Challenge the Fabric 2023 will investigate sustainable forestry, legislation, traceability, and policies, along with the future of fashion and innovative cross-generational solutions
Challenge the Fabric 2023
The third edition of Challenge the Fabric 2023, initiated and hosted by Ekman Group and organized by the Swedish Fashion Council, puts action and collaboration into fashion. This time around, Milan, Italy, will be the host city for the event that will take place on May 9-10 at the Centro Congressi Fondazione Cariplo. «This year’s Challenge the Fabric (CTF) aims to showcase game-changing material innovations from sustain-tech companies through a new exhibition space and raise awareness about bio-based, man-made cellulosic fiber (MMCF) materials», stated Swedish Fashion Council CEO and CTF organizer Jennie Rosén.
Building on last year’s edition, Challenge the Fabric 2023 will investigate topics such as sustainable forestry, legislation, traceability, and policies, along with the future of fashion and innovative cross-generational solutions to explore the possible roads ahead for the industry. Visitors can look forward to an exhibition space that will show material innovation products from sustainable companies and brands and action-led conference panel discussions led by inspiring keynote speakers, with the goal of providing valuable knowledge about solutions within the fashion and textile supply chain.
Challenge the Fabric, impact through collaborations
CTF was founded in 2018 as a pioneer cross-industry initiative with the aim to scale its impact through collaboration. «In 2018, it was uncommon to do these kinds of projects. I remember people were surprised when we did it». By joining forces with the Ekman Group, a global sales and marketing organization that aligns buyers and sellers of forest-industry products from around the world, with the organization in part by the Swedish Fashion Council, the sustainable crossover was born.
In short, CTF’s 2023 goal is to impact collaboration through its platform that allows the entire supply chain of MMCF to collaborate and facilitate changes. It’s an event where industry leaders and stakeholders from the textile, fashion, and forest industries shape the industry of the future.
Swedish Fashion Council
Ekman Group recognized a gap concerning man-made cellulosic fibers (MMCF) and forestry as sustainable alternatives. «We also saw if we looked into the whole supply chain, it was missing like we could see, if we looked into the forest industry, that they could trace everything down to a tree», said Ms. Rosén, «but if we checked on our side (referring to fashion), we had a lack of information and data». From that, the idea was born, and Ekman Group and SFC began thinking about what would happen if she could bring people together..
The Ekman Group and SFC believed that bridging this gap in the value chain and creating a platform that unites prominent brands, innovative suppliers, and experts would allow for a one-of-a-kind opportunity for the entire supply chain to come together and promote change. «Providing valuable insights and access to the most innovative solutions within the MMCF supply chain can create global impact and inspire transformation».
A Green Point of View: Challenge the Fabric
Educating sustainability is one of the most relevant topics of Challenge the Fabric. «With where the state of fashion is now, we need to work together. We can’t just stand alone and work by ourselves», stated Ms. Rosén.
To solve not just fashion but the world’s current and future problems, Ms. Rosén believes that it’s crucial to work with other industries and Challenge the Fabric is just one example of how it can be done. Ms. Rosén hopes to facilitate a platform that inspires people, where interaction and collaboration flourish, and things come to fruition.
Fashion and Tech: working for the future
Speaking of examples of collaborations with other industries to lead fashion into the future, Ms. Rosén brought up how the tech industry has been one of the big enablers, followed by the secondhand market. «I believe it’s crucial to not work with one industry; I believe we need to work with all different industries to be able to transform because we need to transform the whole system», explained Ms. Rosén.
She continued to explain that fashion needs to go from a linear model to a circular model, and from there, we need to see different business models, «we can’t just stay at one business model…so there will be a lot of different solutions, and the solutions will be in the industries».
Rosén then said that with her role as CEO of the Swedish Fashion Council, they maintain the position of a critical player that accelerates the transformation of the global fashion industry. That role then spills over to her position as organizer of CTF.
Why Man-Made Is relevant for Challenge the Fabric
Challenge the Fabric 2023 focuses on educating MMCF, otherwise known as man-made cellulosic fibers. These are regenerated fibers, generally composed of the dissolved wood pulp or the cellulose of trees. Some examples of common MMCF materials seen daily in one’s wardrobe include viscose, lyocell, and modal. «They’re plant-based, MMCF is renewable, so they have the potential to be a climate-friendly material if the wood is sourced sustainably and the processing chemicals are handled properly», explained Ms. Rosén.
Tracking the Fabrics
Finding out the origins of fabrics is easier said than done; that was the case until Ekman and the Swedish Fashion Council connected for Challenge the Fabric. Thanks to Ekman’s connection with the forest industry, they were able to facilitate collaborations and relationships with key players and factories. «From the fashion industry, we connect with our side, like the big players, we have H&M and Ikea; they are some of the brands buying the most fabrics», Ms. Rosén continued, «we also have the luxury houses». Here, CTF plays on mixing and matching by letting people talk to one another, exchange contacts, and as a result, knowledge.
This is where fashion and the textile industry’s facilitated collaboration and bridging the two entitles, in turn, create meaningful opportunities and, therefore, will encompass the value chain. CTF epitomizes cross-industry collaborations and why it’s vital for the future.
Agenda Highlights: Challenge the Fabric 2023
Visitors can expect plenty of interaction and exploration beyond one’s own industry in the 2023 edition. Notably, the panel discussions cover a variety of topics that go beyond fashion. There’s something interesting for everyone. The first panel will focus on sustainable forest management and what it means for different regions of the world. This, in turn, will influence sourcing strategies and the demands on raw material suppliers. From forestry, there will be a discussion about sustainability-related legislation in textiles.
Recently, COP27 was held in Egypt and was attended by various countries globally. A panel will discuss the COP27 commitment by brands such as Kering, Inditex, and H&M to purchase over half a million tons of fibers stemming from next-generation solutions. Here, the discussion will focus on what commitment means for innovators for investments and partnerships.
All Roads Lead to Milan
Milan is considered the capital of Italian fashion. Blended with the city’s rich Northern Italian culture, decadent fashion, and world-class design scene, it was an easy pick for Ms. Rosén. «Italy has a rich history in the fashion industry, with many of the largest fashion players based there. Hosting CTF in Milan allows us to invite the CTF network and highlight the vibrant culture and innovation that Milan offers», reflected Ms. Rosén.
Challenging the Future
Since CTF was founded in 2018, a lot has changed, especially regarding sustainability and, specifically, «in the MMCF field». Ms. Rosén explained that we will continue to see sustainable tech and material innovation, «we see a lot of new companies, and the EU has presented the new strategy of sustainable and circular commitments, together with new fiber sourcing and commitments by key players such as H&M and Stella McCartney». CTF holds a position to connect every player within the MMCF supply chain and overall within the fashion industry to play a role in the future of fashion.
Challenge the Fabric
Challenge the Fabric 2023 will occur May 9-10 in Milan, Italy, at Centro Congressi Fondazione Cariplo. This year’s edition, initiated and hosted by Ekman Group and organized by SFC, will be presented as an action-driven conference that delves into themes such as sustainable forestry, legislation, policies, traceability, the future of fashion and next-generation solutions as well as exploring the industry’s path forward.
