The Fifth Edition of the Phygital Sustainability Expo Presented in Rome

Phygital Sustainability Expo, the first event in Italy dedicated to the eco sustainable transition of fashion and design brands , organized by the Sustainable Fashion Innovation Society , will be held in person in Rome at the archaeological complex of Trajan’s Markets – Museum of the Imperial Forums – from June 4th to June 5th, 2024 .

The program was presented in Rome, in the Hall of Flags, at the headquarters of the European Parliament in Italy, by the president of the Sustainable Fashion Innovation Society, Valeria Mangani, with a press conference attended by the director of the European Parliament Office in Italy, Carlo Corazza, the director of the European Commission Representation in Italy, Antonio Parenti, the director of the ICE Consumer Goods Office, Matteo Masini and the councilor of Rome Capital for Major Events, Sport, Tourism and Fashion, Alessandro Onorato.

The two-day event, now in its fifth edition, this year features numerous panels, moments of debate, a narrated parade and interactive activities “with the aim”, explained Mangani, “of educating the public about the culture of sustainability.”

“Phygital Sustainability Expo brings together institutions, businesses and the territory with the aim of enhancing the Made in Italy production, creative and manufacturing system, thus accelerating the process of the eco-sustainable transition in fashion and design,” added Mangani. The event is co-organised with the European Parliament and the European Commission and aims to underline the importance of the EU’s pioneering strategy to emerge as a global sustainability policy maker.

“Italian fashion has a decisive weight on the global scene. It is therefore essential that this sector seizes the opportunities arising from the sustainable transition, starting with the circular economy and the fight against fast fashion. In this process, dialogue with the European Union, the driving force behind these changes, is essential. In view of the European elections on 8 and 9 June, Phygital Sustainability Expo® can be a moment to imagine together the role of the next European Parliament in shaping our future and making the sector stronger, innovative and sustainable,” said Carlo Corazza .

Europe at the center

There is a lot of Europe also in this fifth edition and it could not be otherwise for the first net carbon zero continent by 2050, incipit of the package of strategic initiatives of the European Green Deal, which aims to start the EU on the path to a green transition. The fifth edition of the Phygital Sustainability Expo aims to take stock of the state of the art with a focus also on EPR-Extended Producer Responsibility: Europe and the grounding of sustainability policies.

A few months ago, the European Commission opened a dialogue with companies for a reformulation of frameworks that are too penalizing for the various production sectors, from industry to agriculture. We need to be pragmatic and not ideological. However, the ECB estimates that in the long term the Green turning point will arrive, which will bring with it a wave of innovation and green technologies capable of supporting the productivity of companies on the Old Continent.

“The European Union carries out an important commitment to the sustainability of the textile and fashion sector. The European Commission’s strategy aims to make fabrics more durable, reusable and capable of tackling the so-called fast fashion phenomenon, stimulating innovation in the sector – declared Antonio Parenti – We are pleased to be an institutional partner of the Phygital Sustainability Expo – the European States General on Sustainability 2024 to witness this work.”

Dressing the Future

The fashion industry, one of the largest in the world with an average annual growth rate of 7.31% (period 2021-2025) has a significant impact on the environment, a primary source of greenhouse gas emissions, including carbon dioxide (CO2) and other pollutants.

Furthermore, it produces over 92 million tons of waste and consumes 79 trillion liters of water per year, ranking second in terms of use of water resources and generating water pollution problems. The fashion market is worth over 1.3 trillion euros and offers work to more than 290 million people in the world thanks to “fast fashion”, which has led to an exponential growth in production, with around 100 billion pieces sold today, 400% more than twenty years ago.

This quantity is expected to triple by 2050. These are some of the data collected in the new scientific publication “Dressing the Future: vital interactions as a source of innovation. The case of the Sustainable Fashion Innovation Society”, created with the collaboration of Sapienza University of Rome and published by Giappichelli.

The publication will be presented on the stage of the Phygital Sustainability Expo on June 4th, 2024. A total of 36 companies from 8 different nations and 10 sectors (including fashion, luxury, tourism, energy, entertainment, food & beverage) participated in the scientific research, of which 2 international institutions, 3 national institutions, the Ministry of Made in Italy, 10 multinationals and 20 highly innovative fashion-tech start-ups. In summary, the apparel industry faces significant challenges in balancing economic growth with environmental sustainability and workers’ rights.

This premise explains the need for a “green revolution” to review the way of producing, collecting raw materials and above all rethinking the models familiar to us, including the use of clothing. And also for this reason Phygital Sustainability Expo takes on a fundamental role in the path of sustainable transition.

“For fashion companies, sustainability is not only an ethical commitment but also a competitiveness tool, the importance of which grows rapidly with the growth of responsible consumer behavior. The specific attention on this topic is therefore fully part of the mission of the ICE Agency, expressed through the channels of promotion, training and support for innovative events in this field, which is what we are talking about today – said the Director of the Office Consumer Goods ICE, Matteo Masini.

The augmented reality experience will make the Phygital Sustainability Expo and the Museum itinerary even more engaging

The now consolidated relationship between ICE and Phygital Sustainability Expo is reflected in the number of delegates selected and invited to the event with the support of the ICE foreign network, tripled from 2021 to today in a process of continuous refinement of the collaboration based on objectives that are also constantly evolving, as well as the challenges that await this sector of such great importance for Made in Italy in the world”.

A transversal format that is also enriched by the “Narrated Fashion Show”, copyright of the Sustainable Fashion Innovation Society and a moment in which ten brands will exhibit their cutting-edge and sustainable garments, told by a narrator, off-screen, who describes their technological innovations and estimates its carbon footprint.

Furthermore, in the setting of Trajan’s Markets, an immersive museum exhibition will take place on Via Biberatica: each brand will display its own eco-sustainable products, explaining their characteristics and strengths in the field of environmental protection. Furthermore, there will be an educational area on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the UN 2030 Agenda, set up by the FAO – Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, partner of the Phygital Sustainability Expo.

The augmented reality experience will make the Phygital Sustainability Expo and the Museum itinerary even more engaging. The exhibition, in fact, will be accompanied by a deep technology component: Lenovo glasses and WebXR code will allow guests to see, through images reproduced in a realistic and immersive way, the negative impact of compulsive buying and fast fashion, projecting visitors to degraded areas of the world, in the South of the planet, due to the waste generated by fast fashion shopping. Furthermore, the public will be able to experience how to make a leather glove thanks to the educational laboratory made available by UNIC – Italian Tanneries.

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(Featured image by Alyssa Strohmann via Unsplash)

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