Past and Future Fabrics - Grow

Fashion District Presents: Join Mary Fellowes and Safia Minney MBE in a series of Sofa Stories exploring Past and Future Fabrics.

Join us for the day to see how designers and start-ups are channeling their creativity to re-think traditional design systems and innovate the craft of making, as a designer label or larger brand. Through a series of ‘Sofa Stories’ with experts and professionals in their field, we will explore topics such as Circular Design, Social and Ethical Practice and consider how we can produce fabrics more regeneratively. Book your slot for the morning session here.

Chaired by Mary Fellowes, founder of GreenWith Studios, the first part of the afternoon will feature Sofa Story #3 and #4, exploring how sustainable textiles can be developed for the market and integrated into responsible sourcing practices. Hear from pioneering start-ups driving innovation in bio-based and regenerative materials and helping the industry move away from synthetics and mass-produced fibres. From utilising agricultural and industrial by-products to creating next-gen materials from cellulose, and developing new technologies that help reduce biodiversity loss, we will explore the themes and values that unite this exciting movement. Key questions include: How can materials be produced at scale with minimal environmental impact? Is there a future in plant-based, biodegradable textiles? And are sustainable fabrics truly viable in today’s commercial landscape?

Sofa Story #5 shifts focus to traditional craftsmanship and the opportunities that lie in supporting and scaling craft production. Safia Minney MBE, founder of Indilisi, will examine the role of craftsmanship in the contemporary marketplace and the significance of its cultural lineage. The discussion will consider how supporting global communities can contribute to a new commercial model that values grassroots creativity while championing environmental and social justice. Can the broader fashion industry take the traditions of the past and flip the script, moving towards an inclusive and restorative model that challenges today’s disposable culture?

In Sofa Story #6, Safia Minney MBE continues her journey into the future as she’s joined by start-ups reinventing the production of traditional fabrics. The session will highlight their efforts to move away from large-scale industrial processes for leather, wool and cotton, and instead adopt regenerative approaches — from soil to farm, production and product — tackling biodiversity loss and reducing carbon. The discussion will ask: can the industry work effectively to build regenerative supply chains, eliminate pollution and rework the model for traditional fabrics?”