Natural Fibre Connect 2022
Online Grower & Herder Conference – 07-09 September 2022
This year the Wool Connect Conference by the Schneider Group turns into the Natural Fibre Connect Conference.
The conference includes 3 live days filled with expert speakers, recorded talks, and roundtable discussions aimed at tackling the common challenges of the alpaca, cashmere, mohair and wool industries. With each talk and panel, we will aim to highlight the perspective of growers and herders around the world.
Ingun and Tone will speak at this event.
PROGRAM
Wednesday, 7 September 2022 7:00-10:00 UTC & 14:00-17:00 UTC
Welcome to Day 1:Emerging Trends
TALKS: Shifting times
The world seems in constant crisis mode as we receive news about the war in Ukraine, high-energy prices, inflation, the ongoing pandemic, supply chain issues and climate change. In this session, we get an overview of how current events are shaping the industry.
PANEL: Stopping Greenwashing – Product Environmental Footprint (PEF)
In this panel, we get an update from various experts concerning Life Cycle Assessment and the European Union’s Product Environmental Footprint. In particular, we explore the small successes natural fibres have achieved in the fight for data-driven carbon accounting versus synthetic textiles led greenwashing.
TALKS: The Opportunities of Web 3.0 for the Textile Industry
In this session, we dive into the future of the metaverse, web.3.0 and blockchain technology. We find out how the natural fibre industry can benefit from emerging tech to stay relevant and improve sustainability.
Roundtables open
Thursday, 8 September 2022 7:00-10:00 UTC & 14:00-17:00 UTC
Welcome to Day 2: Challenges
TALKS: The Realities of Animal Welfare – The Challenges Growers and Herders Face
For centuries, growers and herders have had a close, caring and dependent relationship with their animals and nature, often embedded in traditional knowledge. In this session, we dive deep into the expectations on animal welfare, how distinct guidelines may not always be practical and why animals are still well taken care of.
TALKS: Putting Social Welfare on the Agenda – Recognising Natural Fibres as the Engine of Rural Economies
In this panel, we get an update from various experts concerning Life Cycle Assessment and the European Union’s Product Environmental Footprint. In particular, we explore the small successes natural fibres have achieved in the fight for data-driven carbon accounting versus synthetic textiles led greenwashing.
How to Unlock Regenerative Agriculture for Arid Regions
In this session, we dive into the future of the metaverse, web.3.0 and blockchain technology. We find out how the natural fibre industry can benefit from emerging tech to stay relevant and improve sustainability.Regenerative Agriculture continues to be of high interest to the fashion textile supply chain. However, the devil sits in the details, as not all regenerative practices are the right fit for all regions. In this session, panelists will discuss what options arid regions have and how we can create a common language and definitions to progress and benefit together.
Roundtables open
Friday, 9 September 2022 7:00-10:00 UTC & 14:00-17:00 UTC
Welcome to Day 3: Innovations
TALK: How Traceability is Reshaping the Industry
This session explores how transparency is transforming business through the use of technology, directly connecting all actors of the supply chain and simplifying certifications.
PANEL: How Green Finance can Support Growers
If the future is more green, finance will be too. This session looks at how the finance sector is reacting to climate change by allocating relevant funds to build a sustainable future. The panellists of this session will share how they are rethinking finance and what green investment opportunities lie ahead for growers and herders.
TALK: Hearing Directly from Growers & Herders
Hear a recap of the in-person grower and herder meetings that have taken place this week and what growers had to say about the main talks of this conference. What are the main challenges they are facing, how do they view market trends and what innovations are taking place at grower level. Each fibre will have a closing message of what we want to achieve in the future by taking action.
Roundtables open
Click here for more information and registration (gschneider.com).