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Overview

This event will explore the role of science in reducing the environmental impact of the fashion industry.

This event will outline the fashion sector's largest sustainability challenges and identify areas where transdisciplinary approaches to innovation are required to drive progress.

The meeting will bring together key stakeholders from across industry, academia, policy and finance to explore themes such as design innovation, social science, material science, manufacturing efficiency and end-of-life.

About the conference series

This scientific meeting is part of the Royal Society’s Transforming our Future conference series. These meetings are unique, high-level events that address the scientific and technical challenges of the next decade. Each conference features cutting edge science from industry and academia and brings together leading experts from the scientific community, including regulatory, charity and funding bodies.

Attending this event

  • This will be a hybrid event
  • In-person attendance is by invitation only
  • Please register to attend online
  • For the programme, scroll down and click on the arrows to see the speakers and abstracts for their talks
  • The Royal Society has an acceptable use policy for all online events, and we expect our users to abide by these guidelines
  • For any queries or accessibility requirements, please email the Industry Team.

Organisers

Schedule

12:45-12:50
Welcome address
12:50-13:10
Keynote talk

Speakers

Professor Richard Thompson OBE FRS

University of Plymouth


Chair

Dr Jane Harris

University of the Arts London

13:10-13:15
Introduction to the session

Speakers

Dr Jane Harris

University of the Arts London

13:15-13:35
How fabrics wear

Speakers

Professor Kate Goldsworthy

UAL Centre for Circular Design, Business of Fashion Textiles and Technology

13:35-13:55
Challenging perceptions of fast and slow fashion: 1960s paper dresses and the concept of disposable garments

Abstract

In this talk, Liz and Hannah will explore how historic models of fashion and textile manufacture can inspire new sustainable models for both manufacture and consumption. Using the paper dress trend of the 1960s as a starting point, they discuss how garments with purposeful short-term life-cycles could offer new sustainable opportunities - matching a garment's use phase to the longevity of the material it is made from.

This talk will use a material culture approach to explore original 1960s paper garments, alongside a critical analysis of the sustainability of their manufacture and disposal.

Liz and Hannah argue that the current paradigm of slow fashion as the only antidote to fast fashion must be challenged. Instead, the fashion and textile sector must consider a range of solutions to the environmental burden of fast fashion that are human-centred and sympathetic to all consumer demographics and needs.

Speakers

Dr Liz Tregenza

London College of Fashion

Hannah Auerbach George

Victoria and Albert Museum

13:55-14:05
Q&A session

Speakers

Dr Liz Tregenza

London College of Fashion

Hannah Auerbach George

Victoria and Albert Museum

Professor Kate Goldsworthy

UAL Centre for Circular Design, Business of Fashion Textiles and Technology


Chair

Andrew Yip

PANGAIA

14:35-14:40
Introduction to the session

Speakers

Andrew Yip

PANGAIA

14:40-14:50
Case study 1
14:50-15:00
Case study 2: Virustatic

Speakers

Dr Joseph Houghton

Virustatic

15:00-15:10
Case study 3
15:10-15:20
Case study 4 - DyeRecycle

Speakers

Aida Rafat

DyeRecycle

15:20-15:30
Case study 5: Hide Biotech

Speakers

Dr Yudi Ding

Hide Biotech

15:30-15:40
15:50-16:15
Q&A and discussion session

Speakers

Dr Yudi Ding

Hide Biotech

Dr Joseph Houghton

Virustatic


Chair

Dr Jane Harris

University of the Arts London

16:30-17:15
Guided Q&A and discussion

Speakers

Lucy Hope

Virustatic

17:10-17:20
Closing remarks from the organisers

Speakers

Andrew Yip

PANGAIA

Dr Jane Harris

University of the Arts London

Professor Richard Thompson OBE FRS

University of Plymouth

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