MILAN – Two of the world’s leading sustainable textile organisations will stage back to back conferences in Italy this autumn. In a welcome collaboration, Bluesign Technologies, the Swiss standards organisation, will hold its 5th bi-annual conference from 18-19 October, while Textile Exchange will stage its annual event from 22-24 October. Both events take place in the stunning city – and fashion capital – of Milan, northern Italy.
The Bluesign Technologies conference will take place October 18 and 19 at the Cavallerizze, part of Milan’s recently renovated Museo Nazionale della Scienza e della Tecnologia. This year’s conference theme is ‘TraceAbility. NetworkAbility. TransformAbility.: Stitching the blue way together.’
After that, from October 22 to 24, Textile Exchange – the global nonprofit that promotes the adoption of preferred fibres and materials, integrity and standards, as well as responsible supply networks – will hold its annual Textile Sustainability Conference at the Milano Congressi (MiCo), one of Europe’s largest convention centers. Its theme is ‘United by Action: Accelerating Sustainability in Textiles and Fashion.’
“We are pleased to cooperate with Textile Exchange and connect professionals around the world to drive the sustainability transformation in the industry,” said Jill Dumain, CEO at Bluesign technologies. “The 5th bluesign conference will offer plenty of opportunities for match making and networking with other attendees and sharing your business prospects with like-minded colleagues in the industry.”
“Textile Exchange recognises the importance of collaboration in order to accelerate sustainability in fashion, and this year’s Textile Exchange conference is noteworthy for highlighting collaborative initiatives transforming our industry in more sustainable ways,” addedLaRhea Pepper, managing director of Textile Exchange. “We offer content for every level of expertise and every role in the value chain – from our Basics Day to our Round Tables and Working Groups to our more expert plenaries and breakout sessions.”
Featuring high-level discussions on the Sustainable Development Goals, fibre and materials, circularity, micro-plastics, water and sustainability in the luxury sector, Textile Exchange’s Textile Sustainability Conference is expected to attract more than 500 attendees from across the industry.
Confirmed speakers include: Pacific Institute president, Jason Morrison, on the apparel sector’s water stewardship opportunity; World Resources Institute Research analyst, Deborah Drew, on how apparel and textiles can drive the circular economy; Forum for the Future chief executive, Sally Uren, on new reports to drive sustainability strategies; and Hohenstein Institute America managing director, Ben Mead, on innovative models for financially rewarding sustainable farm practices.
