Future Fabrics Expo provides inspiration in London
The two-day Future Fabrics Expo has closed its doors in London, showcasing more than 10,000 material samples from 700 companies and 14 panels covering topics including regenerative agriculture, regulation, circularity and routes to upscaling for start-ups.
The expo differs from many trade shows in that it is specially curated, with exhibitors and their supply chains needing to pass certain criteria, and with a focus on education and specially curated areas, organisers told Inside Denim.
The idea is to create a springboard for innovation and start-ups, as well as showcasing the commercially available options that could help move the fashion sector away from conventionally-grown cotton and fossil fuel-derived fibres and finishes.
Halit Gumuser and the team from Turkish denim mill Kipas presented its cotton recycling processes and capabilities to visitors, as well as new collections such as a low-impact Contra Colors collaboration with Archroma and Jeanologia. Kipas also supports textiles industry start-ups through its Sustainability Talks Istanbul platform.
Johan Van den Heede from China’s Advance Denim spoke of the mill’s progress in water reduction and resource-saving dye processes.
Statistics mentioned in panels included that ‘next-gen’ materials make up less than 1% of the fibre ‘basket’ currently, but this could increase by up to 13% by 2030, according to Georgia Parker from Fashion for Good. The sustainability hub has grown from supporting 130 innovators in 2017 to 650.
Consultancy Quantis suggested there are up to 35 new regulations that will affect the fashion sector in the next five years, and that brands’ profits could be affected by up to 8% if they fail to comply – in terms of products not reaching the market, and fines.
Other denim sector-relevant companies exhibiting at the show included Hyosung, Santis Textiles, Lenzing, Raddis Cotton, the Mills Fabrica, and the Alliance for European Flax, Linen and Hemp.
