FIT's 19th Annual Sustainable Business and Design Conference
Charting a Course Toward Circularity
April 8 and 9, 2025
10 am–6 pm
Fashion Institute of Technology
Enter via the Pomerantz Art and Design Center lobby, located on the northwest corner
of
West 27th Street and Seventh Avenue, New York, NY 10001
This year's conference will focus on how the creative industries are leading the transition toward closed-loop systems that reduce and even eliminate resource consumption and waste. Vibrant and inspirational conversations among eco-entrepreneurs, designers, activists, and nonprofit leaders will delve into strategies for navigating change and fostering collaboration in sustainable design, production, distribution, and business. Join us as we explore new ideas, forge a deeper understanding of the challenges and opportunities the industry faces, and build hope for a better future.
The conference is free for the FIT community (faculty, staff, and students). There is no registration fee for FIT community members (students, faculty, and staff) but pre registration is required. Faculty, if you are planning to bring your class, you may note that when you register for the event.
Registration for FIT Students and Employees
Registration for the General Public and FIT Alumni
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For general information or questions, email [email protected].
Leadership and Speakers
View the organizers and speakers
Additional speaker bios to come.
Schedule of Events
Events will be held in person, along with pre-recorded and livestreamed sessions for
the FIT community and registered attendees. Please check back for updated schedule information.
Tuesday, April 8
The Pomerantz Art and Design Center lobby
located on the northwest corner of West 27th Street and Seventh Avenue
Featuring the EarthTone Interactive Coloring Project, a large-scale graphic that FIT biodesign students created for all of us to color
Preregistration required, details to follow
Designing with BioMaterials (Genspace)
Explore biomaterials in this hands-on workshop, where we will learn how to cultivate
and manipulate algae-based biomaterials. This workshop encourages experimentation
and creativity, and aims to foster understanding of this biomaterial’s potential.
Workshop participants will:
be introduced to biomaterials;
use the biofabrication process to make biothread;
and learn sustainable design principles and practices.
Lolo Ostia, multidisciplinary artist, educator, and researcher
Natural Dyeing for Textiles (Space Dyeing)
Textile Development & Marketing Dye Lab, Room A683
Join us in the Textile Development and Marketing Dye Lab for a Natural Dyeing Workshop
exploring natural color and modifiers. We will use plant-based dyestuffs grown in
FIT's rooftop Natural Dye Garden to create color on fibers and then experiment with
common color modifiers to expand our natural rainbow. Participants will create several
small swatches for their own collection.
Whitney Crutchfield, Textile Development and Marketing faculty, FIT
Actionable Activism: Empowering Communities Through Design Thinking Workshop
Seminar Room 9
This workshop will help participants explore creative, human-centered solutions for
sustainability challenges in their communities. We encourage participants to move
from abstract discussion to actionable, community-driven design solutions, using the
principles of design thinking. You’ll come away from this workshop with an action
plan for implementing sustainable design solutions in your own community.
Amy Sperber, Fashion Design faculty, FIT
Andrea Diodati, Fashion Design faculty, FIT
Repurposing Waste Workshop: Making a Serving Board with Recycled Materials
Dubinsky AC08
How can we create beautiful and functional objects while prioritizing safety and sustainability?
In this hands-on workshop, we’ll transform recycled wood into unique serving boards,
exploring the properties of different wood types and the potential risks associated
with finishes and treatments. As we craft, we’ll discuss how to identify and avoid
hazardous substances in woodworking, ensuring that the materials we use are safe for
both our health and the environment. Together, we’ll explore sustainable design practices
that give new life to discarded materials and reduce our ecological footprint.
Dr. Julian R. Silverman, Chemistry faculty, FIT
Steven Ceraso, Continuing and Professional Studies, FIT
John E. Reeves Great Hall
Join us for a delicious lunch (included with conference registration fee) and a chance to connect with fellow conference attendees and industry experts.
Dr. Karen R. Pearson, chair, FIT Sustainability Council
Additional information to come
Maxwell Osborne, designer and founder, anOnlyChild
Jonathan Cohen, creative director, Jonathan Cohen Studio
Indré Rockefeller, climate communicator, entrepreneur, and Founder of The Circularity Project
Moderator: Christina Lee, Fashion Business Management faculty, FIT
William Calvert, co-founder and CEO, RTV
Billy McCall, co-founder and CEO, Kintra Fibers
Buxton Midyette, VP marketing and promotions, Supima Cotton
Amber Härkönen, circular business manager, Circulose; Textile Development and Marketing alumna
Moderator: Tom Scott, associate professor, Fashion Design
New York City- and State-based collaborative, partnership activities, supporting innovation and circular business models
Helen Lu, director, biomedical engineering; senior vice dean of faculty affairs and advancement,
Columbia University
Theanne Schiros, Science and Math faculty, FIT
Tavis Ezell, director of business development for the New York State Sensor Center of Advanced
Technology (CAT) at CUNY’s Advanced Science Research Center
Casey Lardner, executive director, Genspace
Kym Canter, founder and chief creative officer, BIOFUR®
SHOP Architects
Sherry Brabham, treasurer and vice president for Finance and Administration, FIT
John E. Reeves Great Hall
We invite you to a reception announcing this year’s recipient of the FIT Changemaker Award for lifetime contributions to the mission of sustainability at FIT. Join us as we celebrate the award winner—and also one another—for our commitment to sustainability.
Wednesday, April 9
The Pomerantz Art and Design Center lobby
located on the northwest corner of West 27th Street and Seventh Avenue
Featuring the EarthTone Interactive Coloring Project, a large-scale graphic created by FIT biodesign students for all of us to color.
Katie Murphy Amphitheatre
Connect with industry professionals and other conference attendees to discuss sustainability in the fashion and creative industries.
FIT Conference Co-Chairs
As sustainability reshapes the luxury landscape, how can brands lead the charge toward a more responsible future? As consumer expectations evolve, the future of responsible luxury demands a bold reimagination of sustainability, ethics, and innovation. This dynamic panel brings together internationally recognized leaders from the diamond, fine jewelry, and fashion industries to explore what the next generation of responsible luxury looks like. The panelists will discuss the industry’s biggest challenges and opportunities: from traceability and transparent supply chains to the transformative power of collaboration and inclusivity. Join us for an insightful conversation on how luxury brands and leaders can shift to more sustainable models while maintaining the excellence, craftsmanship, and desirability that define luxury.
Tiffany Stevens, chief business officer and head of sustainability, International Gemological Institute
Malyia McNaughton, founder and CEO, Made by Malyia
Wendy Waugh
Moderator: Lauren Petrovic, founder, Laurenti New York; FIT Alumna
Ann Cantrell, Fashion Business Management faculty, FIT
Whitney Crutchfield, Textile Development and Marketing faculty, FIT
Jaclyn Lindsey-Noble, Textile Development and Marketing adjunct professor, FIT
Moderators:
Giselle Mastrolonardo, student, Fashion Business Management
Julia Nordahl, student, Fashion Design
Discussion of FIT and Uniqlo's Project
Jean-Emmanuel Shein, director, global corporate social responsibility, UNIQLO USA
Juliana Cho, Fashion Design faculty, FIT
Joe Staluppi, Communication Design faculty, FIT
Michael Ferraro, executive director, FIT DTech Lab
Moderator: Joanne Arbuckle, FIT DTech Lab
Valentina M. Henao, business development manager, Business Development Manager Texiles at Eastman; FIT almuna
John E. Reeves Great Hall
Join us for a delicious lunch (included with conference registration fee) and a chance
to connect with fellow conference attendees and industry experts.
Diarra Bousso, founder of the fashion tech company DIARRABLU
Dr. Elizabeth Way, curator of costume and accessories, The Museum at FIT
Rachel Glicksberg, women’s fashion and new initiatives lead, The RealReal
Noelle Sciacca, head of fashion and strategic partnerships, The RealReal
Join Wawa Gatheru, founder of Black Girl Environmentalist (BGE), in conversation with Kwolanne Felix, BGE’s fellowship and digital community manager, and Whitney McGuire, former inaugural associate director of sustainability at the Guggenheim, for an insightful discussion on the intersection of Afrofuturism and climate justice. This engaging session will explore the panelists’ various projects that address systemic barriers in the environmental movement, including BGE’s Hazel M. Johnson Fellowship Program and McGuire’s Sustainable Brooklyn, a consulting and educational agency.
Kwolanne Felix, Hazel M. Johnson Fellowships and Community Manager, Black Girl Environmentalist
Whitney McGuire, founder and managing partner at The McGuire Consulting Group
Moderator: Wawa Gatheru, founder and executive director, Black Girl Environmentalist
Sophia Li, award-winning journalist, climate advocate, public speaker, and United Nations Human Rights Champion
Dr. Karen R. Pearson, chair, FIT Sustainability Council
Conference Overview
Each year, the Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT) organizes and hosts a sustainable business and design conference. The event is recognized as a platform for collaboration and discussion across the creative industries, highlighting advances in sustainable design and cutting-edge thought leadership. By sharing innovative student projects, cross-institutional research, and industry partnerships, the conference explores solutions to the most pressing environmental and social challenges of our time. In recent years, session topics have included the farm-to-fashion movement, biomaterials innovation, a sustainable supply chain, mindfulness in design, and recyclable packaging materials. The wide-ranging program features keynote speakers, panels, and projects that delve into pressing issues and exciting developments in the industry.
