Preface LA connected responsible apparel supply-chain companies and organizations, such as Snova (below) with brands and designers to support ethical and eco-friendly apparel making.
TRADE SHOW REPORT
Preface LA Creates Authentic Ties Between Attendees, Exhibitors
During Preface LA’s July 30–31 run at Honeypot LA in downtown Los Angeles, show founder Betsy Franjola welcomed attendees to connect with carefully chosen exhibitors who are known for their quality and responsible practices.
“People are tired of it being hard. They want to go back to the familiar because it works and has great product,” said Franjola. “Our message is still resonating.”
Dora Gutierrez, founder of Snova, exhibited at Preface LA to share her New York–headquartered company’s mission of upcycling tequila- and mezcal-production byproducts into biodegradable fibers.
“It’s a smaller gathering so you’re truly making connections,” Gutierrez said. “It’s a lot of community. The people who stop by take the time to understand what we do and how we do it, and they follow up.”
The event’s educational opportunities included Toolbox Talks panel discussions that covered “Fabric & Fiber” and “PLM Systems: Finding Your Right Fit” in addition to a “Human Centered Design Workshop” on July 31.
“It was the idea that all good designs should be this idea of human centered and solving problems and all those things we should do as good designers and we don’t. It was a reminder for those of us that work in that way,” said Bobette Stott, design director with designsource/la. “For those that are more in fast fashion, it was good to get some talking points about how we can start thinking about product differently.”
