In an announcement at an event held recently at the United Nations headquarters in New York, the Texpertise Network of Messe Frankfurt, the Conscious Fashion Campaign and the United Nations Office for Partnerships provided insights into their future cooperation.
Over 100 guests from the press, business, politics and associations met at the headquarters of the United Nations to learn how the Texpertise Network of Messe Frankfurt, the Conscious Fashion Campaign and the United Nations Office for Partnerships (UNOP) plan to collaborate in furthering the implementation of their Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in the fashion and textile industry.
The Executive Director of UNOP, Robert Skinner, opened the event and highlighted the importance of global engagement in the private sector and other stakeholders for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals. Skinner stated that the international fashion and textile industry have the potential to advance the Agenda 2030 for Sustainable Development. Together with Messe Frankfurt and the Conscious Fashion Campaign, UNOP welcomes the opportunity to reach a broad and professional audience, raise awareness of the goals and galvanize support.
Skinner, who moderated the event, invited Ambassador Jürgen Schulz, Deputy Permanent Representative of Germany to the United Nations, to deliver the opening remarks. Detlef Braun, Member of the Executive Board at Messe Frankfurt explained, “Along with digitalisation, sustainability is a topic currently exerting a significant influence on the global textile industry. Messe Frankfurt has been accompanying this development with its worldwide textile events under the umbrella of the Texpertise Network for more than ten years. Therefore, it is a logical conclusion that the Sustainable Development Goals should be integrated in our worldwide textile events to generate acute awareness of the importance of sustainability in the textile industry.”
Kerry Bannigan, Founder of the Conscious Fashion Campaign, stated that we need more examples of leadership for change as Messe Frankfurt to make the next decade the most impactful yet. Through our global event partners, the Conscious Fashion Campaign will integrate education, advocacy and ultimately, engagement while also seeking to implement sustainable and circular event operations and logistics.
With its Texpertise Network, Messe Frankfurt supports the Sustainable Development Goals within the framework of the co-operation with the Conscious Fashion Campaign and UNOP. The goals will be presented at the more than 50 textile events organised by Messe Frankfurt at venues around the world. Current planning includes interactive information stands, presentations, discussion forums, fair tours and the integration of special activities in the trade fair program.
Heimtextil, the world’s largest and most important trade fair for home and contract textiles that attracts around 3,000 exhibitors and expects 65,000 trade visitors from 7th -10th January, 2020, will be the next stop on the tour to present the Sustainable Development Goals. During the opening press conference on 7th January, Lucie Brigham, Chief of Office for the United Nations Office for Partnerships has been invited as a guest speaker. Moreover, the goals will be presented and discussed at an interactive stand in the Green Village, and will be integrated into the Green Directory for the first time. For the past 10 years, this index has listed sustainably producing companies at Heimtextil. In 2020, the Green Directory will comprise a record 262 entries. Panel discussions will also be held in the Green Village.
The next event directly after Heimtextil is Neonyt (14th – 16th January 2020), which will once again take place during the Berlin Fashion Week. Within the framework of its international conference format Fashionsustain, Neonyt will feature, amongst others, the panel “SDGs X Fashion – The UN’s Fashion Industry Charter for Climate Action”. Speakers will be Lucie Brigham, Zachary Angelini, Environmental Stewardship Manager at Timberland, Alexander Gege, Manager Sustainable Business Development at the Otto Group, and Harold Weghorst, Global Vice President Marketing at Lenzing AG.
