Accelerating the transition to sustainable fashion

How can we accelerate the transition to sustainable Fashion ?

What is preventing us from transitioning to a more sustainable fashion model and what are some of the solutions to accelerate that transition ?

This event will take a top-down perspective. Starting with the global problems and solutions (Alexander Kohnstamm) before diving into how finance can help (Jayanth Kashyap B) as well as understanding the reversed value chain of used clothes and the role of legislation in shaping the sustainable and circular economy for the fashion industry (Ola Bakowska). Maria Teresa Flores will close the presentations by sharing some practical insights on how everyone can already help today.

After a short break, participants will be invited to join a pannel discussion during which they have the opportunity to question and challenge the speakers. Lastely, everyone will be invited to participate to a clothing swap while having some networking drinks.

About the Speakers

Alexander Kohnstamm: Alexander Kohnstamm has served as Fair Wear's Executive Director since 2018, bringing 25 years of experience with development and international businesses to the organisation. Before Fair Wear, Alexander held directorial positions at organisations working in various areas, including the economics of health in Africa. His focus has always been on galvanising the private sector for human development.

Ola Bakowska is a strategist at Circle Economy. In this role, she translates the circularity jargon into processes for brands, manufacturers and policymakers and facilitates collaboration between the wider industry to eliminate the global fashion waste mountain. Ola also coordinates research on post-consumer textiles in Europe, India and the United States for the Sorting for Circularity project in partnership with Fashion for Good. In addition to working in EoL value chains, she is responsible for the capacity development of apparel professionals working globally across brands and manufacturing.

Jayanth Kashyap B: Jayanth is an investment professional with over a decade’s experience in impact investing, impact advisory, venture capital and sustainability. At Good Fashion Fund, he leads the investment team focused on supporting textile & apparel manufacturers in Asia looking to adopt impactful and disruptive production technologies. He completed his MBA from the University of Oxford (Saïd Business School) and is a Gender Lens Investing Fellow (Asia) of the 2X Global initiative.

Maria Teresa Flores: Marité is an industrial engineer from Chile with a background in fashion business, sustainability and circular economy. Marité graduated from the London College of Fashion MBA program in 2019. She is a lecturer and graduation coach at Saxion University, guiding fashion and textile students during their research projects and works as a sustainable fashion independent consultant, helping SMEs and start-ups with business development and circularity strategies. She joined Fashion Revolution as a volunteer in 2016 and since 2022 she has been part of the Fashion Revolution Netherlands team.

About Net Impact Amsterdam

Net Impact Amsterdam is a diverse community of impact-driven professionals who actively use its influence to steer decision-makers and peers towards long-term positive impact on the environment and society. It is run by volunteers who host regular events and programmes for knowledge sharing and networking across the local sustainability community.

About Fair Wear

World Fashion Centre Fair Wear Foundation is a non-profit organisation with the mission of enabling the transition towards a world where the garment industry supports workers in realising their rights to safe, dignified and fairly paid employment.

Important: Where arriving, please go to the reception in the main hall (between towers 1 and 2) mentioning Fair Wear and ask for a day pass.

Rules of the clothing Swap

After the panel, you are invited to join the Net Impact x Swapmode Clothing Swap. When you check in at the event, we will receive your clothes to assess them and give you points you will use to get your new clothes! The assessment process considers aspects such as quality (material), garment type, brand and condition.

We welcome:

✅Womenswear: jackets, coats, t-shirts, shirts, trousers, shorts, jeans, sweaters, cardigans, hoodies, dresses, skirts.

✅Menswear: jackets, coats, T-shirts, shirts, trousers, shorts, jeans, sweaters, cardigans, hoodies, crewnecks.

✅All colours

✅All sizes

✅All seasons

✅Clean

❌No stains

❌No holes

❌No accessories: shoes, bags, scarves, belts, hats.

❌No swimwear

❌No underwear

Please remember you are bringing clothes that will be loved again by someone from our network. So we ask you to don't bring something only because you find it ugly or out of style. Loved Clothes Last! 🙂Try to bring at least two pieces and a maximum of six. All washed and bring your own bag. Thanks!

Host or Publisher Net Impact Amsterdam