Roundup and Highlights of the 10th Future Fabrics Expo in London

SUSTAINABILITY

14 Aug

Written By Debbie Mckeegan

On 28-29th June 2022, The Sustainable Angle hosted its 10th Future Fabrics Expo — the largest, dedicated showcase of materials and innovations with a reduced environmental impact.

As our most ambitious show to date and the first physical expo since the start of COVID, the 10th Future Fabrics Expo was held at Magazine London in London, UK, a new, larger venue of over 3,200 square meters, and featured thousands of commercially available, sustainably and responsibly produced fabrics and materials, many more new exhibitors, booths and innovators — all exemplifying effective sustainable solutions throughout the textile supply chain.

The fashion and textile industries are currently responsible for significant impacts upon planet and people.

However, in this decisive decade in the climate crisis, fashion can and must be part of the solution by being a vehicle for change, representing a powerful force by following regenerative design principles and a circular systems approach based on safe and renewable raw materials.

At the 10th Future Fabrics Expo, thousands of textiles across all fibre categories were contextualised with educational information to enable a holistic understanding of the provenance, processing and impacts of material sources, inputs and outputs.

Materials and textiles at the Future Fabrics Expo are selected by conforming to our key environmental criteria, originally established in consultation with The Centre for Sustainable Fashion at London College of Fashion UAL.

These criteria recognise some of the most pressing resource issues and environmental impacts that relate to the fashion supply chain.

Visitors of the Expo discovered how our fibres are grown and materials are made in relation to their impacts upon climate, biodiversity, soil and the oceans.

They had the opportunity to learn about the critical imperative to source responsibly, how to operate within planetary boundaries in order to address climate change, and secure sustainable supply chains, while aligning with the Sustainable Development Goals.

These central themes were further highlighted in our Curated Textiles Area, the Innovation Hub in partnership with Parley for the Oceans, the new Curated Area of Solutions with new partners, and echoed by our Seminar Series – all shaping the 10th Future Fabrics Expo as a one-stop shop for sustainable textiles sourcing and learning for the fashion industry.

10th Future Fabrics Expo’s Innovation Hub Was In Partnership With Parley For The Oceans.

“In 2012, we launched Parley and declared the Material Revolution. Since then we are pushing intergovernmental organisations, governments and brands to support, finance and implement alternative materials. This year at The Sustainable Angle’s Future Fabrics Expo we will share the next chapter of our journey. One that is dedicated to a close collaboration with nature, to green chemistry and biology. For the Oceans, Climate and Life!” – Cyrill Gutsch, CEO and Founder of Parley for the Oceans.

The newly added Curated Area of Solutions featured supporting partners of the Future Fabrics Expo.

Visitors explored the potential of agricultural waste as the new frontier of next-gen solutions supported by Laudes Foundation and powered by its partners Canopy Planet and Fashion for Good; the focus on Biodiversity was in partnership with LVMH.

“Next-gen solutions are fundamentally lower carbon footprinted, 50% of the ecological footprint of linear extractive supply chain industries. Recycling and regenerating materials holds incredible promise, be it waste textiles, agricultural residues left over after the food grain harvest, or microbial cellulosics — next-gen solutions are truly the future of fashion.” – Nicole Rycroft, Founder and Executive Director of Canopy Planet | Keynote Speaker

Visitors were also inspired by material solutions on display by The Mills Fabrica and Plastic Free Fashion.

Forgotten Fibres Were Rediscovered In The Hemp Hub, And The Regenerative Agriculture Area Featured Savory Institute’s Land To Market.

Each unique display, made possible by our partners, shared educational content for the industry to explore, learn about and experience the opportunities and roles of the future of textiles.

Best-practice mills and suppliers presented their materials in their own booths, such as Ecovative, Clerici Tessuto, Chargeurs PCC and NATIVA™, Natural Fiber Welding, Bananatex, Säntis Textiles, Recyctex, Beyond Surface Technologies, UPW, Kipas Holding, Bossa, Toyoshima, Imbotex, Ventile, Nova Kaeru, RDD, and more.

The Information Zone featured industry organisations leading the field such as Fashion Revolution, GOTS, Textile Exchange, WRAP, and Fashion Roundtable.

The 10th Future Fabrics Expo also had an enhanced digital dimension, integrated with our Future Fabrics VIRTUAL Expo, seamlessly connecting the physical materials displayed to our online platform via QR codes.

During the week, attendees received Premium Access to the Future Fabrics VIRTUAL EXPO, which hosts thousands of materials and informative resources online.

By researching and communicating complex sustainability issues, The Sustainable Angle’s Future Fabrics Expo supports fashion brands with the connections, knowledge, and tools in order to make informed decisions and implement responsible practices throughout the fashion supply chain, to leverage positive change.