LONDON - Bookings are now open for this year’s RITE Group conference, which takes place in October at Central Hall, Westminster, London.

The event will feature several high-level industry specialists including Green Carpet Challenge (GCC) founder Livia Firth, who will team up with British TV presenter, Observer journalist and author Lucy Siegle to host a special session looking at ‘raising the bar’ and profile of sustainable fashion and consumption.

With around 80 billion garments produced every year, the issue of mass fashion consumption will also be discussed during this special RITE session. In her recently published book ‘To Die For’ Lucy Siegle noted, “It’s no secret that the present rates of consumption are unsustainable, and it will come as even less of a surprise that fashion’s are wildly out of kilter.”

This theme of mass consumption resonated widely at this month’s UN Rio +20 Summit in Brazil and with a session on sustainable fashion taking centre stage at RITE, resource consumption and efficiency is set to become a key focus for the fashion industry and will be a hot topic.

With breakout sessions exploring Closed Loop Recycling, Harmful Chemicals and Textile Pollution, and Sustainable Cotton Futures, other confirmed speakers for the conference, which takes place on Wednesday 10th, include Baroness Lola Young OBE, Mike Barry, Head of Sustainable Business, Marks & Spencer, Pavel Misiga, Sustainable Consumption, European Commission, Mark Held, Secretary General, European Outdoor Group, Mike Shragger, Swedish Fashion Academy, Cyndi Rhodes, CEO Worn Again; and Giusy Bettoni, from the eco-fashion hub C.L.A.S.S.

“As global population rises and the pressure to source more raw materials to make clothes intensifies,” noted John Mowbray from RITE, “then the need for more sustainable sourcing by retailers and a more intelligent way of shopping by consumers becomes much more important.

“Thanks to the participation of Livia, Giusy and Lucy at this year’s RITE event, delegates will have a great opportunity to see for themselves how we can connect sustainability from fibres right through to fashion,” he said.

For further details, go to www.ecotextile.com/uploads/2012RITEConf.pdf

To reserve your place at the event, please email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.