Future Fabrics Expo Edition @ Mills Fabrica London
Last week, Future Fabrics Expo Edition @ The Mills Fabrica exhibited a plethora of material solutions and innovations that place the regeneration and preservation of natural systems at the heart of fashion. Hundreds of visitors attended during the three-day event, including designers, journalists, couture brands, policy makers, academia and students. The Expo, held across 158 m2, offered a wealth of contextual information, tactile inspiration and commercially available sourcing solutions. Most importantly, the Expo accessibly demonstrated a wide range of possibilities for a more responsible and sustainable fashion industry.
Future Fabrics Expo provides a platform for the fashion industry to discover sustainable textile and material solutions so that they can source responsibly. This is a critical imperative as the pathway to 1.5 degrees global warming closes in on us. The fashion industry needs to take ambitious steps towards operating within planetary boundaries and securing sustainable supply chains, while aligning with the aims of the Sustainable Development Goals.
In the man-made fibre category, regenerated cellulosics are made from natural cellulose fibres that have been repurposed, reducing waste and providing a more sustainable solution for the fashion industry. We featured certified feedstock, closed loop processed regenerated cellulosics.
One of the highlights of this edition was the panel discussion titled ‘Regenerative Design Innovation’ moderated by Amanda Johnston (Curator and Educational Consultant at The Sustainable Angle) which explored the need to understand the practice of regenerative design – informed by nature-focused systems thinking, including optimising diverse feedstocks and waste streams.
Industry experts and innovators joined the panel to discuss regenerative design practice. Professor Carole Collet (Director – Maison/0, Central Saint Martins UAL) set the scene with the RewildingTextiles project she had directed, using regeneratively grown materials sourced in consultation with the Future Fabrics Expo team.
Cassie Quinn (Regenerative Textile Designer, CQ Studio) highlighted her experience working on innovative responses to regenerative design, which involved exploring how dyes created from algae, food waste and bacteria could be used in a triple process (bacterial dyes by Colorifix). Jim Ajioka (Chief Scientific Officer, Colorifix) emphasised the crucial importance of supply chain innovation and brand commitment to leverage change.
Next up, join us for the 2023 edition of Future Fabrics Expo, which will be our largest and most ambitious showcase to date for sourcing certified, sustainably and responsibly produced materials and textiles.
At the Expo, global suppliers, innovators, and curated partner organisations come together to be part of the movement galvanising positive change for the future of fashion!
Alongside, you can take part in our dynamic Seminar Series, featuring the voices of global thought leaders and industry vanguards facilitating change in the fashion industry.
FUTURE FABRICS EXPO: 26th-28th June
VENUE: MAGAZINE London (1 Ordnance Cres, London SE10 0JH) an expansive 3,200 square metre state-of-the-art venue.
And if June feels still too far away … And if June feels still too far away … our exciting Future Fabrics Virtual Expo is available for those interested in learning more about sourcing sustainable and responsibly-produced materials. This platform provides information about mills and their practices, and provides access to over 3,000 materials for desk-based sourcing – all for less than £10 a month!
