Kingpins Transformers targets university students with new sustainability conference in London

By

Robin Driver

Published
Sep 11, 2019

The first edition of Kingpins Transformers: Ed, the new one-day conference for university students highlighting sustainability in the denim supply chain, kicks off at London’s Ravensbourne University on October 18.
 

As part of the wider Kingpins Transformers initiative, led by the organizers of Kingpins Show in collaboration with House of Denim, the event aims to educate fashion students about the social, environmental and economic challenges facing the denim sector before they enter the wider industry.
 
In particular, the full-day conference will while seek to help students understand the shortcomings and inefficiencies of the denim supply chain, while also teaching them about the innovative solutions being developed by different industry members.

15 speakers have been confirmed for the conference, including Conscious Fashion Campaign’s Kerry Bannigan, Michael Kininmonth of Lenzing, The Lycra Company’s Helen Latham, Rowan Hunt of Debenhams, and Steve Kenzie, executive director of United Nations Global Compact. The event will be hosted by Denim History founder Mohsin Sajid.
 
“I have always been passionate about education and engaging with young people who will enter the denim industry and hopefully change it for the better,” explained Andrew Olah, founder of Kingpins Transformers and Kingpins Show, in a release. “If we want to push the denim industry toward the radical change that is necessary to make us sustainable and transparent, we – as an industry – must actively engage with students, educate them, provide them with insights and support them as they enter the industry.”
 
Kingpins Transformers: Ed is exclusively open to students, but other denim industry members interested in questions of sustainability will have the opportunity to attend Kingpins Transformers: Catalysts in Amsterdam on October 22. The event that will spotlight denim brands and manufacturers exploring innovative new sustainability solutions.
 
The Kingpins Transformers initiative’s latest round of conferences responds to a thirst for change in the jeans industry. Indeed, as sustainability continues to be a growing concern in the denim sector, a number of brands – including Primark, Wrangler and Tommy Hilfiger  – have introduced a range of different jeanswear-focused initiatives over the last few months in an attempt to boost their eco-credentials.

Kingpins Transformers: Ed is sponsored by Tencel, Saitex and FibreTrace.