Fashion Takes Action

That’s a wrap on Day 1 of #CCES2025 — and we closed it out strong with two final breakout sessions that brought circularity from concept to practice. → Designing for Circularity: A Hands-On Workshop for Circular Fashion with Marianne-Coquelicot Mercier (CERIEC) In this interactive session (a flagship initiative of the Canadian Circular Textiles Consortium), delegates got hands-on — sorting through garments like jeans, jackets, and shoes to assess how circular they really are. From disassembly to durability, it was all about identifying what needs to change to design products that last — and loop. → Key Enablers to Circular Innovation Within Traditional Supply Chains with Dan King & Lauren Degenstein (Davey Textile Solutions Inc.), Stephanie Lipp (MycoFutures), and Joshua Katcher (Canopy) This session tackled the challenge of embedding Next Gen materials — like hemp and mycelium — into conventional textile systems. From fibre security to scaling innovation across legacy supply chains, the panel shared practical approaches and Alberta-based solutions that could shape the future of Canadian textiles. We’re energized, inspired — and ready for what Day 2 brings. #ccestextilestrack2025

Standing room only (literally) at our next #CCES2025 Textiles & Apparel Track sessions — we had to go on the hunt for extra chairs! → Scaling Circular Business Models: Rethinking Revenue Generation with Randi Marshall (H&M) and Danielle Holly (Ellen MacArthur Foundation) This conversation challenged one of fashion’s most entrenched assumptions: that growth = more production. Through the Ellen MacArthur Foundation’s Fashion ReModel project, we heard how brands like H&M are testing new circular business models that decouple revenue from resource use — from resale and rental to repair and beyond. → Driving Circularity: Exploring ESPR, Digital Product Passports & Circular Design Certifications with Lucy Murphy (TESTEX, Swiss Textile Testing Institute), Dacie Meng (Ellen MacArthur Foundation), and Natasha Franck (EON) As policy and product regulations evolve, the future of transparency in fashion is getting a digital upgrade. This session explored how ESPR, certifications, and digital product passports can help brands design better, track products, and prepare for a more circular future. We’re heading into our final breakout sessions of the day — ready to keep these big conversations going. #ccestextilestrack2025

A big focus of today’s #CCES2025 Textiles & Apparel Track? Systems change — and the mindset shifts that need to come with it. This morning kicked off with two powerful sessions: → Identity Crisis: The First Step in Solving for Textile Circularity with Amelia Eleiter (Debrand) Amelia reminded us that at the heart of circularity is identity — how brands show up, how consumers connect to their clothes, and even how personal stories shape our sustainability journeys. Her reflections (including impressions from her 11 year old son) were a grounding reminder that changing fashion starts with changing our relationship to it. → EPR Success Stories: How to Prepare & Operationalize EPR in Canada with Olivia Barker (Clear Strategy), Chelsea Murtha (American Apparel & Footwear Association (AAFA)), and Jennifer Liu (Gap Inc.) This panel brought critical insights from EPR programs already in motion — from California’s SB707 to lessons learned across the U.S. and Europe. The key takeaway? Canada doesn’t have to start from scratch — but successful EPR will require collaboration, clarity, and industry readiness. So much food for thought already — and we’re just getting started. #ccestextilestrack2025

We’re here at the Circular Economy Summit 2025 — ready to kick off two full days of collaboration, connection, and big ideas. Fashion Takes Action is proud to be leading the Textiles & Apparel Track this year, bringing together industry experts, innovators, and policymakers to tackle one of Canada’s most complex circularity challenges: fashion and textiles. This morning’s opening remarks set the tone — with reflections from Paul Shorthouse, Jo-Anne St. Godard, Ka’nahsohon Kevin Deer, Benoit Charette, Luc Rabouin, Emmanuelle Gehin, and Daniel Normandin — reminding us why building a circular economy is not just necessary, but possible. Today’s Textiles Track agenda is packed — from EPR success stories to scaling circular business models, from textile waste solutions to digital product passports and design certifications. We’re looking forward to diving into these critical conversations — and to learning alongside so many incredible leaders in this space. If you’re looking for Textiles Track sessions, you can find us in rooms ‘Rue Saint-Paul’ and ‘Rue Saint-Catherine’. See you there! #cces2025 #ccestextilestrack2025

T-minus 1 day until #CCES2025 in Montréal! On Day 2 of the Textiles & Apparel Track, Deloitte's Jessica Iida, will be presenting an engaging and interactive breakout session based on our newly released, joint report, Circular Business Models for Textiles: Value Chain Capabilities and Challenges. This dynamic workshop will be a guide to evaluate your organization’s current position, identify strengths, and uncover exciting opportunities to enhance your capabilities through innovative practices, strategic partnerships, and smart investments. Won't be at CCES? You can read the report here >> https://lnkd.in/gGvmpXf7

The Canadian fashion industry has a trust problem. ⁠ Fashion Takes Action’s latest report – Canadian Consumer Perception of Sustainable Fashion & Greenwashing – reveals a major gap between consumer intent and industry transparency. ⁠ 📈 77% of Canadians say they care about the environment 🧵 But only 26% are familiar with “greenwashing” 🛍️ And more than half say they’re doing everything they can—but feel lost in the face of vague or misleading sustainability claims. ⁠ It’s clear: Consumers want to make better choices, but they need credible tools and information to do so. As an industry, we have a responsibility to respond with transparency, traceability, and trustworthy communication. ⁠ Read the full report to explore key insights on consumer behaviour, trust, and regulatory expectations 👉 https://lnkd.in/gCtiHn4c Join us Thursday, May 8th for a webinar that dives deeper into these findings and what they mean for brands, retailers, and regulators 👉 https://lnkd.in/guv-hivi ⁠ #Greenwashing #SustainableFashion #ConsumerTrust #FashionTransparency #CircularEconomy #FashionTakesAction Big thanks to our research team Kelly Drennan, Sabine Weber, Olaf Weber, and Rebekah Stokes, as well as to this list of invaluable contributors Alexandra Ho, Ashlee Froese, Wren Montgomery, Ellen Karp, Elisabeth de Gramont, George Harding-Rolls, Linda Wegelin, Myriam Laroche, Rachel Kitchin, Audrey Henderson, and Sage Paul. __ Fashion Takes Action has received funding from Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada’s Contributions Program for Non-profit Consumer and Voluntary Organizations. Additional funding was allocated to the project to conduct the research on legislation. The views expressed in this report are not necessarily those of Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada or of the Government of Canada.

Next week we'll be welcoming Canopy and Bast Fibre Technologies Inc. to the #CCESTextilesTrack2025 stage for a solutions-driven fireside chat focusing on Bast's work collaborating with brands on the future of sustainable fashion, the Next Gen fibre innovation opportunity, and strategies for overcoming obstacles--all with the goal of inspiring and empowering other brands to do the same. The countdown is on! Will you be in Montreal next week for #CCES2025?

Every year, millions of sellable clothing items and accessories end up in landfills, despite their quality and potential value. Before we upcycle, transform, dismantle, or grind these textiles, we must prioritize extending their life in their original state. This #CCESTextilesTrack2025 breakout session will explore the untapped opportunities in secondhand apparel wholesale and its role within the circular textile model. See you all soon in #Montréal!

CCTC Spotlight! We're excited to hear from Jennifer Wright who has been investigating innovative alternative pathways for textile-to-textile and fiber-to-fiber recycling, with a focus on sustainable solutions that benefit the Canadian agricultural sector next week at #CCES2025. This #TextilesTrack session will delve into thermal recycling (pyrolysis) of end-of-use textiles to produce a material that enhances soil health, sequesters carbon, and contributes to circular economy initiatives.

Let's talk about collaborative efforts to advance the circular economy in Canada’s textile industry! We can't wait for this session with Shannon O'Hara, Bank & Vogue Ltd/Ltée. and Cécile Branco from La Maison Simons. They will discuss key areas such as resale, reuse, and remanufacturing, highlighting innovative approaches to upcycling and sustainable product creation, and address the importance of overcoming challenges related to sorting post-consumer materials, labor, and the financial barriers in order to make sustainable fashion more accessible to mainstream consumers. #CCES2025 #CCESTextilesTrack2025