The British Fashion Council (BFC) is delighted to announce that the second annual Institute of Positive Fashion (IPF) Forum will take place on Thursday 30th June 2022 at 180 Studios at 180 The Strand, London. The event takes place during London Climate Action Week 2022 which runs from 25th June to 3rd July.
The event will focus on accelerating a circular fashion ecosystem – creating the roadmap for change through innovation and best practice and uses the BFC’s convening power to bring together actors across the ecosystem to address the largest climate-related issues facing the industry today. The day will be an inspiring and actions-oriented event that fosters collaboration across the industry and encourages global experts to share their knowledge to fast-track collective positive change. This will be achieved through a series of visionary keynotes, the launch of the 2022 Innovation Showcase, closed-door roundtable and ‘hack’ sessions which will help address the fashion industry’s largest themes on circularity and the net zero agenda. These hacks, supported by IPF Forum delivery consultant Deloitte, will be led by a moderator and kicked-off by a panel of leaders across industry.
The IPF sits at the heart of the BFC. Focused on creating pathways in response to the climate change agenda, its strategic ambition is to help build the foundations of a circular fashion ecosystem in the UK by 2030, taking a holistic approach that addresses environment, people, community and craftsmanship. The IPF Forum is an annual practical, action-led thought-leadership event that helps lead in this goal.
Explore the programme of events taking place throughout the day below.
- 08:45 Welcome
- 08:55-09:25
Keynote 1: Doughnut Economics meets the Future of Fashion
Kate Raworth, Ecological Economist and Creator of the Doughnut
- 09:25-09:55
Keynote 2: Sustainability Futures
Christopher Sanderson, Co-Founder, The Future Laboratory
- 10:05-11:15
Hack 1: Solving Fashion Returns – Keeping Value in a Closed Loop System with DHL
Panel chair: Clare Press, Author and journalist, Founder of Wardrobe Crisis
Speakers: Franz von Bismarck-Osten, Senior Director of Sector Development for the eRetail & Fashion Industry for DHL Customer Solutions and Innovation (CSI); Josephine Philips, Founder & CEO, Sojo; Simon Platts, Responsible Sourcing Director, ASOS; Sinead Conway, Senior Responsibility Programme Manager, Burberry
Restocking returned clothing is costly for retailers, and companies have limited infrastructure to manage the logistics surrounding these returns. In addition to this, transportation, dry-cleaning and re-packaging of returned or rented clothing inflicts a substantial footprint on our environment. As companies scale up, how can they tackle their returns-inflicted environmental footprint and in turn, create a process and experience that is better for their consumers?
- Hack 2: The Role of Sustainable Communications in Fashion’s Climate Action
Panel chair: Bella Webb, Vogue Business
Speakers: Rachel Arthur, Sustainability Consultant; Hannah Phang, Managing Partner for Rain CBD and Founding Director of The Now Work, Juliet Russell, Head of Sustainability, Stella McCartney; Francois Souchet, Global Head of Sustainability and Impact, Modus BPCM
Communication change must be a driving force in the fashion sector’s climate response if it is to contribute to the goals of the Paris Agreement, according to a consultation led by the UN Environment Programme (UNEP). This session will explore the future of storytelling to engage audiences, leading with science-based information to change behaviours and taking action to encourage sustainable values and aspirations.
- 11:25-12:05
Keynote 3: Holding up a Mirror: Diversity and Inclusion in the Fashion Industry
Report presentation by Matthew Dixon, Director, The MBS Group followed by Moira Benigson, Founder, The MBS Group & Jamie Gill, Chief Executive Officer Roksanda in conversation
Diversity and Inclusion have never been a higher priority for fashion brands, yet there is clearly a long way to go before companies reflect the communities they serve. The MBS Group is delighted to partner with the British Fashion Council on this first-of-its-kind report, to hold a mirror up against our industry. We will continue to measure progress year-on-year as companies strive to create a more representative environment.
- 12:05
“Fashion Reimagined” Taster – the story of how Fashion Designer Amy Powney of cult label Mother of Pearl created their sustainable collection from field to finished garment and transformed her entire business.
Followed by Q&A with Amy Powney
- 13:25-13:30
Future of Fashion Innovation Showcase film
- 13:40-14:50
Hack 3: Empowering Citizens to Enable Garment Longevity with Vanish
Panel chair: Adam Mansell, Chief Executive, UK Fashion and Textile Association
Speakers: Natasha Franck, Founder & CEO, EON Group; Sonia Thimmiah, Head of Sustainable Brands and Customer Partnerships at Reckitt (Company owner of Vainsh)
Clothing utilization needs to increase, as one of our key outcomes for a circular fashion economy. Citizens have a key role in enabling clothes to be in use for longer, by ensuring garment longevity is being embraced. Product care information being readily available to citizens is part of the solution. Different approaches to sharing product care information may be needed over time in response to both market and technological evolutions.
- Hack 4: Future Fashion Forms: Developing Solutions for Next Generation Circular Design and Product Development
Panel chair: Vanessa Podmore, Sustainability Consultant
Speakers: Kate Goldsworthy, Chair of Circular Design & Innovation, UAL; Liliana Morfin Huber, Circularity – Strategic Waste Sourcing Manager, Lenzing; Megan Stoneburner, Director of Materials, Textile Exchange, Jocelyn Wilkinson, Responsibility Programme Director, Burberry
There is a fundamental need to establish innovative and scalable solutions for next generation materials, and factor circular principles and fibres into the fashion form of the future. Participants will discuss how this demand can feed into design and product development practices to achieve circular ambitions, including the application of realistic and actionable challenges.
- Hack 5: The Need for an Industry Standard to Manage Scope 3 Emissions
Panel chair: Dax Lovegrove, Director of Sustainability, Jimmy Choo & Versace
Speakers: Shaun Packe, Director of Sustainability, Superdry; Simon Platts, Responsible Sourcing Director, ASOS
Tackling Scope 3 emissions will be crucial to companies meeting the aims of the Paris Agreement and to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius*. The measurement of these emissions is one of the most challenging and significant parts to understanding one’s true impact. We need to gain a consensus on how to manage Scope 3 emissions – this session will explore the top carbon management strategies.
* unglobalcompact.org.uk
- 15:20-15:50
Keynote 4: Industry Transformation Through Innovation
Eva Kruse, SVP, Impact & Global Engagement, PANGAIA in conversation with Brooke Roberts-Islam, Founder, Techstyler
- 16:00-17:10
Hack 6: How to Unlock Financial Flows and Investment to Scale Up Circularity
Panel chair: Melinda Roylett, Global Head of Small and Medium Business, Clearpay
Speakers: Anna Foster, Founder, ELV Denim; Tom Fiddian, Innovate UK; Nikita Jayasuriya, General Manager Head of Europe, The Mills Fabrical
As the industry moves wholesale to circularity, the role of investment is crucial to unlocking innovation and scaled solutions to enable climate solutions for our industry and on the pathway to 1.5 degrees. What are the keys to unlocking financial flows and investment in order to scale up circularity in the UK? Discover and unpack the reasons behind certain startups attracting investment over others, as well as discussing some of the key obstacles preventing businesses from building momentum and taking action on sustainability, such as securing green finance and forging partnerships with government.
Hack 7: Responsible Management of Excess Products
Panel chair: Cyndi Rhoades, Founder, Worn Again Technologies
Speakers: Patrick McDowell, Sustainability Design Director, Pinko; Carly Thomas, Head of Sustainability, Superdry; Kresse Wesling CBE, Co-founder & Director, Elvis & Kresse
Management of the waste from the fashion industry continues to be a significant challenge. Moving toward a more circular and regenerative system will take years for the industry. Within this session, participants will look at how the industry can responsibly deal with the excess products to avoid products going into landfill, as well as the role brands will play to implement actionable strategies.
- 17:20-17:50
Keynote 5: Gucci’s New-era Luxury: Leading through Creativity, Innovation and Web 3
Robert Triefus, Executive Vice President, Brand & Customer Engagement, Gucci in conversation with Sarah Shannon, Vogue Business
- 17:50
Keynote 6: The Transition: From Eco-Fatigue To Hope
Zinnia Kumar, Ecologist, Biologist, Environment Advocate and Model
Future of Fashion Innovation Showcase:
The Future of Fashion Innovation Showcase is a curated set of innovators 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
Design: Radiant Matter; Sourcing: Materra; Production: Plan B, Dyerecycle; Packaging & Distribution: Flex Sea; Retail: Circular Way, Metail; Wear & Post-use: Save Your Wardrobe, Sojo; Transparency & Traceability: Teek Taka
The BFC continues its collaboration with the United Nations Office for Partnerships (UNOP) to further engage the fashion industry in the Decade of Action to deliver the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The IPF Forum ‘hacks’ align with SDGs 5 (Gender Equality), 7 (Affordable and Clean Energy), 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth), 9 (Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure), 10 (Reduced Inequalities), 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production), 13 (Climate Action), 15 (Life on Land) and 17 (Partnerships for the Goals).
The generosity and commitment of our partners is more vital than ever. Please help us by acknowledging the ongoing support of our IPF Change Partners: DHL and Vanish. We also would like to acknowledge the support provided for the facilitation of the IPF Forum by Delivery Consultant: Deloitte.