Fashion Summit to focus on Zero Impact

31 Aug '17

3 min read

Fashion Summit (HK), the largest fashion summit focusing on sustainable fashion in Asia will be held on September 7-8 on the theme — Zero Impact. The conference aims to raise awareness on the role of Hong Kong fashion industry in leading the charge for revolutionary change, and the critical role Hong Kong can play in driving sustainability.

Jointly organised by seven associations, environmental NGOs and academic institutions, the summit will play a vital role in the development of sustainable fashion. The summit hopes to tackle the pertinent issues facing the industry in terms of driving sustainable outcomes at each point in the fashion loop cycle as well as foster the spirit of collaboration for fabric makers, manufacturers, brands and academia, bringing them together to effect real, impactful change.

"The textile industry fully recognises the importance of fostering a sustainable fashion future and is therefore extremely supportive of the sustainability initiatives of the fashion industry in hopes to build a better and more sustainable fashion industry," said Felix Chung Kwok-pan, member of the legislative council for the Textiles and Garment Constituency and chairman of the steering committee, Fashion Summit.

The summit that will be held at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre will include a formal on-stage programme of speakers across the environmental and industry arenas, as well as high-calibre social events, enabling attendees to make the most of their time through learning, participating and expanding their network.

"Nowadays everyone is talking about the importance of sustainable fashion. But many industry players do not know how to put this into practice. With the Better Cotton Initiative (BCI) and Low Carbon Manufacturing Programme (LCMP), WWF facilitates industry players to make a positive impact across the supply chain. I believe that the Fashion Summit (HK) will play an important role in inspiring industry professionals to adopt viable solutions to bring about a more sustainable fashion future," said Peter Cornthwaite, chief executive officer of WWF-Hong Kong, a conservation organisation.

"Over the past year, we have been working on a range of green and sustainable projects with the Clothing Industry Training Authority, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, and other organisations. We are very excited and honoured to have the opportunity to speak at the Fashion Summit (HK) in September, where we can shed light on the latest market trends and share functional solutions with industry players," said Edwin Keh, chief executive opfficer of The Hong Kong Research Institute of Textiles and Apparel.

Targeting the local university students, the fashion event will host the Fashion Future Challenge Award. It will offer the younger generation an opportunity to combine their multidisciplinary knowledge and submit a proposal for tackling the fashion challenges in the next five to ten years. The scheme will commence in September through to November 2017. Shortlisted candidates will be announced in December 2017 and the winner will be revealed in January 2018 during fashion Week. (RR)

Fibre2Fashion News Desk – India