Different perspectives on sustainable fashion met at the World Expo in Osaka, Japan

Major fashion companies such as H&M and UNIQLO, emerging brands like HODAKOVA, Synflux, and Petra Fagerström, as well as organisations and platforms including the United Nations (UN), Challenge the Fabric, the Swedish Fashion Council, and Textile & Fashion 2030, joined forces with academia, represented by the Swedish School of Textiles, University of Borås and the Kyoto Institute of Technology. Together, they exchanged ideas and visions for the future of fashion.

A turning point for UNIQLO

“When we were first asked if UNIQLO could design the Swedish Olympic team’s outfits, we thought it was a scam. ‘Just focus on the work,’ I told my team. But when it turned out to be true and we began the collaboration in 2019, it marked the beginning of our sustainability journey,” said Koji Yanai, Senior Executive Officer and Board Member at Fast Retailing Group, responsible for Sustainability Communication and Global Marketing at UNIQLO.

“Our current challenge is helping customers understand the ‘LifeWear’ concept – that they can bring used garments to our stores, and we’ll ensure they are reused in the best possible way. We want to increase both the number of garments collected and our output.”

The UN’s call for collective action

Another key participant was the United Nations, represented by Maher Nasser, Assistant Secretary-General and Commissioner-General of the UN at Expo 2025 in Osaka. Reflecting on the 6 June event, he said:

“We need to walk the talk, and this is a message of hope: we can do this together. It’s crucial to consider what we do collectively – whether as governments, organisations, industry, or academia – to address global challenges. Seeing these actors come together today gives me hope for the future. We must achieve as much as possible before the deadline. I remain hopeful.”

Swedish innovation in the spotlight

Textile strategist Susanne Nejderås, from the University of Borås, was one of the speakers and shared several examples demonstrating how the university is at the forefront of textile innovation and the sustainable fashion and textile industry.
“Sweden and Japan have a lot in common: we are both strong in innovation and sustainability, and we face similar challenges. I believe we can learn a great deal by working closely together,” she said.

Facts

The event on 6 June was organised by the Swedish School of Textiles in collaboration with Business Sweden, the Swedish Fashion Council, and the Swedish Institute, as part of the university’s government assignment Textile & Fashion 2030.

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About the event