Will you soon need a degree in chemical engineering with a focus on agricultural science to attend Première Vision? The fact is that the level of the selected exhibitors is so high that you quickly find yourself in discussions about mutated tanks, materials made from waste, regenerative agriculture or the business of certifications.
From February 6th to 9th, 2024, 1,200 international manufacturers of materials (leather, textiles) and accessories exhibited their spring/summer 2025 collections at the Villepinte exhibition center. It is impossible to know which of them will fit into the new fashion world (adapted to the world of tomorrow) initiated by the organizers of the Première Vision sourcing fair, part of GL Events.
It is also unknown whether the Spring/Summer 2025 fashion collections (which will be on display at trade fairs, in showrooms from July 2024 and in stores from March/April 2025) will be made from the materials (leather, textiles and accessories). , which were presented at Première Vision in February 2024.
But one thing is certain: the space and visibility given to manufacturers with a certain “mindset” – i.e. an attitude that is compatible with a sustainable and fair fashion system – at Première Vision is becoming increasingly important.
Big ideas and green washing are giving way to neo-materials of plant and animal origin
This new reality is reflected in the “Forum Inspirations” Spring/Summer 2025, which is seen as a forum for fabric trends. “In addition to the obvious manifestations of the theme of ‘mutations’ such as fabrics that look like shells, chrysalid skins and mysterious opals, we also present materials that are not so easy to recognize at first glance,” explains Desolina Suter, fashion director of Première Vision, in conversation with FashionUnited.
“They are mutations that result from more interesting mixtures in terms of composition, especially between all bast and cellulose fibers. Linen, rami, hemp or nettle are combined with less demanding, non-vegetable, silkier and more fluid fibers to create innovative hybrid materials. These profound developments in the textile industry are more promising than the visual aspect, which is renewed from season to season, but from which we will not be able to capitalize in the same way,” adds Suter.
Of the over 1,000 fabric samples received, the fashion department is exhibiting 400 in this forum, with one constant: polyesters obtained from petrochemicals have been banned from the presentation.
Are eco-innovations and deadstock the end of materials that are labeled “vegan” but are made from petroleum?
The discourse on ecological responsibility took place in the Sourcing Solutions Forum (in the middle of Hall 6), a slimmed down version of the previous edition. Here, visitors can digest crucial, more technical topics using texts that summarize information. They invite brands to delve into the matter with a precise narrative. For example:
“What properties does a substance with optimized biodegradability have? The term ‘biodegradable’ or similar formulations are prohibited in France by the AGEC law. Biodegradability is a matter of ecodesign to ensure improved degradation properties at the end of life during product development. The aim is not to mislead consumers by suggesting that the product is easily degradable. A substance is considered biodegradable if it can be broken down under the action of living organisms without harmful effects on the environment.”
To make this new “fashion ecology” even more visible, the Sourcing Solutions Forum is adjacent to the Hub area, where exhibitors of innovative materials such as Spider, which produces fabrics from sugar and proteins, and the Smart Creations area can be found , which houses the “dormant materials,” a more euphemistic term for deadstock (dead and revived stocks).
The Atelier des Matières, founded in 2019 on the initiative of Chanel, made a remarkable appearance at Première Vision with a modular stand designed from rolls of cardboard fabric. The Atelier des Matières, directed by Nativité Rodriguez, offers hybrid compositions made from scraps of leather, wool, cotton or cashmere (all natural materials). Proof of this is a small notebook whose cover was made from leftover leather and then refined by Créanog, a creative studio and realization studio specializing in embossing and hot stamping techniques.
Right on trend: Première Vision offers a solution for better pay for agricultural workers
As General Director Gilles Lasbordes explained to FashionUnited ahead of the event in February 2024, the leather sector is at the heart of the fashion industry in terms of environmental responsibility and traceability. But here too, more needs to be done than simply demonstrating (sometimes absurdly) the virtuous practices of livestock farming.
On Wednesday, February 7, 2024, Olivier Antignac, founder and president of Domaine des Massifs, and Mathieu Toutlemonde (Agoterra, a company committed to farmers) presented a project on regenerative agriculture in the Leather Hub (Hall 3). before. Instead of acquiring carbon credits by planting trees in the Amazon or elsewhere, French brands could donate the money to distressed French agricultural workers.
They explained that too much carbon in the atmosphere leads to global warming. When farmers, while their land lies fallow, grow plants (e.g. clover) that absorb carbon to release it underground and optimize soil biodiversity, it’s a win-win situation for everyone involved. Especially since this new activity would be remunerated through the carbon credit.
Increasingly demanding certifications will soon be too expensive for brands in the middle price range?
It’s time to take an interest in the “A Better Way” program, introduced in the last edition to give a signal of the “better way” to manufacturers committed to social and environmental responsibility. This season, clothing manufacturers among the exhibitors were able to benefit from this award, which was displayed on their signs.
This is the case of the Romanian company Livas Clothing Srl. Managing director Bambos Loannou explains to FashionUnited the three points that justify its good management practices: management of its employees (transportation, meals and treatment in private clinics), recycling of paper, plastics and fabrics through a specialized factory and installation of solar panels for electricity supply.
At Siena, an industrial company near Porto (Portugal), which was also awarded the “A Better Way” label, the requirements go even further. The company boasts all the necessary certifications to meet the requirements. Gots (Global Organic Textile Standard) is a certificate that is granted when a product consists of at least 70 percent organic fibers. In addition, cultivation must follow the principles of organic farming, which means that no GMOs, synthetic pesticides or herbicides may be used.
This certification, which must be carried out at every intermediate company (spinning, weaving, printing, etc.) and renewed every year, tends to become increasingly difficult to obtain and more expensive. A new policy that favors large-scale producers at the expense of smaller producers, which is quite paradoxical in a world that encourages “buy less, but better”. But a situation that is comparable to what is happening in the food industry, where many small producers forego the organic seal out of economy.
This intensive certification policy could prove counterproductive as it penalizes small businesses and end consumers as this affects the price of the product. One should keep this in mind.
This article originally appeared on FashionUnited.fr. Translated and edited by Simone Preuss.