What are the leading trends and innovations in the world of circular fashion, and what will it take to bring these strategies to scale?

It’s no secret that the fashion industry has an environmental problem: The global fashion industry accounts for 10 percent of global carbon emissions, 20 percent of wastewater and relies on 98 million tons of non-renewable resources each year. And this is to say nothing of the dwindling life cycle of clothing and the resulting waste of more than 10 million tons of textile waste each year in U.S. landfills alone. The need for urgent action is clear. 

Fashion is ripe for a redesign, and applying circular principles to every phase of a garment’s lifespan has the power to revitalize and reimagine the industry as we know it. Revised design principles and new business models — like resale, rental, and repair — can extend product life and redefine ownership. Technological breakthroughs can enable new textiles made from recycled materials and biological sources. Redesigned recycling systems, manufacturing processes and supply chain flows can reduce inefficiencies and prioritize sustainable solutions. 

This half-day tutorial will follow a garment’s trajectory from sourcing and design to the business model within which it’s sold to its end of life management, uncovering leading circular solutions along the way. Bringing together a diverse group of stakeholders from across the apparel value chain, together we’ll explore what it will take to redesign the apparel industry of today. 

How can looking to nature unlock circular pathways and financial benefit, and how can your organization tactically leverage biological solutions? 

Harnessing nature's design principles and manufacturing capabilities has the power to unlock $30 trillion of economic activity over the next 30 years. The level of opportunity should come at no surprise, given nature’s regenerative, circular model. Plants, animals (including humans!), and the environment all contribute to the carbon and water cycles, in which basic molecules are continuously repurposed into something more complex, and then returned to their original state. As we continue to learn more about nature and biology, more and more pathways are emerging that are radically changing chemistry, materials, systems, and processes of the future.

In this session, the Biomimicry Institute staff will lead an engaging workshop about how companies large and small can bring biology and nature into their work. We’ll explore Boston Consulting Group's “nature co-design" report; facilitate a hands-on activity to model how to bring nature into internal R&D groups; and share examples and insights about how to work with university groups that are at the leading edge of the field.

How can cities reduce Scope 3 emissions? And how can circular strategies help?

A small but growing body of evidence shows that circular economy approaches, including reuse and composting, can help cities reduce Scope 3 emissions. You’ll hear from a forward-thinking NGO that has quantified these benefits and a sustainability leader who is putting these ideas into action in one of America’s major cities.

What financial, regenerative, and sourcing opportunities lie in a bio-based economy, and how can your company support a sustainable transition?

Transitioning to a renewable, circular, bioeconomy is crucial. This transformation could help address climate change and biodiversity loss, avoid reliance on harmful and non-renewable materials, divert financial risk and create economic opportunity, with a market for bio-based products projected to grow to $7.7 trillion by 2030. But shifting from finite and often petroleum-derived materials to a renewable, biobased economy brings not just new solutions, but also new challenges. With competing biomass demand between food, fuel, fiber and other applications, finding the right balance to sustainably manage natural capital while remaining within planetary boundaries will be key. Join this session to explore the opportunities and limitations of biobased solutions across sectors, and how your company can support a sustainable, regenerative transition. 

How can diverse stakeholders move beyond designing out waste and keeping products in play, to regenerating local economies and natural systems?

The promise of a circular economy includes so much more than just designing out waste and keeping molecules in play. The opportunity, and necessity, is to improve the health of every single system that we touch — from product design and manufacturing to how we engage suppliers across a value chain. What’s the opportunity for your organization to regenerate the natural systems upon which your business depends? How can we learn from nature’s ingenious design to increase value across all forms of capital? What does it take to move beyond regenerative sourcing to a truly regenerative business model? Join this session to ground regenerative principles in practice.