year. The expansion of chemical-based industrial farming is one of the biggest drivers of soil loss and degradation. If we continue to degrade the soil at the current rate, the world will run out of topsoil in about 60 years. Without topsoil, the earth’s ability to filter water, absorb carbon, and feed people, disappears. Soils host a quarter of our earth’s biodiversity. (FAO) 

 

However, a system of regenerative agriculture will have farming practices that function similarly to a natural ecosystem: incorporating beneficial insects, birds and soil microorganisms, unlike a monoculture farming system (Savory).  In turn, this helps reverse climate change by rebuilding soil organic matter and restoring biodiversity (Regeneration International).  Bananatex® has calculated that in one year, one banana tree can compensate for the CO2 emissions of production and transport of more than 10 bags.  

 

Bananatex® forms one of QWSTION’s main backpack collections, and the fabric was also seen in the Mae chair, a collaboration with German design studio PALAIUS. 

 

 

We interviewed Hannes Schoenegger, one of the co-founders of QWSTION and Bananatex®, to see what Bananatex® has in store next…

 

1. Can you provide a brief outline of Bananatex® and what key aspects make it sustainable? Particularly when compared to conventional outdoor materials?

Bananatex grows within a permaculture, without any pesticides, herbicides, fertiliser and without additional water. It is therefore 100% natural and biodegradable without industrial composting support – even the version we use ourselves, with waterproof natural wax coating.

 

2. How do you think Abacá will play a part in the future landscape of materials? Is it scalable?

The raw material has been cultivated for centuries – mostly to produce special papers from it. Therefore the supply is already very large – which will enable Bananatex to scale substantially.

 

3. In what ways have you seen that Bananatex had a positive impact on nature and communities?

Wherever we can replace oil-based materials, it will have a major impact. Bananatex, being a truly and fully circular innovation is our contribution to a smaller environmental footprint. 

 

4. What are your goals and plans moving forward?

We started working with several companies and brands from all kinds of industries. Bananatex seems to be an alternative for many products, and we are committed to driving the innovation further with those partners. We will see “third party” products in the market already 2020.

 

 

 

QWSTION – A TEXTILE (R)EVOLUTION from QWSTION on Vimeo.

 

Throughout June, our schedules have been packed with presenting and moderating at many different conferences, educational workshops, events and talks in London – all these prestigious events were dedicated to sustainability – a clear sign that the fashion industry is finally putting sustainability centre stage where it belongs, and no longer considers it as a ‘trend’, or just a ‘box to be ticked’ in the corporate reports. However, a sense of urgency to act quickly and decisively is still too often lacking..

 

The Store x The Sustainable Angle

The Store x The Sustainable Angle

Graduate Fashion Week - Considered Design Hub

Graduate Fashion Week – Considered Design Hub hosted by stylist Francesca Burns, with 180 The Strand

               

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Fran Burns, The Store, 180 Strand

4 June 2019

 

We were honoured to collaborate with Francesca Burns, Fashion Stylist, who invited us to hold a workshop at The Store X for her peers, fellow stylists and friends in the fashion industry.  We valued the opportunity to engage with stylists directly as they are uniquely placed to direct fashion brands towards more sustainable practice. They often take on a role essentially consulting brands, holding the power to engage said brands, asking questions, recommending more sustainable and responsibly produced materials, helping highlight and communicate fashion that has been created responsibly and sustainably.  

Fashion is a key cultural communicator and powerful agent for change that goes beyond simply what we wear.  Stylists are working right at that important stage of connection and communication with brands, holding a unique potential to drive engagement with sustainability. 

 

supported by Lenzing Group, Old Trewman Brewery

2 June – 5 June 2019

 

The Sustainable Angle’s Curator and Educational Consultant – Amanda Johnston –  hosted a daily educational workshop at Graduate Fashion Week’s newly launched “Considered Design Hub”, powered by Farfetch. She presented our “8 to Create” systems thinking framework, explored material innovations such as

Tencel ™ Lyocell using Refibra™ technology by Lenzing Group, and showcased how to exercise creative thinking when working with sustainable materials as per the dozens of Tencel™  fabrics on display.

The “Considered Design Hub” was introduced as a response to the increase in graduates focusing on sustainability and the need for more ethical and sustainable practices within the fashion industry. Graduate Fashion Week is the world’s largest event for BA Fashion talent, featuring 25 catwalk shows and stands, alongside a schedule of talks and workshops from leading industry names. 

 

Fashion Meets Tech: How Innovation Is Creating Sustainability in Fashion

Decoded Future Stylus Event

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A Stylus Event, County Hall

6 June 2019

 

Decoded Future 2019 had the underlying theme of…  you guessed it! Sustainability.  With the aim of shaping a collective vision of what a more sustainable vision could look like, the conference examined everything from the circular economy to the impacts of technological innovations.  Our Founder and Director Nina Marenzi moderated the panel “Sharing Is Caring: Is The Second-Hand Economy A Shift In The Shoppers Mindset Or Just A Desire For Discounted Designer Products?”   Through questioning and discussion with Katy Lubin, VP communications for Lyst, Sara Arnold, Founder of Higher Studio, and Clara Chappaz, Chief Growth Officer of Vestiaire Collective, the panel discussed the ins and outs of the sharing economy.  With consumers continuing to strive for a more sustainable and collaborative way of living (it’s estimated that by 2023 the second-hand market will be worth $51billionUSD), the panel unpacked whether the key solution lies in innovative rental models.  Seeing as, on average, over 80% of garments are worn less than three times, there is promise in alternative systems which create a variance in our relationship with our clothes, allowing space to experience luxury at a lower cost and higher speed. 

 

organised by CoGo x Google for Startups Campus

11 June 2019

 

During London Tech Week, Google Startups UK and Ethical Living App CoGo hosted an event examining how innovation has the potential to create a sustainable fashion that ‘doesn’t cost the earth.’  Our Founder and Director Nina Marenzi was invited to moderate the panel on how innovation is creating a more sustainable footprint in the clothes and ornaments we wear – from diamonds to sweaters and handbags. Kirsty Emery, Co-Founder of UNMADE, Ben Gleisner, Founder and CEO of CoGo, Laura Chavez, Founder of Lark & Berry, and Leanne Kemp, Founder of Everledger joined together to discuss how each of the panellists’ companies is placing sustainability at the centre of its business.  From using decommissioned fire hoses in creating accessories (Elvis and Kresse), to using blockchain for tracing natural diamonds (Everledger), to on-demand, customisable design (UNMADE), to discussing lab-grown diamonds avoiding potential problems with mining (Lark & Berry), and finally an app connecting conscious consumers to sustainable businesses in their area (CoGo) – sustainability was the key driver for these innovative and tech solutions!

Illustrations from the London Luxury Think Tank

TSA Team with MP Mary Creagh at The Telegraph’s Responsible Fashion Forum

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

French Chamber of Commerce, Spring Studios

13 June 2019

 

London Luxury Think Tank, a spin-off of French Chamber Great Britain, assembles leaders, pioneers and experts from across the fields of Luxury, Fashion, Technology, Research & Innovation, CSR, Ethics and Sustainability to share ideas, expertise and insights.  It was wonderful to be a part of it again, now for their second edition, at Spring Studios, where the key focus was sustainability.  Our Founder & Director Nina Marenzi was on the panel discussing “What makes a product sustainable & ethical?”  Together with Nicolas Gerlier, CEO of La Bouche Rouge, Sylvie Bénard, Head of Environmental Sustainability at LVMH, and Pierre-Alexandre Bapst, Sustainability Director of Hermès,  on a panel moderated by Brook Roberts-Islam Co-Director of BRIA.  La Bouche Rouge aims to combat harmful plastic pollution of the cosmetics industry by implementing innovative chemical formulation of their purely vegan lipstick which is free of microplastics commonly used in industry, all packaged in a luxurious refillable case.  While Hermès’ approach is to put emphasis on heritage, artisanal skills, promoting high quality and longevity of product life cycle.  This conversation between key industry players highlighted the fact that within sustainability there is often not a singular, simple solution.  There is always a necessity for nuanced, multifaceted, multidisciplinary approaches depending on the ethos of the brand.

 

Jumeirah Carlton Tower

18 June 2019

 

Kicking off with a Keynote by our advisory board member, Arizona Muse, The Telegraph’s Responsible Fashion Forum was a day jam-packed with discussions around transparency, traceability and sustainability across the supply chain. 

Across the board there was a consensus that Environmental and Social Sustainability go hand in hand, the conversations should not be siloed.  This was essential in TSA’s Amanda Johnston’s panel discussion (together with Patsy Perry, Senior Lecturer, University of Manchester, and moderated by Lily Gray, Head of Partnerships, First Mile) where the starting point of discussion was the effects of chemical usage on the environment.  Crucially, it was a question from the audience that highlighted that the true effect of chemical usage is on the people who were not present in that room. 

Water scarcity affects more than 40 per cent of the global population, and more than 80 per cent of wastewater resulting from human activities is discharged into rivers or the sea without any pollution removal (United Nations, 2018).  Most textile processing is heavily concentrated in regions where water quality is already low, putting vulnerable populations at risk.

The perfect finale was hearing from Chair of the Environmental Audit Committee, Mary Creagh MP: Coincidentally the conference took place on the very day of the disappointing decision by the UK Parliament to reject every recommendation from the Fixing Fashion report proposed last February by said committee. This is directly in contradiction with the announcement the week before when the same government enshrined in law that the UK will have “net zero” greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.  We commend Mary Creagh for her work and tenacity: When asked “What’s next?” by a member of the audience, she urged everyone in the room to keep pushing for sustainable practice because the voice of the consumer is next, together making it impossible for the government not to listen.

As ever, at The Sustainable Angle, we are presenting thousands of innovative sustainable textiles solutions to the fashion industry that are commercially available. We have been researching and gathering these materials since 2010: we are busier than ever filtering through materials that are produced more sustainably and responsibly in order to ensure they really do have a lower environmental impact. They are in our London studio: see them at one of our masterclasses or book a visit to one of our workshops and will, of course, be showcased at the 9th Future Fabrics Expo 29-30th January 2020 – save the date! Early Bird Registration will open soon…

Read more about the Future Fabrics Expo

Our 8th Future Fabrics Expo returned last week on 24-25th January 2019 for its most ambitious showcase yet!

 

8th Future Fabrics Expo at Victoria House in London January 25, 2019.
This image is copyright Suzanne Plunkett 2019©.

 

Our biggest-ever edition of the Expo took place in the sleek, 22,000 sq ft venue of Victoria House Basement in central London, and welcomed more than 2500 visitors over the two days. The turnout and engagement truly exceeded our expectations, with a record number of visitors ranging from luxury brands to high street retailers to startups, academics and students.

 

As the largest dedicated showcase of sustainable materials for the fashion and textile industry, the 8th Future Fabrics Expo featured over 5000 commercially-available fabrics and materials from suppliers who are offering innovative solutions with a low environmental footprint.  For the first time, we showcased a dozen best practice suppliers in their own stand. 

 

 

The two-day event is unique: a curated showcase which displays educational background information alongside thousands of materials. This enables fashion industry professionals to engage with positive and informed decision-making. We provide tools and advise on responsible practices, promoting a diverse material future. Each material in our showcase is individually labelled with sustainability information, as well as its key environmental criteria, which we developed with the Centre for Sustainable Fashion back in 2011.

 

 

As the consumer demand for sustainable products continues to heighten, the fashion supply chain is responding by finding solutions and collaborative opportunities that address the environmental damages caused by our industry.

 

To support this growing conversation, The Sustainable Angle expanded its 8th expo to showcase the whole sustainability journey, from fibre to garment. This year, we featured 12 best-practice core exhibitors and manufacturers in their own booth, a bigger Innovation Hub that included a collaboration with Fashion for Good-Plug and Play Accelerator Programme, an information zone, and a fashion brands space. Our popular seminar series hosted a dozen discussions with 26 speakers to a captive audience of 250!

 

 

The awareness around this year’s 8th Future Fabrics Expo is evident that sustainability is no longer a “trend” or option, but a critical imperative for one of the most polluting industries on the planet.  “This culture has to change. We need to be more curious: read the label, ask questions and research the brand’s sustainability credentials,” says Nina Marenzi, Founder and Director of The Sustainable Angle.

 

Through the resources and activities showcased at the Expo, The Sustainable Angle aims to promote and connect materials suppliers with visionary designers and brands, who realise that fashion can have a positive impact upon nature and communities by working with safe, renewable materials and responsible practices throughout the supply chain.

 

 

See the core exhibitors and sponsors that were shown alongside the curated showcase of 5000 materials:

Lenzing Group with TENCEL™ // Hallotex// Toyoshima // Nova Kaeru // Shokay // Advance Denim // Coccccon Crafts Loom // Beyond Surface Technologies // Mozartex // Comistra // Santoni // Procalcado // Bossa Denim // Organic Textile Company // Lebenskleidung //

Manufacturers: Gaia Sourcing // Supply Compass // Profits Fund // Papillon Bleu //

 

Thank you to all who helped us organise and support this 8th edition, and a SPECIAL thank you to the kind support of all our wonderful interns and volunteers helping during the last few days leading up to the expo.

 

 

 

Event Highlights:

 

 

Our favourite seminar quotes:

 

Full video seminar series available for streaming soon…sign up for our mailing list to stay updated!

 

 

STAY CONNECTED >>> to find out more about our upcoming masterclasses on sustainable materials for fashion, resuming March 2019 in London.

 

A big thank you to:

Avery Dennison//  Holition // Fashion for Good // Jeffies // Journey // ModusBPCM // Plates London // Perception Live // Domaine La Ferriere // Elf Ideas // Design Surgery // Showhow // Femi Fem // Papertown // Greenhouse Graphics // Get a Grip Studio

All images copyright2019© photographed by Suzanne Plunkett.

 

During the festive season we are bombarded with even more pressure to buy, update our party looks and overload our wardrobes, encouraging rapidly increasing clothing waste.  According to the report A New Textiles Economy: Redesigning Fashion’s Future published by the Ellen Macarthur Foundation in 2017, 53 million tonnes of fibres are produced annually for the clothing industry, and 73% of garments end up either landfilled or incinerated after consumer use.

At this time of year retailers slash their prices in the sales; bargains are alluring, and we are made to believe that we really need that cheap piece of clothing, but we want to explore how to love and enjoy fashion by building a Sustainable Wardrobe:

 

• If you buy, choose only items that can create new looks by complementing what is already in your wardrobe. Before purchasing, think about how many times you will likely wear the new item. The #30wears rule suggests that when shopping, ask yourself if you would wear an item at least 30 times – but aim higher, we would say at least #300!

• Buy smart. Products at low prices are of low value and made cheaply. Invest in quality items that last and which can be resold. Check out The RealReal, Vestiare Collective and similar new secondary market companies #invest

• Get creative: Create your own look and wardrobe that includes vintage and secondhand items, don’t buy a whole look, get #creative

• Buy from brands who integrate sustainability at the core of their business – this means brands who not only produce responsibly with sustainable materials but who also ensure fair labour practices. Check their websites #investigate

• Repair– use your needle and thread to mend your loved clothes. Find a local tailor to help if needed. You can even get creative here by customizing and adding elements of your personality or by updating the silhouettes of your garments. #mend #fix #reinvent

• Choose only items that are of good quality and can be loved for a long time or eventually passed down to family and friends- those pieces have emotional resonance and amazing stories attached to them!  #handmedown #secondhand

• Look at care labels, check out a brand’s website and search for information about sustainability – ask store staff for more information about the products that you’re buying

• Prolong the life of your clothes by following the washing instructions inside. The Carbon Trust reports that 1.5% of global production of CO2 emissions occur in the consumer washing/laundering process. Check garment labels to care for your clothes properly, skip the dryer and opt for line drying, use cold water settings and wash less often so we can protect our world’s drinking water.

• Invest in filtration gadgets such as this gadget to help fight the microfibres problem that comes from washing our clothes. Synthetic fabrics shed tiny plastic microfibres when washed – 250,000 plastic microfibres can be released after just one washing of a synthetic fleece jacket (EMPOWER @filterfibers) and up to 700,000 microfibres can shed from a typical 6kg (13lb) household load (BBC News). It is not perfect but improves the situation.

• Clothes swapping and rental systems: Hold clothes swaps with your friends, or join designer rental companies such as Rent the Runway, DrexCode, or Armarium. London-based Higher Studio offers more avant-garde choices for the artistically inclined.

• Consider local brands and materials as it also helps reduce your garment’s carbon footprint in the shipping and delivery process. #local

 

For a quick 5-minute snapshot to building a sustainable wardrobe, see Anuschka Rees‘s beautiful visualisation below:

 

Discover sustainable materials, fibres and the innovations that will influence the future of a more sustainable fashion system at our upcoming 8th Future Fabrics Expo on 24-25 Jan, 2018. 

 

13th September 2018

Mercedes- Benz Fashion Week in Istanbul 

On the  13th of  September The Sustainable Angle’s curator Amanda Johnston was invited to join the Lenzing Sustainability panel discussion during Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week in Istanbul. This year the event was held at the Zorlu Performing Arts Centre, nestled within the luxurious Zorlu shopping centre.
The history of Istanbul Fashion Week only dates back to 2008, then named Fashion Lab, expanding to become a fully-fledged fashion week in 2010.
The panel were greeted by a packed theatre with a diverse audience comprised of fashion fans, industry insiders, buyers, journalists, bloggers, influencers and photographers.
The discussion was chaired by renowned journalist Ferhan Istanbullu, and the panel was coordinated by Hale Saracoglu from Lenzing, who also contributed her expertise in the fashion industry supply chain and in the field of man made cellulosics. She conveyed the importance of clear communication around sustainability to the discussion. Hale explained and highlighted the FSC certified wood feedstock, closed loop production process and key benefits of different Lenzing fibres such as Tencel™, Eco Vero™ and Refibra™.
Ferhan was interested to hear the panel’s thoughts on defining sustainability, and to frame the importance of our fast fashion habits as contributors to the culture of fashion consumption. The panel observed that with fast fashion we have been led to consume very easily in excess quantities. We can throw away the products we don’t like or we don’t want anymore so easily, as their price suggests that their value is disposable, and we have lost the desire, patience and knowledge to care for and repair our clothing.
The challenges designers and brands face today is in implementing holistic sustainable practices- and understanding that sustainability goes beyond choosing the right fibres or production processes, but is also about the quality and longevity of garments, in order to stem the huge environmental impact that comes from today’s throw away culture of clothing.

Amanda introduced the work of the The Sustainable Angle, what we do, and how we developed our criteria, highlighting examples of more sustainable and responsible materials for fashion in both man-made and natural fibres which have a low environmental impact, highlighting the variety of choices available and the necessity to move away from unsustainable non-renewable virgin polyester and conventionally grown cotton currently dominating the market. We discussed the need for diversification of the global fibre basket, and the crucial need to develop circular models throughout the textiles supply chain, and through to product in order to provide solutions to our growing, and unmanageable material waste streams. We shared the interest from industry partners in projects that propose how we may think differently about material sources in the future, and how we manage those waste streams.
At retail lack of information on labels means that consumers don’t know where the fabric come from, what is it made of? The answers to these questions and transparency of process are important. For example TENCEL™ branded fibers come from trees. But, understanding the processes that makes the fibre, yarn and fabric are as important as the raw material of fabrics, only this way we may understand its impact to the environment and make informed choices when we shop. The need for full transparency of information, certifications and supply chain traceability being key.

Simone Seisl, Materials expert, Ambassador and Consultant for Textile Exchange said; ‘we are talking about a very serious subject with global climate change, and we need to act as a community to create a change. We have duties individually both in our professional work environment and personally in our private life. We don’t expect anyone to make a dramatic change from day one to day two however starting from today we need to start this movement step by step. Water waste, global climate change and the micro-plastic issue in the oceans are some of the environmental problems. There is no one solution to all, all the problems are linked together.’
Simone flagged up an opportunity and observed that Turkey is a key player in Denim production in the world, and that Textile Exchange believe that Turkey is poised to play an important role in the successful recycling of Denim in the future, lowering the impact on natural resources and initiating an important step towards the circular economy for textiles.

All agreed there is now an urgency to investigate how we can produce raw materials more sustainably, and innovate, by first thinking in a solutions based way. Also, discussions about some of the new innovations and solutions, developed to address our most pressing sustainability issues, including leather alternatives and the interest in recycling technologies and pre and post consumer industry and food waste materials suggested a new, responsibly produced materials landscape for the future.

The discussion concluded with a Q&A, of not only consumer habits and how to make the right fibre choices, but most importantly of how to think creatively, how sustainability should be recognised as a game changer and an opportunity, for businesses to future proof their operations. The discussion also drew attention to the significance of the impact that we as consumers and industry practitioners can have through our everyday choices.

Many thanks to Hale and the team at Lenzing Istanbul for their organisation and hospitality.

24th – 25th January 2019, Victoria House, London , WC1

 

The Sustainable Angle is delighted to announce that the 8th Future Fabrics Expo will present its largest ever dedicated sustainable materials showcase at    a new venue, Victoria House, Central London (Holborn WC1) in January 2019. 

Following the success of the 7th Future Fabrics Expo in January 2018, and in response to demand from both our partner mills and industry visitors, the 2019 8th edition of the Future Fabrics Expo has increased in scale, ambition and vision.

Our aim is to provide the fashion industry with a one stop shop for accessing a broad range of material solutions, and the strategic tools needed to respond to the critical imperative to change current practices presented by the wasteful and polluting impacts of the fashion and textile industries.  Since our inception in 2011, the Expo has facilitated and supported sustainable sourcing practices, enabling fashion brands to begin diversifying their fabrics and materials and lowering environmental impacts.

These materials are global qualities, which  showcases and enables informed sourcing. We situate this resource in the current sustainability context, providing educational background information and research, aiming to demystify the complexities of sustainable practice. The best practice traditional natural fibres, regenerated cellulosics, naturals and synthetics bio source, and closed loop materials.

Enhancing our curated selection of globally sourced textiles and materials will be ten specially selected best practice mills and suppliers, presenting their materials in their own dedicated space. For the first time we will also showcase several manufacturers and globally recognized certifiers. A new space presenting fashion brands working with materials sourced via the Future Fabrics Expo provides a view of best practice, from materials sourcing through to product realisation.

We will also again be presenting an exciting expanded Innovation Hub, showcasing both emerging and commercially available innovations, featuring a collaboration with Fashion for Good organisation. The Innovation Hub acknowledges the recent surge in research and design that has led to the plethora of materials innovations we are now seeing surface in response to material scarcity, increasing waste streams, the need for transparent and traceable supply chains, and those addressing the cellulose gap for example .

We have coordinated again an inspirational seminar programme, featuring key thought leaders, panel discussions and presentations from innovators, industry insiders, textile producers and designers.

 

 

Why Visit?

 

Nearest tube station:  Holborn station, Central line. Address: Bloomsbury Square, London WC1B 4DA

Please contact us if you require further information at info@thesustainableangle.org

 

REGISTER HERE to sign up to the  8th Future Fabric Expo

 

To find out more about The 7th Future Fabrics Expo:

https://thesustainableangle.org/the-7th-future-fabrics-expo-3/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w7Iwmiwq8mw

 

To find out more about recent events where the Future Fabrics Expo was showcased such as Copenhagen Fashion Summit, The London Textile Fair and London Fashion Week, please see below:

Copenhagen Fashion Summit:

https://thesustainableangle.org/the-sustainable-angles-future-fabrics-expo-at-copenhagen-fashion-summit

The London Textile Fair:

https://thesustainableangle.org/london-textile-fair

London Fashion Week:

https://thesustainableangle.org/london-fashion-week-round-up

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24th – 25th January 2018, London

The Sustainable Angle holds the 7th Future Fabrics Expo, a curated showcase of 5000+ sustainable innovative fashion materials with a lower environmental footprint, on 24-25th January 2018. Since 2011, our aim is to support sustainable sourcing, enabling fashion brands to begin diversifying their fabrics and materials basket right now in order to reduce their environmental footprint.

 

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