The Global Fashion Summit in Copenhagen is a key industry moment each year for the fashion community to engage onsustainability. The 2024 edition marked 15 years on from the first Summit, offering an opportunity to take stock of the industry’s efforts so far, and discuss what is left to deliver under the theme of ‘Unlocking the Next Level’.
The two-day program was packed with interesting sessions, from policy masterclasses to panel discussions on topics like resource stewardship, smart material choices and tackling scope 3 emissions. Attendees ranged from major brands and retailers to policy makers and sustainability solutions providers like the Trust Protocol.
The Trust Protocol hosted a case study session titled “Tackling Transparency: From Farms to Fabric”, which brought together key supply chain players to discuss how to unlock greater transparency for cotton. The panel session featured Mead Harwick, Partner at Hardwick Planting Company and Protocol grower, Simone Colombo, Head of Corporate Sustainability at OVS, Sustainable Fashion Journalist Megan Doyle as moderator and Tara Luckman on behalf of the U.S. Cotton Trust Protocol.
The speakers touched on the importance of data, techniques, and technologies driving more sustainable cotton production at the farm-level, challenges to unlocking greater transparency across the supply chain, and the need for greater supply chain collaboration to deliver on sustainability.
During the session, Mead Hardwick emphasized the importance of having partners like the Trust Protocol to ensure farmers always have a seat at the table, and encouraged brands to get involved in sustainability programs to ensure the future supply of cotton is both reliable and sustainable.
Tara Luckman pointed to policy as a key enabler for transparency across the supply chain, particularly as digital product passports become mandatory. This will offer an opportunity to both educate consumers and tackle the oversimplification of sustainability messaging.
Overall, the 2024 Global Fashion Summit marked an important moment for stakeholders to come together and discuss how to unlock the next level of sustainability in fashion. The Trust Protocol was proud to share their learnings, and showcase the concrete actions they are taking to support more sustainable cotton.
