If 2025 taught sustainable fashion anything, it’s that the industry is deeply sensitive to the whims of the world. Understanding the global impact of society’s shifting dynamics—from tariffs and trade deals to political undercurrents and wars—is crucial to keeping sustainable fashion on a positive course. And what better way to take the pulse of these changes than by connecting with fellow changemakers at global events designed to propel sustainable progress?

Here, we’ve gathered the events that sustainable fashion’s inner circle is planning to attend in 2026.

World Economic Forum Annual Meeting
When: January 19–23
Where: Davos, Switzerland

At the end of January, world leaders from politics, education, business, and civil society will meet in Davos to discuss the most pressing issues of our time (while almost certainly sparking outrage over attendees’ private jet use). This year’s program focuses on “a spirit of dialogue,” guided by five core questions: How can we cooperate in a more contested world? How can we unlock new sources of growth? How can we better invest in people? How can we deploy innovation at scale and responsibly? And how can we build prosperity within planetary boundaries? The latter two will be especially interesting to fashion-adjacent attendees, for whom the balance between economic growth and natural resource depletion is hotly debated.

Textiles Recycling Expo USA
When: April 29–30
Where: Charlotte, North Carolina, USA

Textile-to-textile recycling has been a holy grail among sustainable fashion innovators for almost a decade, but it’s only in the past year that its commercial application has started to seem viable. Launching in April, Textiles Recycling Expo USA is the country’s “first dedicated showcase for the innovations tackling the growing challenge of textile waste.” It’s free to attend and promises to feature a range of cutting-edge technology.

Cascale Forum
When: May 30–April 1
Where: Colombo, Sri Lanka

Cascale (formerly the Sustainable Apparel Coalition) will host a three-day program in Sri Lanka, aiming to meet manufacturers on their home turf with workshops, peer-to-peer learning, and field trips that prioritize practical action. “Colombo is where the real work of the industry comes into focus,” says Cascale events director Yael Asher. “This forum is about meeting manufacturers and suppliers where they are, listening first, and then working side by side on solutions that fit day-to-day operations, whether that’s cutting emissions, improving purchasing practices, or making sustainability tools genuinely useful on the factory floor.” Apparel Impact Institute (Aii) president and CEO Lewis Perkins will be among attendees looking to engage with suppliers on factory improvements that aid decarbonization.

Global Fashion Summit: Copenhagen Edition
When: May 5–7
Where: Copenhagen, Denmark

The Global Fashion Agenda’s flagship conference returns this year, a month earlier than usual. The theme for 2026 is “building resilient futures,” which CEO Federica Marchionni says is about “embracing a plurality of perspectives” and prioritizing a just transition. “There is no single roadmap, only context-specific pathways that must collectively lead towards a just and regenerative fashion system,” she said in a statement shared with Vogue Business. “Whether you are a policymaker, designer, manufacturer, innovator, investor, or changemaker, your role in shaping the future of this ecosystem matters.” With a broad range of stakeholders and an increasingly dynamic agenda, the summit serves as a useful pulse check for the state of sustainable fashion.

The Scope 3 Innovation Forum
When: June 16–17Amsterdam, Netherlands
It’s widely recognized that most of the fashion industry’s emissions fall under Scope 3—indirect emissions across a brand’s entire supply chain—making this area ripe for innovation. This is the core idea behind the Scope 3 event organized by London-based sustainability events group Innovation Forum. The event offers “two days of honest, off-the-record discussion” where attendees will explore the next phase of Scope 3 action, covering topics from policy alignment and energy transition strategies to supplier engagement and financing models. Perkins will attend due to the event’s strong alignment with Aii’s electrification goals and high-impact decarbonization projects.

Future Fabrics Expo (FFE) and Textiles Recycling Expo
When: June 24–25
Where: Brussels, Belgium

After a decade in London, Future Fabrics Expo is relocating. As part of a new partnership with Textiles Recycling Expo, the two events will be held back-to-back in Brussels, aiming to engage their shared audience. “With significant EU policy changes reshaping our industry, Brussels is a fitting location,” says Nina Marenzi, founder of the non-profit The Sustainable Angle, which hosts Future Fabrics Expo. While Textiles Recycling Expo focuses specifically on textile recycling, Future Fabrics Expo features a wider range of preferred and alternative materials, with talks covering everything from regenerative agriculture to a just transition.

Emma Håkansson, a former Vogue Business 100 Innovator and founding director of the non-profit Collective Fashion Justice, says her team will exhibit at Future Fabrics Expo for the first time. In partnership with luxury leather goods manufacturer Veshin Factory, Collective Fashion Justice will showcase plant-based and bio-based alternatives to animal leather. They join around 150 exhibitors highlighting over 10,000 materials, Marenzi adds.

London Climate Action Week
When: June 20–28
Where: London, UK

The UK’s counterpart to New York Climate Week has been steadily growing since its launch in 2019. According to Aii’s Perkins, London Climate Action Week has built a reputation as “one of the more finance-focused industry conversations throughout the year,” making it an ideal venue for innovators seeking scale and investors looking to support them. This year will feature over 700 virtual and in-person events across the city. While the full 2026 program is still to be announced, early confirmations include sustainability consultancy and talent platform The Now Work, which will host a closed-door briefing on “The Sustainable Fashion Reset,” exploring the future of sustainability strategy and how to build the right team to achieve it.

Cascale Annual Meeting
When: September 15–17
Where: Athens, Greece

Cascale’s annual meeting is the industry association’s flagship event, bringing together brands, manufacturers, retailers, NGOs, and sustainability leaders for two days to accelerate collective action. Events director Asher says attendees can expect “honest conversations about what’s working, what isn’t, and what needs to change next.” She adds that there will be “less talk about ambition for ambition’s sake, and more focus on how we move faster together, with shared accountability and real collaboration at the center.”

New York Climate Week
When: September 20–27
Where: New York, USA

New York Climate Week returns in late September, coinciding with the United Nations General Assembly and once again blending policymakers and private sector leaders. The 2025 edition was the largest in its history, drawing over 100,000 attendees from 85 countries across more than a thousand events. A coalition of sustainable fashion organizations, including Textile Exchange, Aii, and Global…The 2026 agenda from organizations including Global Fashion Agenda, Cascale, ZDHC, Worldly, Fashion for Good, and The Fashion Pact is expected to be released in the coming months.

Textile Exchange Conference
When: October 13–15
Where: Vancouver, Canada
The annual Textile Exchange Conference alternates between Europe and North America. Following the 2025 conference in Lisbon, this year’s event will be held in Vancouver. Attendees can look forward to a rare chance to connect with Tier 4 producers, a strong emphasis on scaling preferred production systems—especially textile-to-textile recycling and regenerative agriculture—and a field trip program to apply learnings firsthand. “Bringing producers, brands, and supply chain partners together has strengthened alignment and moved debates from theory to implementation,” says Textile Exchange CEO Claire Bergkamp. “We plan to create more opportunities for this cross-system dialogue in 2026.”

Obroni Wawu October
When: Throughout October
Where: Accra, Ghana
Since 2022, Ghana’s capital has hosted a major upcycling festival each October, celebrating its vibrant secondhand markets, creative upcyclists, and frontline role in addressing fashion’s waste crisis. The festival’s name comes from the local phrase “Obroni Wawu,” meaning “dead white man’s clothes,” a colloquial term for used clothing imported from the Global North. According to Sammy Oteng, festival lead and head of fashion development at the Ghanaian American nonprofit The Or Foundation, Obroni Wawu October was created as the Global South’s response to Secondhand September.
Community events will run throughout the month, culminating in a one-day upcycling showcase on the last Sunday of October. The event will feature live music, performances by dancers-turned-wastepickers, shopping with local designers, and an on-stage “drip contest” where attendees can show off their styles. “The festival highlights Kantamanto, a community that has long practiced circularity out of necessity, with innovation embedded in its culture,” says Oteng. “It foregrounds local creativity while challenging conventional narratives around waste, value, and design.”

COP31
When: November 9–20
Where: Antalya, Türkiye
The annual UN climate conference returns in November, building on discussions from COP30, which was held in the Brazilian Amazon in 2025. While many negotiators and activists were frustrated by the slow progress on phasing out fossil fuels at COP30, a key outcome was the launch of the first dedicated fossil fuel conference, scheduled for April 2026 in Santa Marta, Colombia, co-hosted by the Netherlands. More details will follow, but it is expected to serve as an interesting precursor—or counterpoint—to COP31.
Although fashion industry participation at COP events has been inconsistent, it remains a unique opportunity to engage with financial institutions and philanthropies while learning from other sectors, says Perkins. With COP31 taking place in Türkiye—a key sourcing country for fashion—industry engagement may be higher this year.

Sustainability Talks Istanbul
When: December 8
Where: Istanbul, Türkiye
Sustainability Talks Istanbul returns in December with a one-day symposium gathering regional and international leaders in fashion production. The 2026 edition will focus on moving from pledges to tangible progress while navigating growing geopolitical, climate, and regulatory pressures. Organizers note that due diligence, regulatory readiness, circularity, and decarbonization will be key topics. The stakes are especially high for host country Türkiye, a critical player in global fashion supply chains that has recently faced challenges as brands relocate production in response to tariffs imposed during the Trump administration.Conversations in Istanbul connects global brand strategies with the practical aspects of production, sourcing, and compliance, providing a realistic perspective on what it takes to achieve credible and scalable sustainability transformation,” notes Orbit Consulting, which co-organizes the event with manufacturing leader Kipaş Textiles.

Frequently Asked Questions
FAQs Save the Date MustAttend Sustainable Fashion Events in 2026

General Beginner Questions

Q What exactly is a sustainable fashion event
A Its an eventlike a conference trade show or festivalfocused on ecofriendly and ethical fashion It showcases brands using recycled materials fair labor practices and innovative solutions to reduce the industrys environmental impact

Q Why should I attend one of these events in 2026
A Attending lets you discover the future of fashion firsthand Youll see cuttingedge sustainable designs learn from industry leaders connect with likeminded people and find brands that align with your values before they hit the mainstream

Q Im new to sustainable fashion Are these events for me
A Absolutely Many events have beginnerfriendly panels workshops and exhibitions perfect for learning the basics Its a great inspiring way to start your journey

Q What kind of events can I expect
A Youll find a mix major international trade fairs consumerfacing festivals with shopping and talks academic conferences and exclusive designer showcases or awards ceremonies

Logistics Planning

Q When should I start planning for 2026 events
A Start researching in midtolate 2025 Dates for major events are often announced a year in advance Signing up for newsletters from event organizers now is a smart move

Q Where will these main events likely be held
A Key hubs include cities like Copenhagen London New York Paris and Amsterdam Also watch for growing events in Asia and Latin America

Q How much do tickets usually cost
A It varies widely Large trade shows can be expensive for professionals while many festivals have affordable day passes or free exhibition areas Student discounts are often available

Q Can I attend virtually if I cant travel
A Yes Many events now offer hybrid or fully digital options with livestreamed talks virtual showrooms and online networking making them more accessible

Advanced IndustryFocused Questions