WWD China announces Sustainable ‘Digital Fashion Week’

The social media campaign, “Kind to Earth, Fashion for Future,” is a call-to-action for the fashion community — including designers, celebrities and influencers — with over 100 brand partners participating to amplify sustainability awareness efforts.

Partners include the China National Textile and Apparel Council, the Responsible Supply Chain Association, the China National Garment Association and China Fashion Week, among others.

For the first time, WWD China will team with leading digital producers to unveil “Digital Fashion Week” debuting April 1 and “showcasing the best of sustainable fashion presented by Chinese and international designers and brands,” according to a statement.

Later in April, the publication will join forces with the Fashion Industry Committee of the General Association of Zhejiang Entrepreneurs to continue the digital momentum with an online-only event titled “The Digital International Technology and Sustainability Fashion Summit.”

Topics will span best practices and include supply chain transparency, zero-waste design, green chemistry, as well as the latest trends in sustainable technology and innovation in China.

WWD China’s chief executive officer Lena Yang said the summit “is designed as a solutions-focused conference with companies sharing their strategies, processes and practices, as well as lessons learned along the way when running a fashion business with environmental and social responsibility in mind. It offers a unique opportunity to meet China’s manufacturers, tech innovators and learn about the state of sustainability in China.”

The summit will be accompanied by the launch of a “special sustainable content initiative” spearheaded by WWD China, which will include features on the latest innovations in the industry, profiles on executives and the “Think Tank” contributor series, as appears in WWD.

“The current coronavirus crisis is a good time for the industry to reflect. WWD China, being at the center of the global fashion supply chain has been closely covering sustainability issues since we have launched last year,” said Johannes Neubacher, WWD China’s chief content officer.

The efforts align with the shift to digital — seen by brands and some companies with conferences planned — in the wake of COVID-19.