We're thrilled to share insights from our Product Specialist, @HarryVine, who had the incredible opportunity to attend the Global Fashion Summit 2024 in Copenhagen as part of the Next Gen Assembly. Global Fashion Agenda’s Next Gen Assembly, supported by Fashion Values, empowers and elevates the voices of talented students and young professionals who aspire to accelerate impact and advocate for the next generation of fashion practitioners and professionals. Over a year, participants engage in various workshops and courses to hone their advocacy and communication skills, presenting a manifesto at the Global Fashion Summit. This year, the Assembly is tackling the harmful effects of current economic practices in fashion by examining the theme: How Can Fashion Value Economies of Wellbeing?
Global Fashion Agenda plays a pivotal role in promoting sustainability and driving systemic change within the fashion industry through influential initiatives like the Global Fashion Summit. It serves as a platform for industry leaders, policymakers, and innovators to collaborate on sustainable practices and advocate for a more responsible fashion future. Their programs and reports, such as the Fashion CEO Agenda, provide critical insights and guidelines that shape the industry's approach to environmental and social issues.
As a company supporting our team's growth, it was inspiring to see Harry expand his knowledge on social impact, indigenous practices, policy changes and supply chain traceability. Harry shares,
“The most inspiring moment was the roundtable event with my Next Gen Assembly colleagues, where we presented our manifesto to industry leaders. This was followed by an open and honest discussion on what is currently done to value well-being in the fashion ecosystem. Contributing to the roundtable and having our voices heard was an empowering experience”.
“I left the summit feeling energised following my discussions with esteemed industry members, however, it also highlighted the extent to which systemic change is required to mitigate the impacts of the industry on people and the environment, urgent action is a necessity”
Initial impressions
The engagement in discussions and focus on implementing sustainability was undeniable, highlighting a significant shift in the industry from the first GFS 15 years ago. Harry emphasised the need for increased representation from the global south and different industry roles such as garment workers for a more grounded assessment of the industry’s current practices and potential avenues for unlocking the next level.
Emerging Key Trends in Fashion Sustainability:
- Redefining growth –adoption of circular business models and more efficient technology.
- Collective action – collaboration and transparency are needed for rapid change.
- Activating consumers – incentivising consumers to make sustainable choices.
- Acknowledgement and respect for indigenous practices in terms of value.
Clean-Tech Contributions to Sustainable Fashion:
Having a huge passion for making positive change in the industry, Harry highlighted the role of advanced technologies in reducing resource consumption and material overproduction.
“From the perspective of Alchemie, immediate impact will come through partnerships, working with brands, tier 3 suppliers and other innovators. I have seen and heard at the summit that there is a recognition of the need for collaboration. This will facilitate the development and adoption of practical solutions to the vast amount of wastewater that is generated to dye our clothes, and ultimately minimise the impact in affected regions.”
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Brands Targeting the Right Areas:
“Clean technology can reduce resource consumption and provide opportunities for a circular ecosystem to exist in the near term, investment in technology can provide top-down solutions to mitigate environmental impact. However, this must be coupled with a focus on regenerative projects in impacted communities. This can provide contextual solutions to alleviate some of the negative social impacts and begin to regenerate the regions damaged by industry.”
Additionally, Harry highlighted that Alchemie’s clean digital technology can provide the opportunity for supply chain traceability, with the introduction of the digital product passport (DPP). Brands and manufacturers must have easy access to primary data for use in their garment life cycle assessments, and sustainability reporting for consumers.
We're proud to share some of Harry's insights and commitment to driving meaningful change in the fashion industry. Having an MSc in Sustainable Engineering Management for International Development, he worked on small-scale engineering interventions in an international development context. He views Alchemie's technology as a large-scale engineering intervention with the potential to provide opportunities that will go beyond minimising the industry’s environmental footprint.
“This industry presents a unique opportunity for significant and scalable change, directly affecting the everyday experiences of millions of people. I aspire to have a positive social and environmental impact in this sector throughout my career.”
If you want to learn more about Global Fashion Summit, visit: here