Sustainable Apparel and Textiles Conference USA
This two-day business conference will explore how forward-thinking leaders in apparel and textiles can meet net-zero commitments while navigating today's evolving landscape. Delegates will gain actionable strategies to drive collaboration across the value chain, adapt to regulatory changes, harness technological innovation, and turn sustainability into a competitive advantage. Attendees will gain insights into systems change, scaling circularity, reducing waste, and creating lasting positive impacts.

Regulatory resilience

Gain essential insights on upcoming U.S. state policies and global regulations to drive transparency, disclosure and decarbonisation

Financing Climate Action 

Identify investments for highly effective climate plans, align with science-based targets, and receive actionable guidance on tracking water and nature health

Scaling Circularity

Explore practical, efficient, and economical methods for advancing circularity, with a focus on design and 'textile-to-textile' recycling .

Value Chain Partnerships 

Discover step-by-step strategies for engaging stakeholders for stronger relationships, from tier 4 suppliers to consumers amidst evolving regulations. 

2025 Speakers

Jeff Frye

Kontoor Brands

Vice President Sustainability, Innovation, Global Procurement, Global Product Development

Sophia Legros

SPARC Group

Vice President of Product Integrity, Compliance, and Sustainability

Carmen Gama

Eileen Fisher

Director of Circular Design

Enes Adak

Forever 21

VP of Sourcing and Production

Heather Howard

Rothy's

Chief Supply Chain Officer

Kim Matsoukas

Coach

Director of Sustainability

Katy O'Brien

New Balance

Head of Sustainable Innovation

Angela Kramer

KITH

Head of Materials

View all speakers

Agenda highlights

  • Resilience in action: Grow amid global political and environmental challenges by adapting strategies for long-term growth
  • Climate accountability: Pinpoint progress, uncover blind spots and address inaction to meet climate goals 
  • Transparency unlocked: Harness the opportunities of DPPs for traceability and tier-4 value chain monitoring
  • Material risks: Critically consider the material mix, navigating the risks of rising virgin fossil-based synthetics while integrating next-gen materials
  • Certified but not verified: Examine certifications critically to understand their true impact
  • Financing innovation: Who will bridge the finance gap for a sustainable transformation?
  • Greenwash vs. Greenhush: Is the crackdown on green claims getting in the way of progress?
  • Inclusive Value Chains: Build equitable livelihoods, ensure climate resilience and protect vulnerable communities through due diligence
  • Regulation requirements: Develop efficient strategies to not only comply but stay ahead of evolving global regulations
  • Circular-ish: Hear from leaders on how to transition from take-make-waste to eliminate-circulate-regenerate 
  • End-of-Life Solutions: Leverage the California Act to expand recycling pathways and sustain product cycles
  • Overcoming overproduction: Pathways for waste-prevention, enhanced efficiency and supply chain optimisation
  • Regeneration for circularity: Complete the circularity loop by establishing nature stewardship
  • Consumer say-do gap: Practical strategies to encourage circular behavior and loyalty
  • Competition vs collaboration: A critical look at why multi-stakeholder initiatives aren't working and how to fix them
  • Circular design: Essential actions to close the loop, from design to waste management
View full agenda

Why attend?

Discover best practices from industry leaders and get in-depth guidance on how to effectively implement policies

Meet & network with an influential audience of key stakeholders, including NGOs, business, government and supply chain actors

Benchmark company performance amongst a room of your peers and discover where you should be focusing efforts

What you can expect:

Candid conversations and open debate
We prioritize open and honest debates, following our Chatham House rule and avoiding PowerPoint presentations. Our fourth rooms enable intimate, moderated discussions on often-avoided topics, promoting constructive, solution-focused dialogue. All participants are encouraged to share their thoughts and experiences. 

Participatory learning
We’re creating dynamic opportunities for attendees to actively engage and shape the conversation. With scenario-based breakouts, Q&A sessions, and interactive formats, we focus on critical thinking and collaborative problem-solving. These sessions are designed to inspire fresh perspectives and drive joint solutions, making sure your voice contributes to finding meaningful answers. 

Practical, focused problem solving
Our breakout sessions emphasize hands-on problem-solving for real business challenges. Featuring real-world case studies, we break down successes and lessons learned step-by-step. By leveraging the expertise of all participants, we address critical issues and deliver clear, actionable outcomes for immediate implementation. 

Impactful networking & tech solutions
Innovative technologies like life cycle assessments (LCA), traceability, and manufacturing solutions are key to addressing sustainability challenges such as overproduction, circularity, and consumer engagement. Our multi-stakeholder environment offers ample opportunities for collaboration, with networking, side events, and interactive formats to help you build impactful partnerships and drive progress. 

It was a great opportunity to connect and network with industry peers, trying to make a difference in the Sustainable Fashion Industry.
Steven Bethnell - Co-founder of Bank & Vogue
The event featured an impressive lineup of speakers and engaging discussions that inspired and motivated attendees to be a part of the movement for a more sustainable future.
Alison Ward - CEO of Cotton Connect
So many great insights to take back and share with the team. Thanks for the inspiring agenda as well as the fruitful and challenging discussions
Sarah de Visser - Senior Textile Innovation Specialist at On Running
The collective intellect, experience and dedication to frank discussion about authentic change has inspired me enormously.
Laurel Schaffer - Founder of VIV Refashioned Couture
Feeling inspired and energized after catching up with some old friends and making new connections at the forum.
Nany Trivita Kusama - Senior Director of Circular Business at Tommy Hilfiger

What’s different about this forum?

Innovation Forum is:
  • Candid: Entirely off-the-record discussion that enables open and honest disclosure from speakers and genuine participation from the audience.
  • Practical: A clear focus on the practical and actionable guidance that can drive change throughout industries and supply chains.
  • Focused: We provide enough time, resources and expertise to the issues that really matter. We don’t skate the surface, but get to the crux of the issues to provide in-depth, constructive discussion.
Innovation Forum is NOT:
  • A PR platform: Enthusiastic speakers are NOT given free rein to fill a session presenting their companies, allowing no time to actually get to the crux of the issues.
  • A talking shop: This is NOT an opportunity for a group people in a room to simply agree with everything said, regardless of outcomes.
  • All promise, no delivery: We will NOT promise what we can’t deliver. The issues covered are complex. They won’t be solved at a two-day conference. But we will help deliver progress through in-depth, constructive and practical advice around specific issues.

Who attends

Conservation International
Under Armour
Cascale
L.L.Bean
New Balance
The RealReal
Kontoor Brands
Reformation
Target
Environmental Defense Fund
VF Corporation
Rainforest Alliance
Amazon
Inditex
WWF
H&M
Patagonia
Stitch Fix
Lidl
CottonConnect
Eileen Fisher
Clarks
SEARS
Hugo Boss
Stella McCartney
Asics
The Forest Trust
Mammut Sports Group
PVH
Kering
Levi's
Sustainability Agents (SUSA)
Urban Outfitters
Circle Economy
Canada Goose
NYU Stern Center for Business and Human Rights
U.S. Department of Labor
Lenzing
Carhartt
US Department of Agriculture (USDA)
Morgan Stanley Investment Management
Textile Exchange
Lululemon
Tapestry
J.Crew Group
Macy's
Mara Hoffman
Pakistan Environment Trust
American Eagle Outfitters Inc.

The venue


Verizon Executive Education Center

2 W Loop Rd.
Cornell Tech
New York City
10044
United States

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Supported by

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Get in touch

For any questions on the conference, please contact:

Niamh Campbell
Project Manager
niamh.campbell@innovationforum.co.uk

Sign up

Registration for the sustainable apparel conference is currently open. To sign up, you can do so online here, or get in touch directly for details of group discounts. 

Sponsorship

For more information and to inquire, please contact:

Gabriela Cuison
Business Development Manager

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