INSTITUTE OF POSITIVE FASHION

This hack will explore ways to create a holistic vision and a shared narrative for a city’s particular fashion ecosystem, starting with what the foundation of its infrastructure needs to be – using the Doughnut Economics Action Lab approach to Enterprise design – Purpose, Networks, Governance, Ownership & Finance Models.

Clothes need to be kept in use for longer but care and repair of our garments is often overlooked as an important part of climate action for our industry. This hack will discuss the importance of storytelling, the opportunities for brands to own deeper relationships with their customers, and why we need to have this discussion now ahead of upcoming Digital Passport regulatory changes in the EU.

An estimate from the 2021 Circularity Gap Report claims that a circular economy could reduce global GHG emissions by 39%. Circular economy practices mitigate the need for producing new materials, by keeping value of resources in the systems. This hack will look at what needs to be measured across business operations as part of carbon management strategy and how to make a start putting this into practice.

For a successful transition to a green economy,
we need to upskill our work force and build
diverse and future-proof talent pipelines to
close the skills gap. This hack will look at what
a just transition means for our industry and
what all actors in our fashion ecosystem can
do to implement this in their operations and
decision-making in readiness for creating new
economically viable circular fashion products,
services and IP. 

Durability, repairability, recyclability of product
are core dimensions to the EU strategy for
sustainable and circular textiles.  For UK
companies who wish to do business with the
EU, as soon as next year there will be a swathe
of new regulations to be ready for. This hack
will look at how we can prepare ourselves
in readiness for these upcoming changes,
including how we need to implement changes
in business operations.

Circular and sharing business models (CSBMs) are increasingly on the rise, as rental and resale offer potential for continued and different revenue streams whilst significantly reducing resource extraction. How can businesses create new supply chains and business models which genuinely help to reduce the immense waste streams in our industry?

The Future of Fashion Innovation Showcase is a curated set of innovators who are addressing key sustainability and responsible business challenges across fashion’s complex value chain from design and sourcing, the way in which new products are created and services through to consumption models.

The BFC Student Fabric Initiative, powered by The Materialist, provides practical support by donating deadstock fabrics and components to future talent, bringing sustainability and circularity even closer to the heart of fashion education in the UK. BA and MA students from BFC Colleges Council member universities have been invited to enter a design competition to receive a cash prize and mentoring. Six finalists will have the opportunity to display their garments created from the donated deadstock and the winner will be announced at IPF Forum 2023.   

Tackling carbon emissions across the supply chain, in particular Scope 3, will be crucial for all companies, to meet the aims of the Paris Agreement and to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius*. This workshop will be led by Deloitte, providing practical guidance for all companies on how to lower carbon across operations in the supply chain. 

* unglobalcompact.org.uk