Eastman recently held two events for fashion design students in Asia and Europe, showcasing the company’s commitment to promoting sustainability and supporting the next generation of fashion designers.
As part of the presentations, students learned about Eastman Naia™ Renew, a groundbreaking and sustainable cellulosic fiber.
"Next-generation designers help us fuel our commitment to sustainability,” said Claudia de Witte, Eastman textiles sustainability leader. “We want to empower them with sustainability tools like Naia™, so they can create a more sustainable future for the fashion industry. It starts with educating them about today’s challenges and the ways in which we address them.”
On June 24, the Naia™ team presented at one of Asia’s most prestigious fashion colleges, Bunka Fashion College in Japan. Miyamoto Kazuhiko, account manager for Eastman textiles, discussed challenges facing the world textiles industry. He emphasized the importance of implementing circular fashion practices and adopting sustainable materials to address these challenges.
Miyamoto shared Eastman's guiding principles for achieving circularity, inspiring the students to embrace sustainability in their future careers. He also provided examples of commercial cases demonstrating the versatility and eco-friendly nature of Naia™ Renew.
“The students were captivated by the potential of Naia™ Renew fiber to transform the fashion industry with its sustainable qualities,” Miyamoto said.
The second event was held July 1 at Escola Superior de Disseny (ESDI) in Spain. Eastman’s Carolina Wilches, principal applications development engineer, introduced a project that integrated sustainable practices with academic excellence.
Eastman partnered with manufacturers Hallotex from Spain and Riopele from Portugal so students could design and produce garments using Naia™ Renew fibers. The project was a fashion competition inspired by Dante Alighieri's "The Divine Comedy," celebrating the eternal tale of heaven and hell. The Naia™ team also organized circular knitting master classes and visits to mills and garment manufacturers.
“These activities aimed to enhance students' understanding of the sustainable textiles’ eco-friendly design,” said Wilches. “We want to nurture their creativity through hands-on experience in the sustainable textile industry.”
Through these events, the Naia™ team continues to drive positive change in the fashion industry, inspiring and empowering future designers to create a more sustainable and innovative future.
