The future of fashion and textiles calls for both reflection and innovation. As the industry faces the challenges of overproduction, waste and cultural erosion, new opportunities are emerging to rethink how we make and use clothing. Inspired by themes from the exhibition Source Material: Lessons in Responsible Fashion, this virtual roundtable brings together a global panel of scholars, designers and cultural practitioners to explore future-oriented approaches to textile production and consumption. Through the lens of both traditional practices and cutting-edge technologies, the conversation highlights pathways toward more responsible fashion and the preservation of textile heritage.

This program is made possible through support from the Cotsen Textile Traces Study Collection Endowment.

About the Cotsen Textile Traces Study Center

The museum’s Cotsen Textile Traces Study Center is dedicated to textile research and houses the Cotsen Textile Traces Study Collection, which represents a lifetime of collecting by business leader and philanthropist Lloyd Cotsen (1929-2017). One of the world’s most significant textile study collections, it comprises nearly 4,000 fragments dating from antiquity to the present, offering insights into human creativity around the world. Learn more about the center

About the Exhibition 

The impacts of overproduction and overconsumption in the global fashion industry are uniquely modern challenges, but promising solutions can be found in textile traditions from the past. Source Material: Lessons in Responsible Fashion pairs historical garments from The Textile Museum Collection with works by contemporary fashion designers returning to more responsible uses of materials and resources. Learn more about the exhibition

How to Participate

To join us for the roundtable, please register early to reserve your space. Once you have registered, we will email you links and details for joining each day of the roundtable on Zoom. We will also email registered participants a program with a detailed schedule.

Schedule

Thursday, November 6, 10 a.m.-1 p.m. 

Lessons in Responsible Fashion 

Panel 1: Old Methods, New Applications  

• Source Material: Lessons in Responsible Fashion
  • Katrina Orsini, programs associate for academic engagement
• Braiding: from Art into Aerospace 
  • Makiko Tada, artist and expert in braiding, Japan  
• Strip Cloth Reimagined with Upcycled Denim 
  • Nkwo Onwuka, designer and founder, NKWO Design, Nigeria  

Panel discussion and Q&A 
 

Panel 2: New Materials and Technologies  

• Rejuvenated Fibers from Textile Waste and Renewable Energy in Textiles 
  • Abhishek Bansal, head of sustainability, Arvind Limited, India  
• E-Textiles 
  • Stephen Beeby, professor of Electronic Systems & Device, University of Southampton, England 
• The Viability of Bio Materials for Fashion Projects 
  • Charlotte McCurdy, designer,  researcher and educator,  Stanford University, California  

Panel discussion and Q&A 

Friday, November 7, 10 a.m.-12 p.m.

Introduction to the Cotsen Textile Traces Study Collection 

Panel 1: Traditions and Transitions  

• Embroidery, Craft Heritage, and Women’s Autonomy
  • Karishma Swali, creative director, Chanakya International, founder and chairperson, Chanakya School of Craft, India  
• Conscious Velvet: Tiziano Guardini and Bevilacqua Reimagine Tradition
  • Tiziano Guardini, conscious creative director, designer and co-founder, Guardini Ciuffreda Studio, Italy   
• Timeless: Textile Traditions, New Ideas, and Experiments
  • Hector Manuel Meneses Lozano, Director, Textile Museum of Oaxaca, Mexico  

Panel discussion and Q&A