Future Fabrics Expo: Beautiful Faces, Open Questions
The Future Fabrics Expo in Brussels was a wonderful experience. I met many familiar faces, people who have been advocating for alternative supply chains for years. Such events and encounters foster a sense of belonging to a truly committed movement. And yet, I returned home with a question that has stayed with me ever since: How much of what is showcased here truly contributes to genuine change?
What struck me was: There was hardly any talk about reduction. Consuming less, whether as an approach or a mindset, was practically absent. Instead, the focus was heavily on new materials: much of what is developed in laboratories, artificially produced alternatives to leather or other natural materials, along with many solutions based on recycling existing fabrics. Innovation was presented as the answer to everything. But do we really need even more new, technically complex materials when, as a society, we simply consume too much? Don't such developments sometimes keep alive the very status quo we actually wanted to change?
A talk on regenerative agriculture was particularly inspiring. It directly addressed the realities. What does it truly mean to produce in harmony with nature? What changes would be necessary for this, not only in agriculture but also in our overall understanding of production? For me, that was the most honest moment of the expo.
Many questions arose at our booth: regarding CO2 reduction, 'vegan leather,' and alternatives to plastic. These are good, important questions. However, they also reveal the current state of our industry: we are searching for substitutes, new technologies, and compensation. We less often ask where we should truly begin and what genuine change would demand from us.
Back on the farm, in the garden, harvesting blackcurrants with music and a glass of rosé, I was reminded of what truly matters to me: nourishing experiences that last. Not the next innovative material, but time, meaningful activity, and closeness to nature. Perhaps this is exactly the transformation needed: away from consumption, towards what truly nourishes us.
