Fashion
AI to take centre stage at Global Sourcing Expo 2025 seminar
As part of the Expo’s Global Sourcing Seminar Program, the session ‘Growth, e-commerce and AI in Fashion’ on Tuesday, November 18 at 3 pm will bring together leading voices from across the fashion and lifestyle sectors to explore how technology and creativity are combining to drive smarter, more sustainable business growth.
AI’s transformative role in fashion will take centre stage at the Global Sourcing Expo’s seminar, ‘Growth, e-commerce and AI in Fashion,’ on November 18.
Led by Elizabeth Formosa with panellists Kelly Slessor and Christina Exie, the session explores how AI drives smarter, more sustainable growth, enhances creativity, and empowers brands—big or small—to innovate responsibly and reduce waste.
Led by Elizabeth Formosa, Founder of Fashion Equipped, the discussion features Kelly Slessor (Founder, The Ecommerce Tribe & Tribe Gen AI) and Christina Exie (Co-Founder, Stacked Studio), who together will share practical strategies and real-world examples that reflect the industry’s rapid digital evolution.
AI in Fashion: From Hype to Real-World Impact
Formosa says the conversation around AI in fashion has moved beyond the buzzwords:
“AI is changing how our entire industry operates, from design and sourcing to marketing and customer experience. Brands are no longer asking if they should use AI, but how to use it effectively and responsibly. It’s not just about technology; it’s about transformation and staying relevant in a rapidly evolving market.”
According to Formosa, AI is now integral to how fashion businesses grow and connect with their audiences.
“AI helps brands understand their customers on a much deeper level. It allows them to personalise experiences, predict demand, and make smarter, faster decisions. From optimising assortments to improving marketing spend, it’s about using data to support creativity, not replace it.”
Empowering Every Brand to Innovate
For smaller or emerging brands, Formosa believes that embracing AI doesn’t need to be overwhelming.
“Start simple and strategic. Identify one area where AI can make a real difference — whether that’s analysing sales data, creating content, or improving your customer experience — and start there. Keep it aligned to your goals and values, learn as you go, and build confidence through small wins.”
She also emphasises the importance of education and community:
“Attending events like the Global Sourcing Expo is a great way to gain practical insights and knowledge from leaders on the front line of our industry.”
Technology as a Tool for Creativity and Sustainability
Formosa describes this as an “incredible time to be in fashion,” with AI helping the industry work smarter and make more responsible choices.
“AI gives brands the clarity to make better decisions and the freedom to innovate with purpose. It’s helping reduce waste through smarter forecasting, improved inventory management, and better product development. By predicting demand more accurately, we can minimise overproduction — one of fashion’s biggest sustainability challenges.”
Actionable Insights for a Fast-Moving Market
The Global Sourcing Seminar Program is designed to complement the Expo’s vibrant show floor, offering attendees expert-led education sessions that turn ideas into action.
Elizabeth Formosa’s session promises to deliver practical, actionable takeaways across sourcing, brand development, digital strategy, and AI adoption.
“This session will empower attendees to take immediate action,” says Formosa. “You’ll leave with the clarity, confidence, and tools to grow and strengthen your business in today’s fast-moving market.”
Attendees are also encouraged to download Fashion Equipped’s free guide, Navigating the Global Sourcing Expo, which includes tips and checklists to help businesses prepare, engage with manufacturers effectively, and maximise results from their Expo experience.
Note: The headline, insights, and image of this press release may have been refined by the Fibre2Fashion staff; the rest of the content remains unchanged.
Fibre2Fashion News Desk (SG)
Published
October 28, 2025
Eco group Waste & Resources Action Programme (WRAP) has released the latest results of the industry’s progress towards the ‘UK Textiles Pact’ which targets a 50% reduction in carbon and 30% reduction in water by 2030. And those results don’t make good reading.
While it shows carbon’s down 6% and water’s down 9% per tonne compared to 2019, “the progress made at a per tonne level has been eradicated by the continued growth in the production of new products – something WRAP has issued stark warnings about”, the report highlighted.
So with 17% more textiles for sale in 2024 compared to 2019, the Pact’s total carbon footprint is up 10% while water use is 7% higher, highlighting the “radical transformation [that] will be needed to meet… crucial milestones”.
But following “urgent talks with signatories”, there’s now a new Roadmap to meet 2030 targets, “having identified the barriers preventing the scale and speed of progress needed to achieve the Pact’s goals and turn the tide on the impact of the textiles industry”, the report said.
That means a new UK Textiles Pact Roadmap is “setting a new direction for the sector through collaboration”.
This will include focusing attention on the most impactful actions through the introduction of new indicators, “enabling signatories to reduce time deciding what to do and increase time acting; encouraging greater flexibility by providing a framework for signatories “allowing them to lean harder into some indicators relative to others in accordance with their individual business needs, which collectively will add up to the Pact’s shared targets”; and tackling upstream emissions through the introduction of a new workstream on ‘Supply Chain Decarbonisation’.
Catherine David, CEO at WRAP, said: “The Textiles sector is as fizzing with innovation and new thinking as ever. As a sector we face a huge challenge: how to decouple commercial growth from the use of carbon and water-intensive primary materials, and make the transition to Circular Living – with better products and services for consumers.
“Through the UK Textiles Pact, we’ve seen game-changing advances in the technologies and business models of the future with new collaborations challenging old assumptions and turning what was niche into mainstream consumer behaviour.
“Our new Roadmap provides updated tools and pathways for the next phase of circular growth in our textiles sector – together we’ll crack the systemic challenges that prevent the scale of change needed, and provide rocket fuel to the innovations which can accelerate the pace of change, in pursuit of our shared environmental goals, and a thriving and exciting textiles industry.”
Circular Economy Minister Mary Creagh added: “We are committed to moving towards a circular economy where waste is cut and resources are valued; fashion should not cost the Earth. Through our Circular Economy Strategy, we will support growth in the sustainable textiles sector, and I welcome the updated UK Textiles Pact Roadmap as a key step in driving climate action and circular innovation – as well as encouraging reuse and repair.
“WRAP’s new Roadmap sets a plan for achieving true circularity in the industry and we welcome the opportunity to work with as many businesses as possible to join us on this journey.”
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On October 24th, 2025, during the ITMF Annual Conference & IAF World Fashion Convention 2025 in Yogyakarta, Indonesia, the Committee of Management of the ITMF elected the members of the ITMF Board for the period 2025-2027.
At the ITMF Annual Conference & IAF World Fashion Convention 2025 in Yogyakarta, Indonesia, Juan Parès (Spain) was unanimously elected ITMF president for the period 2025–2027.
Mustafa Denizer (Turkiye) and Yan Yan (China) became vice presidents, with Ernesto Maurer (Switzerland) re-elected as treasurer.
KV Srinivasan (India) was named life member.
Mr. Juan Parès (Spain) was unanimously elected as the new ITMF President of the Federation.
Mr. Mustafa Denizer (Türkiye) was re-elected, and Ms. Yan Yan (China) was elected as new Vice Presidents of the Federation.
Mr. Ernesto Maurer (Switzerland) was re-elected as Honorary Treasurer.
The following persons were re-elected as Non-executive Board Members:
- Mr. Salman Ispahani (Bangladesh)
- Mr. Yingxin Xu (China)
- Ms. Suchita Jain Oswal (India)
- Mr. Tae Jin Kang (Korea)
- Mr. Anees Khawaja (Pakistan)
- Mr. Stefan Hutter (Singapore)
- Mr. Uday Gill (Thailand)
The following persons were elected as new Non-executive Board Members:
- Mr. Ernst Grimmelt (Germany)
- Mr. Sanjay Jayavarthanavelu (India)
Mr. Rafael Cervone (Brazil), Mr. Mohammad Kassem (Egypt), Mrs. Michelle Tjokrosaputro (Indonesia), Mr. Loek de Vries (Netherlands), and Mr. Muharrem Kayhan (Türkiye) were co-opted to the Board.
Mr. K. V. Srinivasan (India) was appointed Honorary Life Member of the Federation in recognition of his outstanding contribution to the Federation as Vice President (2018-2023) and as President (2023-2025).
Note: The headline, insights, and image of this press release may have been refined by the Fibre2Fashion staff; the rest of the content remains unchanged.
Fibre2Fashion News Desk (HU)
Upon graduation, Bangladesh will gradually lose the duty-free and quota-free market access it currently enjoys in major destinations like the European Union, Canada and Australia.
Though Bangladesh has met all three essential UN criteria for graduation from the LDC status, maintaining economic momentum and competitiveness after that needs significant internal restructuring, the ICCB has said.
An editorial in its latest newsletter said unless productivity improves and the country diversifies into new markets and higher-value apparel categories, the RMG industry’s edge may weaken.
For the readymade garment (RMG) industry—which accounts for over 80 per cent of export earnings—tariffs of 10-12 per cent could sharply reduce competitiveness, an editorial in the July-September 2025 issue of ICCB News Bulletin said.
Unless productivity improves and the country diversifies into new markets and higher-value apparel categories, its edge may weaken, it noted.
“Graduation will end concessional loans and grants, forcing Bangladesh to rely on costly commercial borrowing. With over $100 billion in external debt, rising global interest rates could strain repayment capacity. Stronger debt management, higher reserves, and export diversification are crucial to maintain fiscal discipline and ensure long-term macroeconomic stability,” said the editorial.
Global trade trends compound this challenge. Rising protectionism, complex supply-chain standards and non-tariff barriers such as carbon border taxes and due-diligence laws threaten traditional export models. As the global apparel market increasingly prioritises sustainability, traceability and labour compliance, Bangladesh must reposition itself as a responsible and innovative manufacturing hub, suggests the editorial.
At the same time, weaknesses in education, healthcare, and social protection must be addressed to ensure inclusive growth. A post-LDC Bangladesh cannot afford to leave its human capital behind. Skill development, vocational training, and greater female participation in the workforce will determine how equitably prosperity is shared.
Graduation also presents an opportunity to diversify beyond garments into IT, pharmaceuticals, leather agro-processing, service sector and shipbuilding—sectors critical for long-term competitiveness, it observed.
The privileges of the past will fade and the discipline of the future will demand more reform, more innovation and greater resilience, the editorial added.
Fibre2Fashion News Desk (DS)
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