Amsterdam Fashion Week (AFW) and Copenhagen Fashion Week (CPHFW) are joining forces via a new partnership that aims to "accelerate sustainable initiatives within the fashion industry, both in the Nordics and the Benelux," a press release has revealed.

As part of the collaboration, AFW will implement CPHFW's Sustainability Requirements guidelines for the official shows of Amsterdam Fashion Week, held annually in September. This will begin with a one-year pilot phase starting in early 2025. During this phase, approximately 30 brands participating in the official show schedule will be measured against the sustainability requirements. Full implementation of the guidelines will commence in September 2026.

Danie Bles, CEO of AFW, emphasises the importance of this step: "At AFW, sustainability is central to everything we do. Sustainability is not an option – it's the future of fashion, and we are shaping that future today. With this in mind, we are incredibly proud to announce our collaboration with CPHFW. By adhering to the Sustainability Requirements, we are joining forces with other fashion weeks to support designers in making real, measurable progress in their sustainability efforts."

Cecilie Thorsmark, CEO of Copenhagen Fashion Week, adds: "We are delighted to announce our collaboration with Amsterdam Fashion Week, shortly after our partnership with the British Fashion Council. With this new collaboration, we are strengthening sustainability standards within Europe and working even more closely on shared goals and a common language. These partnerships are essential for the necessary alignment within the industry and underscore the unique role fashion plays in driving positive change."

The Sustainability Requirements were first introduced by CPHFW in January 2020, in collaboration with partners In Futurum and Dansk Fashion & Textile. Since their launch, the guidelines were updated in 2024 to reflect developments in the fashion industry and changes in EU policy. The guidelines are part of CPHFW's sustainability strategy. The goal: widespread change in the fashion industry regarding sustainability. The requirements were reviewed by their advisory board and an international panel of experts.

Since their launch, Oslo Runway, Berlin Fashion Week, and the BFC have also taken steps to implement the Sustainability Requirements.

This article was translated to English using an AI tool.