Source Fashion
Responsible sourcing trade event Source Fashion was set up to help brands and retailers to buy better, to connect with the best companies to do better business, and to learn, discuss and share how the industry can make better decisions.
The twice-yearly event returns for its fourth edition on 14-16 July, when responsible manufacturers and artisans from 30 countries will gather at the Olympia London exhibition halls in west London, bringing together everything from garments to accessories, sportswear, footwear, packaging, yarns and trims.
“We’re creating a safe space for buyers and designers to find new partners and collaborators,” says the event’s sourcing director, Suzanne Ellingham. “The show is home to businesses that can quite literally make anything, which means there is no shortage of inspiration and – importantly – endless possibilities. That’s the show we wanted to create when we launched in February 2023, and the response from the community has been overwhelmingly positive.
Suzanne Ellingham
“The key priorities for our audience are simple: to be able to work with better companies that have good working practices and make quality products at a fair price. Our job is to find and spotlight those businesses that deserve those contracts with buyers, and to help those buyers do better business with manufacturers or regions they may have never considered.”
At a minimum, exhibitors at Source Fashion are required to have had an audit in the last 12 months from a recognisable audit institution such as Sedex or BSCI (Business Social Compliance Initiative). Ellingham says the aim is to give visitors the reassurance of knowing that every exhibitor has been audited to ensure responsibility and transparency are at the heart of their business. Exhibitors also signpost their certifications and standards, making it easier for attendees to navigate.
“We also work with government agencies from around the world to showcase their country’s or region’s export capabilities. These agencies also vet the capabilities of their exhibitors to ensure they can work with European companies and meet the standards we want to see at Source Fashion,” adds Ellingham.
As part of keeping up with the industry’s shifting priorities, Source Fashion announced the formation of an advisory board in May, made up of industry experts from the responsible fashion space.
Meeting twice a year, the board will help guide the future direction of the event and ensure it delivers the most relevant content across the whole supply chain.
“We are fortunate to be rapidly growing,” says Ellingham. “But as we do, it is vital that our show continues to be guided by the community it was created to serve, so we can continue to deliver value to them.”
Source Fashion
The board comprises six experienced buyers and sourcing directors: Nicola Kirby, head of sourcing at department store John Lewis; Oliver Bruckner, production director at high street retailer French Connection; Hannah Birkinshaw, senior buyer at womenswear brand Karen Millen; Hayley Shore, design manager for Europe at beverage brand PepsiCo; Simon Platts, former sourcing director at online retailer Asos; and Melissa Craft, senior sourcing manager at fast fashion chain New Look.
Board member Platts says: “It’s vital that the connections and conversations in our industry go further than emails looking at products, and listening and talking about the industry issues are, without a doubt, vital to a healthier, more collaborative and productive industry.
“From my experiences, Source Fashion offers a perfect platform to foster this approach.”
Having launched at February’s show, the Source Luxury section will expand this July to the upstairs balcony of Olympia’s National Hall, offering a selection of manufacturers and artisans using the highest-quality materials and exceptional craftsmanship.
“Source Luxury is about high-quality, made-to-last items that encapsulate the ethos of slow fashion, made by highly skilled artisans that look for a lower MOQ (minimum order quantity) and service a range of customers,” says Ellingham.
“We hope it showcases the relationship that exists between beautifully crafted fashion and responsible production.”
Source Fashion
Geographical diversity is also an important focus and July’s show will welcome exhibitors from countries including Peru, Cambodia, Pakistan, Portugal, Hong Kong, Italy and Greece, alongside homegrown UK exhibitors and industrial powerhouses such as China, India and Turkey. New emerging markets present this season include south-east Asia and Africa, including the show’s first Malaysian manufacturer, Kualesa Apparel.
Source Fashion also hosts catwalk shows, panel talks and interviews with industry experts to share learnings on topics such as legislation, trends and innovation.
“Creating a show like this gives us the opportunity to provide a platform for people to have discussions about the future of fashion, sustainability and how to do better business. Our content programme brings together a wide spectrum of industry voices to discuss the challenges of responsibility in fashion.
“This season we’ll look at regeneration, re-use, repurposing, B Corp certification, evolving trends, new materials and processes, regulations, transparency and accountability, and much more,” says Ellingham.
“We intend to make our agenda a platform for discussion around topics where there is no defined right and wrong – simply businesses that are moving forward and are brave enough to share their learnings.
“Sustainability means different things to different people,” concludes Ellingham. “It’s not just about carbon footprint, or materials or energy usage. It should be seen through a holistic lens: ‘Is this company moving forward in all of these areas, not just one?’
“Championing responsible production and positive change across the industry is incredibly important to us. That is what you’ll find at Source Fashion.”