On October 12, 2024, the “Shan Future: Learning from the Frontier” sustainable fashion forum, co-hosted by yehyehyeh and Shanghai Fashion Week SS2025, successfully concluded at The Sukhothai Shanghai. In addition to the nearly 400 in-person guests, the livestream also saw overwhelming participation. yehyehyeh invited experts, scholars, and leaders from the fashion industry across the globe to participate in discussions. The frontier represents progress but also boundaries. Key topics included alternative prosperity beyond growth, a Planet Positive fashion system rooted in ecological frontiers, ESG-driven supply chain and material innovations, insights from the Global South, and the contributions of young communities to cultural sustainability and creativity.
The forum was supported by Louis Vuitton, Sateri, and Jiangnanbuyi, all of whom are committed to sustainability and cultural development.
Opening Remarks by Shaway Yeh, Founder of yehyehyeh
The “Doughnut” Redefines Fashion
Kate Raworth’s “Doughnut Economics” Model
Renowned economist Kate Raworth introduced her “Doughnut Economics” model, which outlines a framework of nine planetary boundaries as an ecological ceiling and 11 social foundations as a socio-economic floor. This model serves as a compass for prosperity, aiming to meet the needs of all people within the planet’s ecological limits, without exceeding its life-supporting systems. Raworth’s thought-provoking question for the audience: Can businesses today redefine their purpose for people, communities, cities, and the planet?
Urban Spaces and Cultural Sustainability
The Chinese edition of Business Weekly Publishing Group Publisher Jian Li; Greater China President of LVMH Yue Wu; Director of the Sustainable Development and Management Research Institute at Tongji University, Dajian Zhu
Wu Yue, President of LVMH Greater China; and Professor Zhu Dajian, Director of the Institute of Sustainable Development and Management at Tongji University, discussed how the doughnut model can be applied not only to fashion but also to urban culture. Professor Zhu used the example of Mahjong to vividly illustrate Shanghai’s urban evolution over the past 40 years. “Urban land cannot expand indefinitely, just as Mahjong has a ceiling. However, the core challenge for Shanghai’s development lies in seeking breakthroughs under these limited conditions.”
Fashion brands can leverage their cultural heritage and influence to inject new vitality into historic districts, thus exploring new models of growth for limited urban spaces. Wu Yue added, “We all live on the same planet and gather in this vibrant city, and everyone has a responsibility to participate in the sustainability process. The ESG conversation must shift from focusing on ‘things’ to focusing on ‘actions,’ ultimately centering on people. Talent is the key to the success of our enterprises, cities, and even nations, especially the direction led by the younger generation, which is vital for future development.”
Restoring Nature and Sustainable Livelihoods
Zhang Cheng, China Program Director Sateri x Conservation International’s Artificial
of Conservation International Wetland Project
In the context of the current shifts in production and consumption models, we need not only a reverence for nature but also a consideration of how to restore and unleash nature’s inherent energy and resilience. Zhang Cheng, China Program Director of Conservation International, shared a long-term partnership with Sateri. Over the years, both parties have jointly invested in the protection of Poyang Lake, aiming to preserve the health of its ecosystems, protect biodiversity, and provide sustainable livelihoods for local residents. Poyang Lake is China’s largest freshwater lake and an important wintering habitat for migratory birds in Asia.
Zhang emphasized a focus on four areas in the next three years: better climate adaptation, improved water resource management, enhanced biodiversity protection, and greater public awareness of Poyang Lake’s role in nature conservation and climate regulation.
Fashion Strategies for a Planet-Positive Future
Yidi Chen, founder of MATTTER; Andrea Rosso, Sustainability Ambassador of Diesel; Tana Dai, General Manager of Erdos Group; and Chitra Subyakto, founder of Sejauh Mata Memandang
‘Denim Cave’ made Erdos’ sustainable cashmere farming from recycled denim for natural ecosystem protection by Diesel
In the face of ecological challenges, nature not only serves as a source of creativity but also as the foundation for innovation-transforming degradation into regeneration. Tana Dai, General Manager of Erdos Group, offered her perspective on the application of new technologies and long-term corporate growth. “While the initial costs of driving technological innovation may rise, over time, as production scales up and bio and dyeing technologies mature, costs will inevitably fall. Companies must adopt a constructive, long-term outlook towards these changes.” Chitra Subyakto, founder of Sejauh Mata Memandang, emphasized that balancing tradition with innovation is key to sustainable business growth. As traditional craft techniques are respected and modernized, an increasing number of young consumers are drawn to sustainable practices like recycling yarns. Andrea Rosso, Sustainability Ambassador of DIESEL, discussed the process of redesigning, reproducing, and reusing denim, while empowering suppliers to upgrade and fast-track sustainability efforts. He further stressed the importance of closing the gap between design teams and supply chains to focus on niche innovations with greater impact.
ESG-Driven Supply Chain Upgrades
Chen Guangyu, Co-founder, China ESG Alliance; Gao Min, President, Hempel International; Huang Yanxiang, CEO, Carbon Newture
ESG principles are gradually becoming a core driving force for transformation in the fashion industry. From upstream green finance, midstream technological innovation, to downstream supplier and supply chain management, the sector is achieving a digital transformation that supports its carbon neutrality goals. Gao Min, President of Hempel International, believes the future will be a “flexible era,” characterized by agility and efficient operations. This shift is not only a result of technological advancements but also requires the collective efforts of human resources and all levels of the supply chain. The key concept is ensuring that everyone within the supply chain can secure a “comfortable income,” realizing a full-chain profit-sharing model. Scope 1, 2, and 3 carbon emissions are challenges that many companies are facing and need to address, and they are equally significant for the textile and apparel industry.
Huang Yanxiang, CEO of Carbon Newture, shared insights from an interdisciplinary perspective that included green finance and blockchain technology. He emphasized that for the textile industry, every time a brand produces a garment or chooses a material, it should strive to use measurable indicators to move toward sustainability. This approach, he argues, represents a form of business-driven positive change.
Merging Sustainability, Innovation, and Tradition
Model, director, and sustainable fashion advocate Bonnie Chen; Jiangnanbuyi’s sustainable fabric R&D specialist Rong Xijie; The Mills Fabrica investment manager Kate Tsoi
JNBY’s intangible cultural heritage ‘Tin Embroidery Collection’: a profound tribute to traditional aesthetics and innovative integration
How can material innovation drive brands towards carbon neutrality and a circular economy? The combination of materials and design not only pushes the industry closer to a circular economy but also serves as a new driver for business growth.
Jiangnanbuyi, which has long been committed to researching sustainable fabrics from both Eastern and Western perspectives, has outlined the development, challenges, and cooperation models of new fabrics. Its sustainable fabric R&D specialist, Rong Xijie, stated that yak wool, for example, has unique regional characteristics. Its collection and the way yaks are herded are relatively sustainable, and it also carries cultural and economic significance. Jiangnanbuyi, along with its partners, launched the world’s first sustainable standard for yaks—the “Farm Animal Welfare Requirements – Yak” group standard, starting certification from the ranch end and ultimately achieving transparent and traceable supply chain management reaching consumers.
The Mills Fabrica investment Manager Kate Tsoi hopes to use influence to guide investment direction, thus focusing more on upstream technology in the supply chain, aiming to change or improve raw materials and production models from the ground up. Special attention is given to sustainable textile technology and agricultural food technology, which together account for 44% of global carbon emissions.
Sustainable Innovation Frontiers in Asia
yehyehyeh founder Shaway Yeh；Secretary General of Shanghai Fashion Week Organizing Committee Executive Vice Chairman of Shanghai Fashion Designer Association Lv Xiaolei; Jakarta Fashion Week CEO Svida Alisjahbana
Lv Xiaolei, Secretary General of Shanghai Fashion Week Organizing Committee Executive Vice Chairman of Shanghai Fashion Designer Association, believes that the rise of Chinese designers over the past decade has been driven by the market’s demand for novelty and personal expression, alongside a wave of entrepreneurs returning from overseas studies and the proliferation of boutique stores. Svida Ailsjahbana, CEO of Jakarta Fashion Week, views India, China, and Indonesia as countries rich in cultural heritage. This heritage provides us with the strength to propel the future of the fashion industry. Both experts agree that Asia, as the most dynamic economic region, possesses vast development potential, each with its strengths and weaknesses in design creativity and market innovation. Strengthening interaction and collaboration is the next crucial step we need to undertake, including the initiation of the Sustasia Fashion Prize in collaboration with the yehyehyeh.
Learning from the Global South
State of Fashion Biennale Direcor Iris Ruisch State of Fashion Biennale at Shan Future Forum
State of Fashion is a platform for showcasing alternatives to the current fashion system. We connect fashion, explicitly and honestly, with the societal questions and challenges of our time, such as inclusivity and fair practice, the impact of globalisation and the climate crisis. Our leading question is how fashion can contribute to a better world.
The Power of Communities and Cultural Creativity
Sequel ESG Communications founder Christine Chan; Tapestry Senior Director of China Travel Retail Charlie Hou; Hub Host of Trash Club Shanghai Sophie Ruane; HAI550 Marketing Director Yoki Yang
Sequel ESG Communications founder Christine Chan, Charlie Hou, Senior Director of Travel Retail for Tapestry China, Sophie Ruane, Hub Host of Trashclub Shanghai, and Yoki Yang, Marketing Director of HAI550, discussed how community-based initiatives can promote sustainable fashion. Charlie Hou shared that Coachtopia, a community of creative individuals, empowers brands and designers by offering them breakthroughs in creative expression. Sophie Ruane emphasized Trashclub’s mission to imbue waste with new life through creativity, while Yoki Yang highlighted HAI550’s efforts to communicate the cultural stories behind sustainable brands, offering nourishment for long-term brand growth.
The forum concluded with insightful discussions and inspiring exchanges. We extend our gratitude to Erdos, OTB Group, the Consulate-General of the Netherlands in Shanghai, the Doughnut Economics Action Lab, Future Fabric Expo, China ESG Alliance, BottleDream, and The Sukhothai Hotel for their support.
