Unexpected looks at the clothing industry of the future
Illustration by Blenda Averfalk.
At the moment, the EU is designing what a Digital Product Passport could look like. The idea is that goods should be provided with digital information, where and how they are produced, but also how they can be repaired and recycled. The DPP is seen as an opportunity for a more sustainable industry, for example in the fashion and textiles industry which is one of the first areas where the DPP requirement will be introduced. DPP also opens up entirely new possibilities — for example, producers can create a more interactive customer relationship, where consumers themselves can add information about the product. It also creates new business opportunities in the secondary market. Since the information in the DPP can be verified through the block chain, it becomes easier to guarantee that goods, such as branded products, are truly authentic and thus also to see which goods are plagiarized.
During Unexpec on June 4, participants will be able to explore how practical methods and digital tools are reshaping the fashion and textile landscape. As craft meets technology, circularity drives new business models and the digital product passport unlocks transparency, it can lead to bold innovation in a forward-looking field that spawns creative breakthroughs and opens up new opportunities for impact and investment.
Fashion designer Blenda Averfalk, SyncMode Studios, will tell you about eco-design. In the past, a designer could focus on making a fashion garment — now the work starts with choosing a sustainable material and continues with the design and cutting of the garment with as little waste as possible. At the same time, you need to plan so that the garment can be repaired and finally disassembled when it is no longer used. By combining craftsmanship with technology, Blenda Averfalk wants to rethink how fashion is created, experienced and scaled up in a more responsible and forward-looking way.
Klas Hjort is a researcher at Lund University and has spent over 20 years researching returns management, with a particular focus on the digitalisation and transformation of trade. His work spans areas such as consumer behavior, circular economy, and system solutions for more resource- and transport-efficient return flows. Klas Hjorth is active in the research environments Alliance for Sustainable E-commerce and the Centre for Retail and Logistics at Lund University, where he works closely with companies and community actors to drive the development of sustainable and data-driven business models.
Lars Mattiasson, project manager for the Textile & Fashion portfolio at Future by Lund, will also participate. Lars Mattiasson has a background in entrepreneurship and innovation. As co-founder of Sweden's first KKN incubator, The Creative Plot, he blends creative and business perspectives to drive growth. He specializes in sustainable and circular textile solutions and participates in several projects that drive development both locally, nationally and internationally. In his presentation, he shows how the Digital Product Passport (DPP) can fundamentally change the fashion and textile industry — by creating new business models and opening up exciting investment opportunities.
It's not too late to sign up for Unexpected on June 4th
More to read:
MCRS: Sustainable manufacturing industry tested in Lund
How can the DPP affect the cultural and creative industries?
DPP shows the way for the future of manufacturing
Future by Lund | News | “The DPP will mean that all steps in the chain must be transparent”