FASHINNOVATION Discusses Sustainability

More and more brands are being held accountable for their unethical actions, which can range from lack of diversity to the ways the clothes are manufactured. The fashion industry has a lot of room to adjust, but it’s relieving to see that they have been listening to consumers and shifting their practices towards sustainability.

On June 5th and 8th, FASHINNOVATION held a conference on varied topics, but since the two events were held, respectively, on World Environment and World’s Ocean Day, many of the conversations centered around sustainability, with segments including  “Fashion Is ‘Sustainable Textiles via Innovations & Science’” and “Fashion Is ‘Environmental Impact via Engineered Fibers.’” There were many topics discussed, such as recycled fabric, working with ethical manufactures, using plastic in clothes to a minimum, and developing innovative technology for sustainable fashion.

During “Fashion Is ‘Sustainable Textiles via Innovations & Science,’” a main point of discussion was whether brand should design clothes with the intent to recycle them. “The less plastic you put in your product, the more recyclable they are,” said Jordan Nodarse, Founder, Boyish Jeans. Others also agreed that it can be difficult to find manufacturers that are willing to use recycled material, but they believe that Turkey, Italy, and Sweden have been on the the forefront of sustainable innovations in the industry.

“I hope we never come to a point where we think we’ve made it,” said James Bartle, Founder & CEO, Outland Denim. He believes that companies could always be doing more in terms of sustainability.

You’re still able to access the FASHINNOVATION conference online. There are many other interesting topics addressed, including women in fashion, Gen Z, supply chain and circular economy, entrepreneurship, and even had a 3D runway show. There were numerous interesting speakers as well, including Rebbeca Minkoff, Coco Rocha, Steve Aoki, and Rahul Mishra, to name a few.