Future Fashion Factory’s 2023 Annual Showcase marked a significant milestone for the program, bringing together industrial partners who have collaborated over the course of five years of R&D innovation. The in-person event, the first since 2019, featured roundtable panel discussions, in addition to an exhibition area to showcase the program’s achievements.

Future Fashion Factory is an industry-led research program focused on advancing the fashion industry through digital and textile technologies. It aims to enhance agility and promote circular economies in luxury fashion design. With a strong presence in the UK, the fashion industry contributes £32 billion to the economy and is known for high-value branded products, emphasising British provenance and luxury. The program addresses the industry’s rapid changes driven by digitisation, data proliferation, and the demand for personalisation.

The Showcase highlighted the central themes of Heritage x Innovation, showcased live demonstrations, proof-of-concepts, prototypes, working products, and curated garment displays. Delegates from Future Fashion Factory’s Core Partners, including UKFT, Burberry, Yorkshire Textile mills, and various fashion and textile industry innovator all attended.

UKFT Operations Director Judith Rosser-Davies explained in the closing remarks “The fashion and textile industry to a critical turning point, and one which will redefine the sector and the opportunities within it for at least the next ten years. It will mean a fundamental change and one that needs to be delivered at pace and will call for new skills and new jobs. Industry, academia, government and consumers go hand in hand in solving this and need to create and maintain momentum around this agenda. Legislators, investors, researchers and consumers are all powerful drivers for change. But at its core it will be driven by research and development.”

The event delved into topics such as Next Gen fabrics, Regenerative Agriculture, Sustainability across the Supply Chain, and Net Zero Futures, shedding light on the program’s commitment to advancing these areas within the fashion industry.

Future Fashion Factory brings together textile design and manufacturing centres in the Leeds City Region with the creative design and retail hub of London. Collaborating with industry partners and leading academic institutions, including the Universities of Leeds, Huddersfield, and the Royal College of Art, the program seeks to shorten product development cycles, design with reduced waste, and transition to circular economies. By fostering innovation and research, Future Fashion Factory paves the way for a more sustainable and technologically advanced future in the fashion industry.