Fashion, Sustainability Leaders Convene at Climate and Nature Studio, Climate Week NYC

At Climate Week NYC, eight leading fashion organizations joined forces to present the Climate and Nature Studio, a collaborative platform designed to accelerate progress on climate, labor, and nature impact across the sector.

Together, Apparel Impact Institute (Aii), Cascale, Fashion for Good, Global Fashion Agenda, Textile Exchange, The Fashion Pact, Worldly, and ZDHC Foundation co-hosted the event, delivering two full days of impactful programming and networking moments.

Drawing over 450 attendees (with 235 attending the drinks reception), the inaugural event marked a new level of cooperation, reinforcing that collaboration is the industry’s most powerful tool to drive measurable change. Sessions spanned topics like green chemistry, decarbonization, climate adaptation, financing mechanisms, supply chain data and technology solutions, regulatory reporting, policymaking, and more.

Despite a busy week for delegates, the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) also had a special presence at the event. Acting as a high-level sector champion, Isabella Marras, senior programme management officer of interagency affairs at the UNEP, provided opening remarks on the sector’s positive potential for accelerating transformative change. Highlighting the impact of the apparel sector, Marras shed light on the importance of each organization convening together, with a call-to-action, noting ”collaborations that last are sincere and operational.”

Apparel Alliance

For the day one plenary, attendees played an interactive trivia game called “Inside the Apparel Alliance” spotlighting each Apparel Alliance member’s unique role and impact. By blending knowledge with play, participants gained clarity on the distinct roles of Apparel Alliance members Aii, Cascale, Textile Exchange, and ZDHC. The interactive session featured Aii’s president Lewis Perkins; Cascale’s senior director of brand and retailer membership Joleen Ong; ZDHC’s CEO Frank Michel; Textile Exchange’s CEO Claire Bergkamp and senior director of engagement and partnerships, Sarah Needham; who each shared how their organizations drive collective impact.

Attendees tested their knowledge through a round of trivia, underscoring the shared goals and complementary roles of each group. The discussion reinforced that no single organization can solve the industry’s challenges alone.

Similarly, day two’s plenary panel, “Partnerships that Power Progress,” brought together voices from across the value chain in a candid discussion moderated by Gonzalo Muñoz, cofounder of Ambition Loop and UN high-level climate champion. Panelists underscored how partnerships with the Apparel Alliance are advancing progress through harmonized measurement systems, shared investment models, and collective climate action.

Speakers included Ulrika Leverenz, head of green investment at H&M Group; Jeanne Carver, founder and president of Shaniko Wool Company; Scarlette Tapp, executive director of the Sustainable Furnishings Council; and Nikhil Hirdaramani, director of Hirdaramani Group.

Carver spoke to the rancher and farmer perspective, describing the importance of community at Textile Exchange and calling industry fragmentation the greatest challenge. Based in Sri Lanka, Hirdaramani brought the manufacturer’s view, pointing to ZDHC’s role in chemical management while urging stronger collaboration in light of severe weather disrupting supply chains. “I’d like to see even more suppliers at Climate Week,” he said.

Tapp highlighted how Cascale’s acquisition of SFC’s assets expands opportunities for cross-sector collaboration in home and textiles. Noting parallels between wood and fiber, she emphasized transparency and tool alignment as key enablers of progress. Leverenz underscored the role of financing in overcoming fragmentation, citing H&M Group’s partnership with Aii as a model for efficiency and scale.

Together, the discussion showcased how partnerships — from farms to finance — are accelerating climate solutions and driving industry-wide transformation.

Apparel Impact Institute

Aii hosted three interactive sessions addressing barriers and solutions for decarbonization including, “Cost of Inaction: Financial Case for Decarbonization,” ”Beyond Apparel: Lessons from Cross-sector Leaders on Climate Action,” and ”Doubling Down on Decarbonization.”

In the first workshop, attendees developed tailored finance pitches through exercises like persona creation, reflection mapping, and collaborative storyboard building. Attendees engaged in structured peer discussions to co-create arguments for sustainable investment. The outcomes from this session will inform a new report by Aii and Accenture about the quantifiable benefits to decarbonization, slated for Q1 next year.

Structured as a dynamic “fishbowl” conversation, the “Beyond Apparel” session invited participants to first listen in on a discussion between leaders from multiple sectors, and then rotate into the inner circle to contribute their own perspectives. The format allowed attendees to draw parallels between sectors, challenge assumptions, and spotlight their own barriers.

In the last session, participants took part in a board game-style experience where they worked in teams to navigate real-world barriers to supply chain decarbonization. The game encouraged problem-solving through trivia, map-based exercises, and rotating breakout stations staffed by experts on finance, infrastructure, and technology.

Attendees found the workshop formats fresh and engaging. They enjoyed the opportunity to learn both from Aii staff and from one another about creative approaches for funding and advancing supply chain improvements.

Aii’s president Lewis Perkins emphasized: “In the spirit of Climate Week NYC and turning bold ideas into urgent action, our Climate and Nature Studio proves the power of transforming fragmentation into collaboration, and mobilizing networks into collective impact. By uniting in one space, we not only amplify each other’s efforts, we send a clear signal that the apparel industry is ready to accelerate systemic change and drive measurable progress toward a lower-carbon future.”

Cascale

At Cascale’s intimate decarbonization session “Reality Check: Challenges in Tier 2 Decarbonization,” Chris Marshall, head of industry decarbonization, set the scene using a high-level data analysis from the Higg Facility Environmental Module (Higg FEM). Afterwards, Cascale’s editorial director Kaley Roshitsh moderated a chat with James Dougherty, managing director of REN Energy, examining the pressing challenge of engaging Tier 2 suppliers in decarbonization efforts. The conversation examined how multi-stakeholder collaboration models are unlocking progress where engagement has historically lagged. Key takeaways included the critical role of supplier business cases, the need for aligned metrics and financing mechanisms, and the importance of scaling proven engagement frameworks to overcome systemic and regional barriers. By pre-qualifying suppliers, Dougherty said some of them are seeing 20 to 30 percent cost-savings by switching to renewable energy.

On day two, Cascale’s session “Thriving in Climate Uncertainty: Prioritizing Decent Work for All,” featured Cascale’s Joleen Ong; Chana Rosenthal, consultant at NYU Stern Center for Sustainable Business and principle and founder of ReDesign Consulting; Nim Deshpande, managing director at Good Business Lab; and Evre Kaynak, Global Human Rights Due Diligence (HRDD) Leader, W. L. Gore &. Associates.

Panelists addressed how climate instability threatens workers’ rights and livelihoods across the supply chain. Speakers emphasized that safeguarding decent work must remain central to climate action, pointing to practical solutions such as risk-based due diligence, worker well-being programs, and harmonized solutions.

Ong called climate adaptation the “perfect storm” of vulnerabilities, including lost productivity and wages. Citing Cascale Annual Meeting 2025 data, she said that in an audience poll, over 55 percent  reported they are “unsure” of what to do about climate adaptation. Rosenthal called for action and a shift from the status quo, using tools like NYU Stern’s ROSI Methodology to calculate savings. “We have to look internally and shift the way we do business.” Kaynak called attention to the inequity faced in the Global South while Deshpande spoke about worker satisfaction and retention as a key benefit for employers, exploring solutions like cooling vests and heat insurance.

Fashion for Good

For the session “Catalyzing Future Forward Factories,” speakers explored how clean textile manufacturing could become the industry’s default. Speakers included Stephanie Grotta of Target, Sophia Halliday of the H&M Foundation, Amol Mehra of the Laudes Foundation, and Katie Tague of Artistic Milliners. Together, they examined how philanthropy, corporate capital, and new business models can help accelerate a transition to low-impact production.

The conversation challenged long-held assumptions around risk and responsibility in financing the shift to cleaner manufacturing. Panelists questioned whether fashion brands could make long-term capacity reservations to secure investment in new facilities and highlighted the role of catalytic capital in demonstrating viable, scalable solutions. They also discussed the importance of creating shovel-ready projects that unlock broader market transformation.

Speakers stressed that while philanthropy has helped advance early-stage innovation, corporate capital must also play a greater role to ensure a just and effective transition. This collective responsibility, they noted, is essential to align ambition with action.

Global Fashion Agenda

The GFA Policy Masterclass brought together a full room for a timely dialogue on fashion’s fast-moving policy landscape. The discussion covered California’s Responsible Textile Recovery Act, new EPR frameworks in the EU, and the revision of the Waste Framework Directive — addressing fragmented regulations and exploring opportunities to bring greater clarity for producers. Earlier this week, the GFA Assembly also explored the key topic of EPR.

Speakers included; Federica Marchionni, CEO, GFA; Chelsea Murtha, senior director of sustainability, American Apparel & Footwear Association (AAFA); Dennis Nobelius, CEO, Syre; Rachel Van Metre Kibbe, founder and CEO, American Circular Textiles; and Maria Luisa Martinez Diez, VP, public affairs, GFA.

In a separate session, GFA and strategic partner Ralph Lauren brought together industry peers for its “Innovation Networking” at the Climate and Nature Studio. With the aim of supporting the adoption of solutions across the fashion industry, the event featured a series of 126 strategic meetings connecting brands, financiers, and solution providers to foster collaboration.

Textile Exchange

Textile Exchange’s “Closing the Gap with Decision-Makers” panel featured Vogue Business’ Bella Webb, Textile Exchange’s Claire Bergkamp, Tapestry’s Logan Duran, Syre’s Dennis Nobelius, and Goldman Sachs’ Letitia Webster. The discussion centered on bridging ambition and action in sustainability by identifying key roadblocks and strategies for engaging decision-makers. Barriers include misaligned timelines, lack of relevant business-focused information, and difficulty translating sustainability into clear ROI, cost savings, and risk mitigation. Panelists emphasized the need for transparency, shared language, and framing sustainability as core to business viability, not an add-on.

Examples included Tapestry shifting sustainability from legal compliance to supply chain integration, which enabled deeper embedding into brand strategy and board conversations. To gain traction, sustainability professionals must “speak the language of business,” using true-cost accounting and material risk modeling to show relevance and profitability. Rather than fear-based messaging, companies should highlight incentives, circular models, and opportunities for competitive advantage. With sustainability budgets shrinking, organizations must leverage cross-departmental champions to embed sustainability across marketing, finance, and operations, ensuring resilience despite lean teams.

The “Unlocking the Economics of Scale for Preferred Production Systems” panel featured The Business of Fashion’s Sara Kent, Textile Exchange’s Sarah Needham, Cotton On’s Liz Hershfield, and Everlane’s Katina Boutis. The discussion centered on insights from Textile Exchange’s newly released Materials Benchmark report, highlighting the encouraging rise in certified material adoption. Panelists explored how lower-impact fibers are gaining traction with both brands and farmers, emphasizing that scalability is key to making these models viable. While rigid standards limit scale, overly flexible ones risk undermining trust. Costs remain a major barrier, driven by both adoption and climate change impacts, but panelists agreed that long-term investment is worth it if it strengthens supply chains and supports farmers.

The conversation stressed the importance of incentivization, fair farmer compensation, and recognizing that materials like cotton cannot be taken for granted. To advance, the industry must commit to long-term strategies, leverage financial mechanisms, and emphasize the business case for scaling sustainable practices. Opportunities in regenerative agriculture, circularity, and data-driven business models provide optimism for transformation.

The Fashion Pact

In The Fashion Pact’s “Scaling Climate Action in Fashion with the Future Supplier Initiative (FSI),” brands, suppliers, and partners convened to highlight how this collective financing model is helping suppliers access capital and accelerate decarbonization. Speakers included moderator and reporter Olivia Rockeman, business leader and The Fashion Pact’s co-chair Paul Polman, and The Fashion Pact’s executive director Eva von Alvensleben.

“Profit without sustainability will not give you a long lasting company,” stated Polman. He called for collective courage, highlighting the industry’s need to cooperate, adding: “The future of humanity is also the future of your industries.”

Tanul Chakraborty at Hameem Group and Mohammed Zahidullah at DBL Group joined to provide the manufacturer perspective in a hybrid session that also included Gap’s vice president of global sustainability Dan Fibiger, H&M Group’s head of green investment Ulrika Leverenz, along with Hemang Nerlekar, associate director at Guidehouse which is the facilitator of the FSI. Overall takeaways included the importance of pooling resources and de-risking investment, direct supplier engagement, and engagement at the CEO and CFO level to accelerate impact at scale. To date, 45 suppliers have been engaged in the FSI which also includes manufacturers from Aii’s Climate Leadership Programme.

Worldly

In the sessions “Put Your Supply Chain Data to Work” and “Getting Scope 3 Data That Is Fast, Reliable, and Flexible,” speakers Adele Stafford, chief growth officer; Stefanie Kato, associate director of accounts; Michael Krakower, senior director of accounts; and Paula Bernstein, associate director of sustainability science, reflected on how supplier engagement, primary data, and actionable intelligence help brands, retailers, and manufacturers innovate, future-proof their operations, and move the industry forward together.

When equipped with trusted data and insights, businesses can understand supply chain risk, strengthen collaboration, and deliver product-level transparency. From carbon intensity and production volumes to climate scenario analysis and policy forecasts, Worldly’s supply chain data enables companies to pinpoint where investments can drive the greatest impact so they can build resilience while meeting regulatory requirements and improve social and environmental impact globally. Worldly’s recently launched solution Worldly Axion helps companies look forward to future-proof their operations. It brings together dozens of risk datasets—including heat, water, climate, and transition risks — to give companies a clear view of where their operations and suppliers are most exposed. Its built-in AI system helps teams interpret the data, from planning GHG reductions to guiding decisions like coal phase-out strategies for factories, electricity pricing, and next steps.

In both sessions, Worldly speakers expressed gratitude in joining collaborators and customers at the Climate and Nature Studio.

ZDHC Foundation

ZDHC Foundation hosted two sessions on how safer chemistry de-risks supply chains, safeguards natural capital, and creates durable financial value. For its “From Chemistry to Natural Capital: Launching the ZDHC-Quantis Study, Results, and Real-World Impact,” ZDHC partnered with Quantis to launch the Natural Capital Impact study. In a presentation, Quantis’ Phillipp Meister shared data-driven findings on how safer chemistry and ZDHC’s Roadmap to Zero MRSL approach directly reduces negative impacts on human and environmental health and well-being, mitigates risk and equips organizations with practical tools for ESG integration. He underscored real-life brand case studies. Facilitated by ZDHC’s Lauren Zahringer, a leadership dialogue explored the significance and real-life application of the results and research findings. This candid conversation included Alante Capital’s Leslie Harwell, investor David Bennell, ZDHC’s CEO Frank Michel and chief impact officer Scott Echols, offering diverse perspectives from the industry, private equity and innovation to public markets finance industry at large.

The following day, ZDHC’s session ”ROI: Financial Strategies and Market Value from Safer Chemistry” shifted focus toward tangible business and shareholder value. The session drew investors, sustainability strategists, ESG rating agencies, and supply chain experts for a personable roundtable style session exploring the returns of investing resources in safer-chemistry, sustainable chemical management and the connection to risk and natural capital.

The session featured insights and research findings from ZDHC’s Lauren Zahringer, Quantis’ Natalie Benz, and an investor-led dialogue with Diederik Wokke of the Wire Group and David Bennell, an investor and leading expert in the emerging field of natural capital investing. The session drew on cross-sector experience and offered participants clear examples of how integrated chemical management supports mitigating risk, enhances due diligence, and creates long-term value.

Momentum Across All Programming

Across all sessions, a unifying theme emerged: collective action is not optional – but essential. Too, networking moments – including a jointly sponsored drinks reception by the Apparel Alliance and catered lunches both days by all organizers – captured the spirit of unity. During these networking moments, attendees found a space to carry on dialogues and make additional connections. Brand partners, where noted, also contributed immensely to the festivities.

Across the two days of programming, attendees, speakers, and organizers stressed the value in the Climate and Nature Studio as a dedicated convening hub for celebrating and building actionable momentum at Climate Week NYC.

Photography Credit: Barbara Gabrielle