Organised by Royal Society of Arts
IMPORTANT: You must pre-register via this link
Learn how pioneering circular economy ventures are making fashion a force for change
Join the RSA for an evening of inspiration and provocation from 12 pioneers who are accelerating the transition to a circular future for fashion.
Clothes, accessories and textiles play an important role in our lives – they protect us, furnish our surroundings, and allow us to express ourselves. But our global fashion system is no longer fit for purpose. The dominant 'take-make-dispose' system is creating vast amounts of waste, pollution and exploitation, and these challenges are complex and interconnected. The RSA’s emerging Regenerative Futures programme is exploring how an alternative, ‘regenerative’ system can be brought to life. We see regeneration as a way of understanding social and environmental outcomes as interconnected and part of a whole.
How can we create a future where fashion is circular and regenerative by design?
There are some promising trends and signals of change in global fashion businesses – but what’s the role of smaller initiatives in paving the way for large scale systems change? Who are the emerging leaders creating radically hopeful alternatives in the here and now? How are they collaborating to disrupt the current system, reveal a better future and build movements towards it? What are they learning, and what can we learn from them?
Over the past year the RSA has developed and hosted Rethink Fashion: a learning journey with 12 creative ventures to accelerate the transition to a circular future for fashion. The 4-month change leadership journey is a partnership with the Ellen MacArthur Foundation as part of their Make Fashion Circular Initiative and underpinned by the RSA’s Living Change approach.
Join us to celebrate and learn from the 12 leaders of these ventures with a chance to share insights and ask questions - here’s a taste of what’s in store:
- An introduction to our vision: where fashion is in service to a regenerative future
- Stories of designing for change in different parts of the fashion system from the 12 creative leaders – from materials innovation and batch manufacturing, to community building and circular marketplaces
- A candid ‘fireside chat’, sharing insights and learnings from the group, hosts and guest contributors
- A peek behind the curtain of the journey process and the RSA’s Living Change approach in action
- The launch of new collaborations and ideas from the group – with invitations to connect and get involved if you’d like to
Highlights will be captured by a graphic artist throughout the event, which we’ll share back at the end to reflect on emerging themes. Everyone will receive a copy of the graphic by email following the event. Meet the pioneers you’ll be hearing from here.
This event is part of our collaboration with the Ellen MacArthur Foundation on their Make Fashion Circular initiative. Thanks to the players of the People’s Postcode Lottery for making this project possible.