This talk explores the future of recycled textiles and how innovation, design, and circular systems are reshaping the fashion industry’s relationship with waste and water. From pioneering fabric technologies to hyper-local recycling models, the session will examine how materials can be reimagined at every stage of their lifecycle - transforming environmental challenges into new opportunities for creative and commercial innovation. Expect insights into cutting-edge textile development, real-world circular design systems, and how collaboration between designers and innovators is driving the shift towards more responsible production.

Meet the speakers:

Rosemary Moore is a pioneering British textile designer, inventor, and creative director best known for her groundbreaking seamless textile innovation, MAXXAM®, developed after graduating from the Royal College of Art. Her work spans fashion, performance, sport, and wearable technology, and has been internationally recognised for combining technical innovation with artistic vision — earning her the nickname “Techno Artist.” Over a four-decade career, she has collaborated with brands including Missoni, Issey Miyake, Clarks, and DuPont, with her work exhibited at the Victoria & Albert Museum and featured in film. She continues to push the boundaries of textile technology and sustainable fabric innovation.

Peter Hornung is Founder and CEO of Round Rivers, a Swiss sustainable apparel brand transforming plastic bottles hand-picked from the Limmat River in Zurich into upcycled swimwear and outerwear. The brand is known for its hyper-local, 140-kilometre supply chain and fully circular, zero-hardware design approach, offering a radical example of how waste materials can be re-engineered into high-performance fashion products.