An estimated 35 percent of all plastics in our oceans come from textile microfibres, posing a significant –but not fully understood – impact to human and marine health. While there are consumer solutions that can reduce the amount of microfibres shedding, how can we look upstream at the manufacturing process and truly tackle this problem from end-to-end?

This capstone event for ocean innovator Forum for the Future aims for participants to:

• Gain insights into the urgency of the microfibre pollution problem;
• Learn how it is linked to textile manufacturing through our project’s research methodology and results; and
• Understand how the textile industry can take action to adopt transformational solutions that lead to long-term meaningful change, that not only reduces microfibre pollution but also shifts the fashion industry to one that is socially just and regenerative for all.

Provisional agenda:

Introduction (3 mins). A brief introduction to the UNDP Ocean Innovation Challenge and welcome remarks by UNDP

Challenge: Microplastics/ microfiber issue - Learning (6 mins)

• Microplastics/ microfiber issue: Water and ocean issue and its environmental and socio-economic impacts 

Methodology/Solution/ Innovation (10mins)

Panel discussion (30mins) on what are the opportunities from integrating solutions that tackle microfibres at source, and what potential it holds for systemic change in the textile manufacturing industry. Panelists include sustainable fashion advocates, representatives from a major progressive textile manufacturer and global fashion brands.

Q&A (10mins)

Recommendations for the Industry (10mins)

Closing & Next Steps (5mins)

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·    This project is supported by UNDP’s Ocean Innovation Challenge (OIC), funded by Sida and Norad.