Smart Materials

As part of its Annual Meeting, the United Nations Fashion and Lifestyle Network is convening a series of events at UN Headquarters alongside New York Fashion Week to leverage this global moment for dialogue on the Sustainable Development Goals.

As industries seek to move beyond linear models of production and consumption, new approaches are emerging to rethink how value is created, shared, and sustained. This event will focus on the heritage, craftsmanship, and innovation creating new pathways for more responsible production and sustainable design.

Featuring perspectives from material experts, designers, and innovators working with diverse resources, including wool in Sweden and pineapple fibres in the Philippines, the conversations will explore how local knowledge, scientific research, and creative approaches can inform more circular and resilient materials systems. The programme will highlight how innovation can build on existing traditions and resources to transform the ways materials are designed, developed, and integrated into the fashion industry.