30 Free Online Sustainable Fashion Events To Attend in April 2021
The following sustainable fashion events are all FREE and completely online. Consider registering for any event you are interested in attending! It is never too late to take out a notebook and pen to join the sustainable fashion movement. This important to continuously learn about the issues and solutions with experts in the fashion industry.
TUESDAY, APRIL 6, 2021
9:00 - 10:30 AM (CDT)
Regenerative Models Towards Resilience in Fashion by Hecho x Nosotros and Animana- The Ecosoc Youth Forum 10th Anniversary
This event will highlight leaders designing and creating regenerative systems that promote inclusivity, equality and sustainability. Guest panelists will explore what it means to build a resilient and regenerative fashion business to achieve Sustainable Development goals by being a force for good.
12:00PM- 1:30 PM (CDT)
Sourcing Fairtrade and Organic Textiles: Tips for a New Brand Starting Out by Fashion Zone
This event will host a panel discussion with Join Malkani, Founder of Alterfaband and Helen Reimer, Manager of Fairtrade Canada. They will define and explain Fairtrade and organic material sourcing. Examples of leading Fairtrade Canadian and international brands will also be explored.
1:00PM- 2:00 PM (CDT)
Fashion and Degrowth by Fashion Act Now
This event will host a conversation around degrowth and fashion with the co-founder of Extinction Rebellion Clare Farrell and ecological economist Giorgos Kallis. Business as usual and models of massive growth and profit in the Global North will be discussed in light of the issues found in the fashion industry. The degrowth theory, several alternative modern-growth based development visions and their practical application will also be explored. Any donations collected will be divided between Extinction Rebellion and Fashion Act Now.
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 7, 2021
12:30 - 1:30 PM (CDT)
Becoming a Fashion Activist- Wednesday Wisdom Discussion by Ethical Brand Directory
This event will be a virtual hangout with just 6 people to chat, exchange ideas and listen to thoughts around the monthly topic. This monthly session will focus on Becoming a Fashion Activist. Roberta Lee will host the event which is open to everyone.
3:00 -4:00 PM (CDT)
Fast Fashion & Environmental Justice by York Federation of Students
This event will teach how to make a tote bag from old t-shirts. It will also teach the negative influences on climate change and how to adopt sustainable fashion practices.
4:30 -5:30 PM (CDT)
Digital Workshop: Basics of Hand Sewing with Arya Trinkets and Threads Pt.2 by FABSCRAP
This event will teach two to three basic hand stitches needed to stitch fabric together and to embroider clothing. Tools needed to participate include a couple pieces of fabric, a needle, yarn for the needle, and a pair of scissors. A suggested $10 donation will go towards a Workshop instructors stipend in the FABSCRAP community. Part 1 is available here to stay updated with this part 2 workshop.
5:00 -6:00 PM (CDT)
Repairing the Fashion Industry by Pratt Sustainability Center
Pratt University’s Sustainable Fashion Club will explore different pathways to achieve a more equitable, accountable and transparent fashion system. Moderated by Professor Nurhaizatul Jamil, co-director of Pratt’s Global South Center, the panel discussion will highlight recovery, renewal and reconnection in the fashion industry. Guest panelists include Marissa Nuncio, Director of the Garment Worker Center; Ngozi Okaro, Executive Director of Custom Collaborative; Mara Hoffman, Designer of Mara Hoffman; Abrima Erwiah, Co-founder of Fashion Our Future/ Studio 189; and Carmen Gama, Designer of Eileen Fisher RENEW.
THURSDAY, APRIL 8, 2021
7:30 - 8:30 AM (CDT)
Heritage as a Creative Future | Session 5: The Fashion and Textile Industry by XpoNorth
This event will explore the concept of heritage in the textile and fashion industry while analyzing how certain historical objects have inspired a unique and sustainable relationship between consumers and products. Guest panelists include creatives from Scotland and beyond.
10:00- 11:00 aM (CDT)
Panel & Workshop: Exploring Pratt’s Natural Textile Dye Garden by Pratt Sustainability Center
Pratt faculty, textile artists and experts will explore Pratt’s Natural Textile Dye Garden. After the discussion, natural dyer Cara Marie Piazza and Pratt’s Sustainable Fashion Club will provide a demonstration on how to use marigold blooms to make natural dye.
11:00am- 12:00 pm (CDT)
TOAST | Cotton & Linen Repairs with Molly Martin by TOAST
This workshop will teach you the art of visible mending through the restoration and repair of homeware textiles. Traditional techniques inspired by Japanese Sashiko repair and Indian Kantha stitching will be used to mend large and small holes. Tools needed include a garment in need of repair, several pieces of fabric, patching fabric, embroidery cotton thread, sewing machine cotton thread, scissors, pins and a candle.
12:00- 1:00 pM (CDT)
Conscious Technology: Making Circularity Profitable in Fashion and Beyond by IE Executive Education
This panel discussion will discuss innovability, a concept merging sustainability and innovation together. Tricia Carey, expert in circularity and technology, will discuss how to embrace sustainability in the fashion industry.
THURSDAY, APRIL 15, 2021
10:30 - 11:30 AM (CDT)
The Common Mill: Constructing a New Model for a Localized Fashion Industry by School of Art, Architecture and Design, London Metropolitan University
This event will discuss the vision for a localized fashion economy rooted within anti-extractivist discourse of the commons. Alice Holloway, entrepreneur and designer for Little Black Pants Club, will share how fashion can be embedded with planetary care and social empowerment. The Common Hill will be highlighted as a tangible practice of building community wealth, pro-planet technologies and knowledge bases through fashion production.
11:00AM- 12:00 PM (CDT)
Future Wardrobe: Slow and Circular Fashion by Impact Hub Basel
This event will explore how circular economy concepts can be applied in the fashion industry. Organized by five Switzerland startups working in the fashion industry and circular economy, each startup will present their business models and the challenges they have faced. Startups include VYN, Manusia, ID Geneve, MINILOOP and T2Riff.
MONDAY, APRIL 19, 2021
7:00 - 8:00 AM (CDT)
LYDIA BOLTON: Remaking Your T-Shirts by Fashion Open Studio
This event will teach you how to make upcycled t-shirts by cutting and hand sewing old shirts. Tools needed include a couple of old t-shirts, a needle, pins, scissors and some thread. Anyone is invited to learn and try.
8:00 - 9:00 AM (CDT)
ZOUZOUDAGO: DNA by Fashion Open Studio
This event will highlight the brand ZOUZOUDAGO, which will discuss the intersection of biodiversity, fashion and nature. A short film will be shown to spread awareness on how the fashion industry must adopt a harmonious interaction with people and the planet.
9:00 - 10:00 AM (CDT)
E.L.V DENIM x RESKINNED: A Talk and a Tour of a Textile Sorting Facility by Fashion Open Studio
This event will host a conversation with Anna Foster, the founder of E.LV DENIM, and Roo Barry and Matt Hanrahan from ReSkinned. They will explore their experiences around textile waste and possible solutions to prevent domestic waste offshoring.
10:00 - 11:00 AM (CDT)
KA-SHA: Design & Dialogue with Ka-Sha by Fashion Open Studio
This event will discuss the brand Ka-Sha and their embroidery, hand-quilting and dyeing techniques. A conversation will be hosted with the intention of making space to learn, create and interact together to make connections.
10:00 - 11:00 AM (CDT)
PATRICK McDOWELL: Catholic Fairytales + IG live by Fashion Open Studio
This event will showcase Patrick McDowell’s latest collection called Catholic Fairytales, focused on reclaiming the opulence of the Catholic church for queer people. The identity and beauty of the LGBTQIA+ community will be celebrated. A Instagram Live will also be hosted to explain how Patrick implements sustainable design practices and the importance between sustainability and identity.'
TUESDAY, APRIL 20, 2021
4:00 - 5:00 AM (CDT)
IRO IRO: The Film of People by Fashion Open Studio
This event will screen a film showcasing stakeholders of IRO IRO and why working with the brand is important to them. A decentralized collective mindset around heritage, waste and upcycled will also be explored.
8:00 - 9:00 AM (CDT)
CLARA CHU: From Bath Mats to Handbags- Fashioning Household Objects by Fashion Open Studio
This event will teach you how to turn a shower or baking mat into a handbag through different folding techniques and cutting. Insight will be provided on how to use a range of supplies to assemble unique handbags, which include pegs, cable ties and earphones.
11:30am - 12:30 pM (CDT)
SARABANDE FOUNDATION x FASHION OPEN STUDIO PRESENTS: Perfection in Imperfection- Toile Drawing Workshop by Fashion Open Studio
This fashion life drawing class will be led by Joshua Beaty in partnership with Saraande Foundation. Reflection will be fostered on how toiles connect to the fashion industry and the environmental impact from a garment's life cycle. There will be a specific focus on reconsidering design longevity, materials used in designs and the details around the life cycle of garments.
12:00- 1:00 pM (CDT)
Fashion Open Studio: Valuing Our Clothes, Protecting Our Planet by RSA Events
RSA will discuss with fashion designer Patrick Grant and Zero Waste Leeds how to take care of our clothing to take care of our earth. The UK production of clothing will be explored to discuss how the industry can help local economies, provide good jobs and create clothing that will last for years. This conversation is part of Fashion Revolution Week and the Fashion Open Studios program.
3:15- 5:00 pM (CDT)
Transforming Fashion: Interweaving Sustainability & Diversity by The Center for Retail Transformation at GMU School of Business- Gautham Vadakkepatt, PhD
This panel will discuss issues found in the fashion industry and possible solutions to create a sustainable fashion industry. These solutions include the use of business model innovation, analytics and technology. Guests include Emily Erkel, Alissia Baier- Lentz, Camilla Olson and Lisa Morales-Hellebo.
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 21, 2021
9:00 - 10:00 AM (CDT)
Justice for Jeyasre Global Vigil by Global Labor Justice-International Labor Rights Forum (GLJ-ILRF)
This event will host a global vigil to honor the life of Jeyasre Kathiravel. Jeyasre was a 21 year old Indian garment worker and union member at Natchi Apparel in Tamil Nadu. Natchi Apparel is owned by Eastman Exports Global Clothing and is the supplier factory for fashion brand H&M. Jeyasre was the first person in her village to go to college. On January 1st, 2021 she was murdered by her factory supervisor. Activists demand that H&M, the brand receiving clothing from the factory, end gender-based violence in the fashion industry. This event will also help you stand in solidarity with garment workers demanding the end of gender-based violence and harassment in the global garment supply chain.
THURSDAY, APRIL 22, 2021
2:00 - 3:00 PM (CDT)
Inspired by Nature: Sustainable Fashion and Art Show by Soreyda Gegley & Josh Samples
This event will celebrate Earth Day with a live streamed sustainable fashion show and art showcase. The livestream will be located in London, Kentucky in Oak Hill Gardens in the Appalanchian region.
6:00 - 7:00 PM (CDT)
Sustainability in Fashion by Fashion Group International San Antonio
This event will host a conversation about sustainable fashion and what companies are doing to incorporate sustainable practices in the industry. Guest speakers include Lisa Weller, owner of Twirl Salon; Masha Poloskova, Owner of MOSS Designer Consignment; Meghan Herman, Co-Owner and Designer of HarperSage; and Sergio “Celestino” Guadarrama, Director of CELESTINO.
6:30 - 8:30 PM (CDT)
Made in Bangladesh by Chicago Fair Trade, Dominican University and Apparel Industry Board, Inc.
This event will screen the 2019 film “Made in Bangladesh” based on Daliya Akter, a garment worker that escaped from child marriage, She later became a leader of a trade union in Dhaka, India. Thereafter, a Q&A session with Jackie Corlett, founder of Motif Handmade, will explore how her fair trade business connects sustainable designers with fair trade, handmade fabrics and ethical production in Bangladesh.
FRIDAY, APRIL 23, 2021
2:00 - 3:00 PM (CDT)
2021 Fashion Revolution: Rights, Relationships, Revolution by DePaul University Catholic Campus Ministry
This event will explore how we can engage in ethical and sustainable practices through our apparel choices. Guest speakers and Depaul’s fashion show will promote sustainability, fair trade and human dignity.The Fashion Revolution 2021 Keynote Speaker will be Ngozi Okaro, Executive Director of Custom Collaborative. Thereafter a fashion showcase organized by Chicago Fair Trade and the Depaul Fair Trade chapter will feature ethical and local fashion brands. Finally, a discussion about fashion and faith will be hosted with Rahel Mwitula Williams, founder and lead designer of ILAVA and Lizzy Case, founder of Arrayed.
MONDAY, APRIL 26, 2021
12:00 - 1:00 PM (CDT)
Penny Lecture: Sustainable Design and the Circular Economy by Sally Wright bu Morley College London
Morley College London created this event as part of their Green Week 2021 to raise awareness of environmentalism, sustainability and climate emergency. Guest speaker Sally Wright will share expertise on how creativity and design impacts all lives. Special focus will be placed on Thinking in Circles- Sustainable Design and the Circular Economy.
