Research network develops collaborations for sustainable textiles and fashion
On December 3, researchers, experts, and industry representatives gathered at KTH for a seminar on sustainability in the textile and fashion industry, hosted by the University Alliance Stockholm Trio.
In his welcome speech, President Anders Söderholm emphasized the importance of joint efforts. “Together KTH, Karolinska Institutet, and Stockholm University can create new arenas for researchers and students to collaborate with societal actors, bringing us closer to implementing sustainability in sectors like fashion.”
Collaboration to address sustainability challenges
The seminar brought together more than 80 key stakeholders from across Sweden to address challenges in the fashion value chain, including circularity and sustainable materials. Representatives from the Swedish fashion industry highlighted the critical role of research and education in supporting a sustainable fashion sector in Sweden.
John Jamal Gille, Project Director of the Association of Swedish Fashion Brands (ASFB), emphasized the need for more frequent collaboration between universities and industry. He highlighted their initiative Swedish Threads as an example of how businesses can work with higher education to prepare future professionals. “If students from different disciplines meet early in their career they have a better chance to develop innovative ideas for a sustainable future,” he said.
Helena Waker, CEO of Trade Partners Sweden and Stockholm Fashion District, invited researchers to join their events. “Swedish designers are in the forefront of procuring sustainable materials, and bringing researchers and businesses together is how we can drive sustainable solutions forward”.
The sentiment was echoed by researchers from the network. “Collaborating with the business sector is essential for academia, and today we gained valuable insights into various sustainability initiatives taking place in the fashion industry,” said Susanna Molander, Associate Professor at the Stockholm Business School, Stockholm University.
“It was inspiring to meet so many others dedicated to sustainable textiles and fashion and to realize that we are not alone in these efforts,” said Gunnar Henriksson, Professor in Wood Chemistry at KTH.
Next steps for joint initiatives
In the afternoon, seminar participants took part in a workshop to identify collaboration opportunities. Kristina von Oelreich, Sustainability Manager at KTH, and Hanna Karlsson, Associate Professor at Karolinska Institutet, organisers of the seminar, viewed the workshop as a stepping stone towards creating a permanent platform for collaboration between researchers and other societal actors.
“The next step is to secure resources to start a concrete project, hopefully with some of those who participated today,” said von Oelreich. “By collaborating across disciplines and sectors, we can demonstrate how a transformation of the textile and fashion industry can take place at a systemic level, since politics, technology, culture, environment, and health are all interconnected.”
Hanna Karlsson, who received a grant from Stockholm Trio for Sustainable Actions to initiate research on hazardous chemicals in clothing with KTH and Stockholm University, also emphasized the importance of broad collaboration. “I am hopeful that our research, which draws on the expertise of all three universities, will continue to expand in collaboration with additional stakeholders,” she said.
Text: Nina Eneroth
Foto: Magnus Glans