The event Next4Fashion, Unlocking New Sustainable Pathways, is organised by the S4Fashion consortium with the support of the other 3 EU COSME projects, Circular Innoboooster, Fashion for Change and Small but Perfect. From 2021 to 2023, these initiatives have been driving sustainable practices in fashion, overseen by the European Innovation Council and SMEs Executive Agency (EISMEA) on behalf of the European Commission.
The COSME Legacy: Operating from 2014 to 2020 with a budget of €2.3 billion, COSME, the EU program for the Competitiveness of Enterprises and SMEs, played a pivotal role in fostering SME access to finance, creating a supportive business environment, and enhancing market accessibility. All these efforts were guided by the principles of a more competitive, digital, green, and inclusive EU, as articulated by the Small Business Act (SBA).
The Conference Highlights:
Diverse Expertise: The conference brings together experts in fashion, policymaking, sustainability, business, culture, innovation and emerging sustainable and circular fashion initiatives.
Showcasing Results: Pilot initiatives will showcase their results, offering insights into the integration of sustainability and circular principles into innovation policies, sectors, and funding schemes within the fashion industry.
Nurturing Partnerships: The conference emphasizes the importance of nurturing a robust European fashion ecosystem through transnational partnerships.
Illuminating Practices: It focuses on evidence-based knowledge, shedding light on sustainable and circular practices within fashion.
Exploring Innovation: Fostering novel solutions in the fashion sector and broadening societal impact. With an ecosystem approach involving SMEs support, building practices, projects, and policy-making, we not only align with current policies but also drive the development of climate-responsive policies. We are catalysing a sustainable future for fashion.
Register here
Agenda
Conference venue: MAD, Pl. du Nouveau Marché aux Grains 10, 1000 Bruxelles, Belgium
Host: David Lapof
Timing |
Session |
|---|---|
| 10:30 - 11:00 | Registration & Welcome Coffee |
| 11:00 - 11:30 |
Welcome SpeechesTessa Moroder, Lottozero Creative Hub Founder Cecilia Nilsson-Bottka, European Commission, DG GROW Policy & Legal Officer Igor Kalinic, European Commission, EISMEA Head of the Sector |
| 11:30 - 11:50 |
Outcomes and knowledge gained by the 3 year life cycle of the 4 COSME projectsAnais Roussou, European Creative Hubs Network, Project Coordinator, S4Fashion project Michael Laermann, Ecopreneur, Communications Lead, Fashion for Change project Laura Velasco, Finnova, Project Coordinator, Circular Innobooster project Eleni Mavrogeni, Fashion Revolution Greece, Project Coordinator, Small But Perfect project |
| 11:50 - 12:25 |
Navigating the Future – Europe’s Sustainable Fashion Support ProgrammesThis panel will bring together leading minds to dissect the successes and lessons of past initiatives, deliberate on what needs evolution, and integrate these insights into future support structures. Our conversation will pivot around the integration of these lessons into forthcoming strategies, evaluating the implementation and effectiveness of recently incorporated changes. Ilona Lelonek Husting, European Commission, DG GROW, Policy Officer Alexandros Nousias, Envolve Entrepreneurship, Managing DirectorArthur ten Wolde, Ecopreneur - European Sustainable Business Federation, Executive Director Fredrik Timur, Fashion Innovation Centre Stockholm, Founder Moderation: Alain Heureux, Virtuology Academy, General Manager |
| 12:25 - 13:10 | Coffee & Lunch Break |
| 13:10 - 13:50 |
The entrepreneurial journey of a sustainable Fashion SMEThe EISMEA Circular Fashion Accelerators acted as partners to Fashion Startups and SMEs to help them develop their sustainable fashion business ideas and explore pathways to launch and expand into new countries. In the panel discussion we invite 3 S4Fashion project teams to share their learnings along their entrepreneurial journey. Zoe Romano, Circular Clotho project Stefanie Barz, Loop Look project Ilaria Maria Sposito, Junkle project Moderation: Ingrid Willems, DataScouts, CEO |
| 13:50 - 14:45 |
Guided Policy Dialogue: What is the next cause for policy makers?This panel aims to critically examine the challenges in the fashion industry and propose innovative, sustainable policy solutions. It seeks to provide a comprehensive understanding of the issues, existing frameworks, and potential remedies, with the goal of guiding the industry toward a sustainable future. Eleni Stavrou, Member of the European Parliament Cecilia Nilsson-Bottka, European Commission, DG GROW Legal & Policy Officer Lisa Lang, EIT Climate KIC, Director Policy & EU Affairs Leida Rijnhout World Fair Trade Organization, Chief Executive Moderation: Muchaneta Ten Napel, CCI Taskforce (UGIH) Chair, London College of Fashion Associate Lecturer |
| 14:45 - 14:50 |
Closing RemarksDavid Lapof & Ingrid Willems |
| 15:00 - 16:00 |
Drinks & Networking |
