The first speakers have been announced for the World Textile Summit, which will be co-located with ITMA 2015 and explore sustainability strategies to create business value in the textile manufacturing value chain.

• differentiating brands and companies
• business profitability and security
• investment decisions
• the circular supply chain
• customer acquisition and retention
• product development

The Summit will be an opportunity for textile business leaders to share and discuss their own direct experiences, with several presenting short case studies and engaging in audience debate on topics that include the investment case for green technology, and value creation from the use of sustainable materials.

Speakers

Speakers announced include Helga Vanthourout, a senior consultant at the Sustainability and Resource Productivity Practice of McKinsey and Company.

Ms Vanthourout is an expert in the circular economy as it relates to textiles and her clients range from manufacturers to waste-management companies and even city authorities. In 2014, McKinsey, in collaboration with the World Economic Forum, authored an influential report on the circular supply chain, on behalf of the Ellen MacArthur Foundation.

The World Bank, whose International Finance Corporation division reported in 2012 on The Business Case for Sustainability, has also accepted an invitation to speak at the Summit.

Top-level speakers from within the textile community include: Frank Henke, VP for Social & Environmental Affairs, adidas; Dr Johannes Merck, CSR Director, Otto Group; Linda Keppinger, Global Materials Director, Nike Inc; Barak Tun, Director Sales, Menderes Tekstil; and Roger Yeh, President, Everest Textile Company. Other speakers will be announced in the coming weeks.

Unique event

Scheduled for 13 November 2015, the second day of ITMA 2015 in Milan, the World Textile Summit 2015 is designed to be a unique one-day event that brings together the world’s most influential textile leaders to debate issues of strategic importance to the global industry. It is owned and organised by CEMATEX, WTiN and MP Expositions.

The event is sponsored by leading textile-machinery companies and environmental standards bodies including SPGPrints, MS Italy, bluesign technologies, Oeko-Tex, Reggiani, and Oerlikon. Supporting partners include the Sustainable Apparel Coalition, The Textile Institute and the Better Cotton Initiative.

www.worldtextilesummit.com