Circular Design Workshop.A week dedicated to circularity with The North Face and LifeGate

One of the most serious problems in the textile sector is given by overproduction. It has been estimated by the European Parliament that each person residing in the Old Continent buys an average of 26 kilos of textile products per year and that, in the European Union alone, this translates into 654 kilos of CO2 equivalent per person every year.That's why it's important to talk about circularity: The North Face and LifeGate have organized in this regard Circular Design Workshop, an ad hoc week, transforming the Milan store into a hub where we can discuss the problem and possible solutions, but where it will also be possible for anyone to bring their garments to be repaired and participate in upcycling workshop.We can't talk about sustainability in fashion without wondering how to extend the life of the garments as much as possible.

The North Face has been encouraging its customers to repair garments since 1971

The North Face has long been committed to developing better performing products while leaving an increasingly smaller footprint on the planet.“We are focusing on our biggest sources of environmental impact, namely the materials we use, the supply chain and the way they are designed,” explains the senior sustainability manager Julian Lings.“We are addressing these key areas, maintaining the performance and durability our customers expect from The North Face products.”

Starting from 1971 there is a department specifically dedicated to repairs. “We have maintained the warranty and repair functions, even as the brand has changed and evolved, both geographically and in scale.Through the TNF Renewed program we have embarked on a new journey to take the ideas of warranty and repair, but taking them even further:we can ensure products stay in use for longer (a key part of circularity) and allow new consumers to experience and engage with the brand,” continues Lings.

Not just repairs:work on raw materials and emissions

Repairing is very important, but what do you do when you no longer like a jacket you've worn for a long time?Through the Renewed Program, The North Face gives its customers the opportunity to bring back to the store the items that they no longer want to wear even if they are not broken and thus perceive a discount on subsequent purchase. Those same garments are then reworked, made current again and resold:a sort of second hand made more current and captivating.

“Beyond our commitment to circularity we are also making profound transformations at the level of processes and materials,” concludes Julian Lings.“We are converting the raw materials we use most into fibers recycled, regenerate or renewable, we are working with our key supply partners to halve their emissions, we are applying the logic of circular design to all our production and, finally, we have eliminated packaging disposable plastic from our activities."

The North Face store becomes a circularity hub

For about a week, from 12 to 18 October, The Milanese store The North Face Orefici11 it will be the scene of an open debate and practical circularity experiments.The works will open on October 12th with a talk dedicated to circular fashion:Why is this an urgent matter?What can people, communities and brands do?We will try to answer these questions together with Julian Lings, senior sustainability manager of The North Face, the director of LifeGate Thomas Perrone and other guests linked to the world of fashion and sustainability.

From the next day, therefore from October 13th to the 18th (excluding Sunday), a station will be set up in the store from 4pm to 7pm garment repair:anyone can bring their The North Face clothes or accessories into the store and ask for them to be repaired (see registration link to check types of repairs).Not only that:gods will also be active during the week upcycling workshop where expert craftsmen will explain many techniques to give new life to used garments and fabrics, either transformatively, i.e. by obtaining gadgets or other garments from old The North Face backpacks, jackets or trousers, or decoratively, thanks to embroidery, painting or application.The designers (Canto Primo and Operamia) and the seamstresses (Raffaella Spampanato and Ilaria Ferrari) are part of the community of Must Had, an innovative startup that provides companies with circular solutions to give new life to excess textile materials.

The program

Opening talk:October 12, 2023, 6.30 pm

Sustainable paths
The outdoors to discover the circular economy

Fashion is one of the sectors that will have to contribute most to the transition towards the circular economy:the European Union also says so, calling for all clothing to be durable and recyclable by 2030.The challenge is imposing.And it becomes even more so for the outdoor world which, in addition to style, comfort and protection, must also guarantee high performance.What are the most promising innovations in this field?What aspects are the brands in the sector working on?What can consumers do to act more responsibly?We talk about it with experts, companies, journalists and startuppers.

Participants:

• Julian Lings, The North Face senior sustainability manager
• Matteo Aghemo, co-founder of Must Had
• Ilaria Chiavacci, fashion journalist
• Silvia Stella Osella, creative consultant
• Moderate Thomas Perrone, director of LifeGate

Circular Design Workshop:from 13th to 18th October (excluding Sunday 15th)

October 13th, 14th and 18th from 2pm to 4pm

• First Canto Application workshop: the designer of the upcycling brand Canto Primo, will take care of two working groups.On the one hand creating a flow which, starting from disassembled The North Face garments and with the use of embroidery and patches, arrives at the creation of a unique product.On the other, applying patches previously made on The North Face garments worn by customers.

October 16th and 17th from 2pm to 4pm

• Operamia Decorative workshop: customers will be able to choose from a selection of magnificent designs and ask Camilla Merletti, a painter specialized in upcycling projects, to have them painted on their The North Face garments, making them unique.

From 13 to 18 October (excluding Sunday) from 4.30pm to 7.30pm:

• Lamula_raffa/Ilab.Yoga. Transformative upcycling: starting from The North Face garments, together with the designers Raffaella Spampanato and Ilaria Ferrari, we create objects such as bottle holders, beauty cases, clutch bags, yoga mats, hair ties, bum bags, shoppers, etc.
• Lamula_Raffa/Ilab.Yoga. Repair activities: repair of worn The North Face garments, such as changing Velcro, rebuilding jacket bottoms/drawstrings, snaps/buttons, etc.with the designers Raffaella Spampanato and Ilaria Ferrari.

How to participate

The Circular Design Workshop talk and events are held in The North Face Orefici11 store, in via Orefici (Duomo area).Entrance is free and free, subject to prior approval reservation.

• To register for the talk, click here
• To register for the workshops click here
• To sign up for repair activities click here