Europe’s leading responsible sourcing show, Source Fashion launched at Olympia London in February 2023 and it has gone from strength to strength. The show returns for its fourth edition from 14-16th July, where the world’s leading responsible manufacturers and artisans will gather.
The show’s director Suzanne Ellingham says, “Let’s face it retail is tough, but despite the current market conditions companies are still looking for better partners, and better quality. We are creating a place for everyone involved in buying and sourcing to find new collaborations and relationships with people who they can do business with and where they can make impact. That’s the show we wanted to create, and the response from the community has been overwhelmingly positive, because this is really what they are looking for too.
“The key priorities for our audience are simple, to be able to work with better companies, who have good working practices, who make quality products at a fair price. Our job is to find, and spotlight, those businesses who deserve those contracts, and help buyers do better business with manufacturers or regions they had never considered.”
At a minimum, exhibitors are required to have had a recent audit from Sedex or BSCI, as recognisable audit institutions. This gives visitors the reassurance of knowing that every exhibitor has been audited to ensure responsibility and transparency remains at the heart of their business model. Each exhibitor also signposts their certifications and standards, providing peace of mind to the attendees who are drawn from some of the best-known brands and retailers in the UK and beyond they can do business with anyone they meet.
Ellingham adds, “In addition, we often work with government agencies from around the world, who are tasked with showcasing and increasing opportunities for export. We work with those agencies very closely as they also vet the capabilities of businesses coming to the show to ensure they are able to work with European companies, and meet the standards we need to see.
“As a show we feel proud to have an entire floor of businesses who share our values. There is a big appetite from the buying community to have a show like this, it’s a bit of a gamechanger for buyers, and has universal appeal across the buyer ecosystem.”
On the Show Floor
Visitors to Source Fashion can explore a world of newness, the latest manufacturing and supplier capabilities. Geographic diversity is the corner stone of the show and it will welcome around 25 countries to London this year, from Peru to Cambodia, Pakistan to Portugal, Hong Kong to Italy and Greece all the way back to the UK – and not forgetting the industrial powerhouses like China, India and Turkey.
The new Source Luxury section was well-received at the February show and now expands to the upstairs balcony of the National Hall, offering an edit of the super high-quality manufacturers and artisans using the highest quality materials and exceptional craftsmanship. Visitors will discover a stunning array of high-quality Portuguese producers including Lagofra, SMSenra, Ttantos and ITJV Comercio; as well as Italian Artisan.
Ellingham says, “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 and service a range of customers. It showcases the relationship that exists between beautifully crafted fashion and responsible production.”
A strong contingency from Europe includes a good representation of UK exhibitors such as TS Knitwear, Varsity City, Figastore, as well as France, Italy and Spain, and a strong selection of Portuguese exhibitors including Ttantos Textiles, FLM Textil, Lagofra, and SMSenra providing a range of high quality textile manufacturing and design services.
Varsity Clothing
Source Fashion offers everything from garments to accessories, sportswear, footwear, packaging, yarns and trims. The show is home to manufacturers and artisans that can quite literally make anything, they bring their capabilities which means there is no shortage of inspiration, and importantly endless possibilities.
A World of Inspiration
One of the things that makes Source Fashion a standout from other sourcing shows, aside from its responsible ethos, is the responsible fashion catwalk show and the insightful content sessions. Its seminar agenda is positioned at discussing the solutions to real business challenges and obstacles to brands achieving more sustainable processes with a line-up of industry leading experts.
Each day covers a key theme – Day 1 focuses on Industry Innovation and Collaboration, Day 2 showcases Trends, Legislation and Big Brand Ideology, and Day 3 focuses on Learning, Education and Certification.
Ellingham says, “Source Fashion gives us the opportunity to create a platform for people to ask the unpopular questions, and have the discussions about the future of fashion, sustainability, and how to do better business. Our agenda brings together a wide spectrum of industry experts to discuss the challenges of responsibility in fashion, legislation, certification, evolving trends, new materials and processes, transparency, accountability, and so much more. We intend to make show a platform for discussion around the topics where there is no defined solution, simply businesses that are moving forward and are brave enough to share their learnings.”
Highlights from the agenda include:
A view from the top – Caryn Franklin MBE in conversation with Nick Beighton, ex-CEO, ASOS. Join fashion activist Caryn Franklin MBE and Nick Beighton for a unique and frank conversation, where they will talk about the realities of trying to make positive change, and the hurdles that need to be overcome.
Next level sustainability. A fireside chat with Jo Mourant, Group Head of Sustainability, CR and Product Legislation at Next Plc. Jo will outline tangible ways Next are assessing and combatting some of their biggest sustainability challenges, and address how best to incorporate collaborative ways of working for a more aligned, ethical, sustainable strategy.
Could alternative materials change the face of sustainable fashion? A panel discussing what makes a material sustainable, looking at examples of where they’ve been used, and how exactly sustainable materials can positively impact the industry.
PepsiCo – a big brand approach to sustainable fashion. A fireside chat with Hayley Shore, Design Director at PepsiCo discussing their commitment to reducing the environmental impact across its products and merchandise, collaborating with sustainable designers, what fashion can learn from big brands, and vice versa.
Future Humanity Systems
Fashion Futurist, Geraldine Wharry unpacks the future of the fashion industry’s infrastructure and the plausible and wild card futures for our regenerative supply chains in 3 macro trends: I trust you systems, agency of governing interspecies, and human transition industries.
Geraldine Wharry
Sourcing and storytelling: Why history and heritage matter more than ever
Join Jack Stratten from Insider Trends as he presents the consumer trends that have been driving the changing retail picture, as well as how AI is impacting this change. He will showcase leading examples from across the world of storytelling brands and tips, tools and insights to inspire your own strategies.
CMA legislation updates – the importance of accurate and truthful environmental claims Mike Coates, Assistant Director, Fashion Retail Enforcement – CMA will run through the CMA’s Green Code Claims as well as key legislation and policies that will affect you, as well as an update into ongoing greenwashing investigations, what internal compliance processes you will need to consider.
Building credibility through certification, understand the Global Organic Textile Standard. Certification to the Global Organic Textile Standard ensures that organic textile products are ethical, sustainable and environmentally conscious. Hear from GOTs representatives about the journey to GOTS approved certification and more.
Source Catwalk
The Source Catwalk returns for July too, taking place multiple times throughout every day across the 3-day show. Rebekah Roy, one of the UK’s leading sustainable stylists, is curating an inspirational and thought-provoking show, featuring responsible and circular garments provided by exhibitors and showcasing the latest trends for S/S25.
Ellingham says, “I love the catwalk show – being able to showcase responsibly made garments and flaunt the materials of the future is key. It’s not just a showcase on the show floor, but really about us showing what responsibly made fashion looks like today, moving away from conceptual to what’s being achieved now, offering inspiration and new ideas.”
The Last Word
“Sustainability means different things to different people” says Ellingham. “But It’s not just about carbon footprint, or materials, energy, or labour. It should be seen through a holistic lens, and ask … is this company moving forward in all of these areas, not just one?
“Championing responsible production and positive change is incredibly important to us. We do not have a conscious section, or a sustainable section, instead we know every company on our show floor is on that journey with our buying community. Responsible and sustainable production is just who we are, its intrinsically embedded in our core values as a show, and more importantly this is the type of show myself and my team WANT to work on. The impact we make in communities around the world by connecting people together at Source Fashion is what keeps us driving this show forward and it’s what motivates us to ensure we continue to drive the agenda we believe in.”
VISIT: www.source-fashion.com
14th – 16th July 2024
Olympia London