California Apparel News

Functional Fabric Fair returns to the Javits Center in New York City, bringing together the textile industry’s most influential professionals and innovators to source, network and above all learn.

This season’s edition kicks off with the Day 0 Sustainability Workshop on July 21, a full-day conference designed to equip participants with critical knowledge and actionable strategies for advancing sustainability in the global textile supply chain. Considered a keystone of the event, the workshop will be curated by renowned industry experts Jill Dumain, founding partner of Fractional CSOs; Todd Copeland, founder and owner of Copeland Consultancy LLC; and Kevin Myette, director of global brand services for bluesign. Session topics will address supply-chain complexities, sustainability hot spots, circularity and building a sustainability strategy.

The exhibition hall will open July 22–23 and include sourcing from over 150 sustainable exhibiting companies, networking opportunities and a wide range of sessions on the Expert Talks stage. Tuesday highlights will include “Performance Colors: The Full Picture of Summer 2027” with Nora Kühner, independent fashion and design consultant, and “The World of Tariffs, Trade and Sourcing Under Trump 2.0” with Rick Helfenbein, former chairman, president and CEO of the American Apparel & Footwear Association. Wednesday’s talks will include “Women for Women’s Wear: Is the Future of Sustainable Fashion Female?” with Patricia Langan, founder of Women for Women’s Wear, and “3D Garment Development with Diversity: Matching Avatars to Real Bodies” hosted by Jaime Griggs and Dr. Jan Beringer.

“Functional Fabric Fair is committed to providing the foundation the industry needs to thrive through education, sourcing and meaningful connections,” said Steve McCullough, Event Vice President. “This year’s program is more relevant than ever, offering real solutions at the intersection of performance, responsibility, innovation and community.”